History
The history and culture of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are unique, although Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a young federal state. It belongs to the five new federal states in the territory of the former GDR and was created in 1990 by joining the former regions of Neubrandenburg, Rostock and Schwerin. Two thirds of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern was the territory of the historical state of Mecklenburg. For a long time, Vorpommern in the east had been part of the Prussian province of Pomerania.
Since the first settlements by hunters and gatherers approximately 10,000 years ago, the present day region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has been the site of an eventful and fascinating history. Witness to that are the numerous monuments, such as the megalithic tombs of farmers and cattle breeders, the brick churches and guildhalls from the Hanseatic period or the bridges and power plants of the early Industrial Age. War, political persecution and dictatorship are also part of our history. Memorials perpetuate the memories of those chapters of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s past and of its victims.
The wealth of facets of our state’s history can be vividly experienced in the historical museums. There visitors can learn about almost everything: The history of seafaring as well as regional history or the world of tales and legends belong to the spectrum of topics.