The town of Pasewalk emerged from a merchants' settlement around the Nikolaikirche after the year 1200. In 1250 Pasewalk became a part of Brandenburg and was assigned the status of a town in the following year. From 1320 on, Pasewalk was favoured by its duty-free trade status. The local beer "Pasenelle" was an export hit.
In 1354 the Pomeranian dukes came into possession of Pasewalk. In the 14th century the 73-metre-high Marienkirche was built, and in 1445 "Kiek in de Mark", a magazine for the storage of gunpowder was erected. In 1648 Pasewalk became part of Swedish Western Pomerania as a result of the Peace Treaty of Westphalia. About 1700 French Huguenots began farming tobacco in the region.
In 1720 Prussia seized power. Pasewalk became a garrison in 1721. Between 1795 and 1806 Ferdinand Baptista von Schill did his military service in Pasewalk. In 1819 the Pasewalk dragoon regiment was changed into a cuirassier regiment and was named "Queen" Pomerania (no. 2).
When the railway line Angermünde-Pasewalk-Stralsund was built, the town was connected to the railway network in 1863. In the second half of the 19th century industrialisation began. In 1871 one of the most important personalities of Pasewalk was born: Oskar Picht, the inventor of the Braille typewriter.
In the Second World War Pasewalk suffered severe devastation. During a bombing attack on 25th April 1945, the town centre was almost completely destroyed. After 1945 the town was reconstructed and numerous companies settled in Pasewalk. Pasewalk is the administrative centre of the district of Uecker-Randow.
Stadtinformation Pasewalk
Prenzlauer Straße 23a
17309 Pasewalk
phone: 03973-213995 or 03973-251232
fax: 03973-213972
e-mail: stadtinfo@pasewalk.de
Internet: www.pasewalk.de