At the beginning of the 13th century German merchants settled near the Slavic village Stralow, which was conveniently situated for public transport with its natural harbour and a passage to Rügen. Since the Stralsund merchants were members of the Hanseatic League, the Hanse, Stralsund developed into a prosperous town during the 13th and 14th centuries. In 1370 the "Peace Treaty of Stralsund" terminated the war between Denmark and the victorious Hanseatic cities for predominance in the Baltic Sea region: Stralsund had become very significant for the League. Just like all large Hanseatic cities Stralsund gradually lost its power and economic strength with the decline of the Hanse during the 15th and 16th centuries.
Stralsund was spared from being conquered by Wallenstein's soldiers during the Thirty Years' War, it is true. However, the town lost its political sovereignty. In 1648 the Westphalian Peace Treaty marked the era of Swedish predominance in Stralsund and Vorpommern. During the following decades wars and large town fires changed the appearance of the town. The era of Swedish predominance did not end before the Congress of Vienna in 1815: From then on Stralsund belonged to Prussia.
Prussia made Stralsund a garrison and built the first Prussian naval port on the island Dänholm in the Strelasund in 1848. The population and the economy boomed in the 19th century. The harbour was extended, and the railway connection to Berlin was completed. The medieval fortresses and some historical town houses had to be sacrificed, it is true.
On 6th October 1944 a bombing attack destroyed parts of the historical old town centre as well as many homes and the harbour facilities. In May 1945 further destruction of Stralsund was prevented because the town surrendered to the Red Army without a fight.
After the Second World War the economy grew in Stralsund: Once again the harbour gained great significance for the Baltic Sea trade; the newly founded peoples' shipyard has been an important employer until today.
The efforts to preserve the old town have been worthwhile: UNESCO declared the old town of Stralsund a world culture heritage in 2002.
Tourismuszentrale der Hansestadt Stralsund
Alter Markt 9
18439 Stralsund
phone: 03831-24690
fax: 03831-246922
e-mail: info@stralsundtourismus.de
Internet: www.stralsundtourismus.de