Szczecin Totally Explained

Everything about Stettin totally explained

Szczecin ( The most likely origin of the name is considered to be the Polish words Szczyt or Szczeć-the first being the name of hill peak, the second being description of grass(External Link

). Because Wartislaw IV, Duke of Pomerania founded the city of Neustettin (literally "New Szczecin", now Szczecinek) in 1310, the original Szczecin was sometimes called "Old Szczecin" (; ).

History

Lusatian culture in the early Iron Age period. An East Germanic tribe, the Rugians, inhabited the area until about 500 AD. Another stronghold was built in the 8th century at the ford of the Oder River by the Slavic Pomeranians.
   Later, the place was the main centre of a small Western Slavic tribe living in the fork of the Oder between the main branch and the Randow River. It isn't certain if this tribe belonged to the Pomeranians who lived on the right bank of the Oder, or to the Polabians or Veleti who lived on the left bank of the Oder. It is also possible that Stetinum was controlled in some manner by both tribes. It is very likely that Mieszko I of Poland, who conquered Pomerania in the years 967–972, also took control of Stetinum and Wolin. Piast rule in Stetinum was overthrown by a pagan rebellion around 1005. For most of this time, the Pomeranians kept their pagan Baltic faith. Several Triglav temples existed nearby.
   After the decline of Wolin in the 12th century, Stetinum became one of the most important and powerful cities of the Baltic Sea south coasts, having some 5,000 inhabitants. In a winter campaign of 1121–1122, Stetinum was subjugated by Boleslaus III of Poland, who invited the Catholic bishop Otto of Bamberg to baptize the citizens (1124). In this time, Wartislaw I, Duke of Pomerania is recorded to be the local duke. Wartislaw managed to expand his duchy westward, thereby forming the territorial body of the later Duchy of Pomerania, and organized the second visit of Otto in 1128. At this time the first Christian church of St. Peter and Paul was erected. The duchy was for the centuries being ruled by the Griffins dynasty (House of Pomerania), of which Wartislaw I is the first definite ancestor. Stettin was made the capital of the duchy and didn't lose this status even during the partitions of Pomerania, when Pomerania-Stettin comprised large portions of the duchy and always was seat of Pomeranian dukes. As a result, Stettin was chosen to stay capital even in the Prussian Province of Pomerania set up after the 1637 death of the last Pomeranian duke.
   In the second half of the 12th century, a group of German tradesmen (from various parts of the Holy Roman Empire) settled in the city around St. Jacob's Church, which was founded by Beringer, a trader from Bamberg, and consecrated in 1187. After the 1164 Verchen battle, Stettin dukes joined in to Saxony and in 1181 Stettin became part of the Holy Roman Empire. For centuries the dukes invited West and Central German settlers to colonize Pomeranian wastelands and to found towns and villages (see Ostsiedlung). Duke Barnim of Pomerania granted a local government charter to this community in 1237, separating the Germans from the Slavic majority community settled around the St. Nicholas Church (in the neighborhoods of Chyzin, Uber-Wiken, and Unter-Wiken). Barnim granted Stettin Magdeburg rights in 1243. Around that time the major ethnic group of the city had become German, while the Slavic population decreased.
   Stettin joined the Hanseatic League in 1278. Already in the 1300s the city had been German, while the countryside remained partly West Slavic. By the 1630s the city and surrounding area that hadn't been already German had become completely Germanized.
   After the extinction of the Griffits dynasty, Stettin, along with the rest of Western Pomerania, was granted to Sweden at the Peace of Westphalia (1648), despite the protests of Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg, who had a legal claim to inherit all of Pomerania. In 1720 after the Great Northern War, the Swedes were forced to cede the city to King Frederick William I of Prussia. Stettin developed into a major Prussian city and became part of the Prussian-led German Empire in 1871. In 1939 Stettin had about 400,000 inhabitants. It was Germany's third-biggest seaport (after Hamburg and Bremen) and was of great importance for the supply and trade of Berlin. Cars of the Stoewer automobile company were produced in Stettin from 1899 - 1945.
   In 1935 the German Wehrmacht made Stettin the headquarters for Wehrkreis II, which controlled the military units in all of Mecklenburg and Pomerania. It was also the Area Headquarters for units stationed at Stettin I and II; Swinemünde; Greifswald; and Stralsund. During the invasion of Poland, which started World War II in 1939, Stettin was the base for the German 2nd Motorized Infantry Division, which cut across the Polish Corridor. Allied air raids in 1944 and heavy fighting between the German and Soviet armies destroyed 65% of Stettin's buildings and almost all of the city centre, seaport and industries.
   The Soviet Red Army captured the city on April 26, 1945. Many of the city's inhabitants fled before its capture, and Stettin was virtually deserted when it fell. In the following month the city was handed over to Polish administration three times, permanently on July 5, 1945. In the meantime part of the German population had returned, believing it might become part of the Soviet occupation zone in Germany. Stettin is located mostly west of the Oder-Neisse line, which was to be Poland's new border according to the Potsdam Conference. However, most of Pomerania, including all of Stettin and the mouth of the Oder River, was awarded to Poland.
   The Polish authorities were led by Piotr Zaremba. Many of the remaining Germans were forced to work in Soviet military camps that were outside of Polish jurisdiction. In the early 1950s, most of Stettin's Germans were expelled from the city, although there was a significant German minority for the next 10 years.
   In 1945 the Polish community in Stettin consisted of a few of citizens from the pre-war population as well as forced laborers from the General government. Stettin was resettled with Poles, most of whom came from around Poznań, where their homes had been destroyed during the German occupation and during fighting on the Eastern Front. The city's population was expelled and then resettled with Poles from Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union. This settlement process was coordinated by the city of Poznan, and Stettin's name was changed to a Polish name of Szczecin. There is significant Ukrainian minority, which was forced by communist government, after Operation Vistula in 1947 to leave East of Poland.
   The new citizens of Szczecin rebuilt and extended the city's industry and industrial areas, as well as its cultural heritage, although efforts were hampered by the authorities of Communist Poland. Szczecin became a major industrial centre for Poland, as well as an important seaport for Poland (especially for Silesian coal), Czechoslovakia, and East Germany. The city witnessed anti-communist revolts in 1970 and 1980 and participated in the growth of the Solidarity movement during the 1980s. Since 1999 Szczecin has been the capital of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship.

Szczecin harbour and Oder River panorama

Dukes of Pomerania-Stettin

1121-1147 Wartislaw I

1147-1158

1158-1187

1187-1220

1220-1278 Barnim the Good, Wartislaw III

1278-1295 Barnim II, Otto I, Bogislaw IV

1295-1344 Otto I

1344-1368 Barnim III

1368-1372 Casimir III

1372-1404 Swantibor I, Bogislaw VII

1404-1413 Swantibor I

1413-1428 Otto II, Casimir V

1428-1435 Casimir V

1435-1451 Joachim I

1451-1464 Otto III

1464-1474 Erick II

1474-1523 Bogislaw X

1523-1531 George I, Barnim IX

1531-1569 Barnim XI

1569-1600

1600-1603 Barnim X

1603-1606 Bogislaw XIII

1606-1618 Philip II

1618-1620 Frank I

1620-1625 Bogislaw XIV

Famous residents

Before 1945

Ernst Bader, June 7, 1914, - August 10, 1999 (actor and songwriter)

Johannes Theodor Baargeld, October 9, 1892 - August 16 or 17, 1927, (painter and poet)

Max Berg, April 17, 1870 - 22 January 1947, (Architect)

Michael Bürsch, b. June 3, 1942 (Politician )

Catherine the Great (1729-1796), empress of Russia, born in Stettin in 1729

Heinrich Philipp August Damerow (1798 - 1866), psychiatrist

Helga Deen, April 6, 1925 - July 16, 1943

Alfred Döblin (1878-1957), writer

Felix Anton Dohrn, September 29, 1840 - September 26, 1909, first director of the Stazione Zoologica, Naples, Italy.

Sophie Marie Dorothea Auguste Louise of Württemberg (1759-1828), the second wife of Tsar Paul I of Russia

Fritz Gerlich, February 15, 1883 - 30 June 1934, journalist

Heinrich George (1893-1946), actor born in Stettin on October 9, 1893

Otto von Gierke, January 11, 1841 - October 10, 1921, historian

Friedrich Gilly (1772-1800), architect

Hermann Günther Grassmann (1809-1877) mathematician, physicist, linguist, scholar, and neohumanist.

Carl Gustav Friedrich Hasselbach (1809-1882), mayor of Magdeburg

Theodor Hildebrandt, July 2, 1804 - 1874, painter

Michael Holm, July 29, 1943, singer and songwriter

Leon Jessel, January 22, 1871 - January 4, 1942, composer

Knut Kiesewetter, born September 13, 1941, musician

Franz Theodor Kugler, January 19, 1808 - March 18, 1858, art historian

Monika Lennartz (born in 1938), actress with the Maxim Gorki Theater in Berlin

Carl Loewe (1796–1869) composer, lived in Stettin

Traugott Konstantin Oesterreich (1880-1949), religious parapsychologist and philosopher

Wolfhart Pannenberg (born 1928), Christian theologian

Dita Parlo, September 4, 1906 - December 13, 1971, film actress

Robert Prutz, May 30, 1816 - 21 June 1872, poet

Franz San Galli (1824-1908), inventor of radiator (central heating system)

Werner Seelenbinder, August 2, 1904 - October 24, 1944, politician

Manfred Stolpe (born 1936), former Prime Minister of Brandenburg and Federal Minister in the government of Gerhard Schröder (2002-2005)

Carl Ludwig Schleich (1859-1922), author

Christian Tomuschat (born 1936), expert in international law, professor at the Humboldt University of Berlin

Hans Heinrich von Twardowski, May 5, 1898 – 19 November 1958, film actor

Friedrich Graf von Wrangel (1784-1877), Prussian Field Marshal

Ernst Zitelmann, August 7, 1852 - November 28, 1923, jurist

After 1945

Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński (1905-1953)

Chava Alberstein (*1947), Israeli singer and composer of songs

Piotr Andrejew (*1947), Polish screenwriter and film director, born in Szczecin

Janusz Kijowski, (*1947) film director, born in Szczecin

Ryszard Kotla (*1947) historian, travel writer, journalist, engineer, born in Szczecin-Dąbie

Jerzy Zielinski (*1950) Polish cinematographer active in Hollywood, born on January 8, 1950 in Szczecin

Wojciech Kulikowski artist (1954)

Kasia Nosowska (*1971), singer of Szczecin-based rock band Hey

Grzegorz Mroz (*December 18, 1983)

Historical population

12th century: 5,000 inhabitants

1720: 6,000 inhabitants

1740: 12,300 inhabitants

1816: 21,500 inhabitants

1843: 37,100 inhabitants

1861: 58,500 inhabitants

1872: 76,000 inhabitants

1890: 116,228 inhabitants(External Link

)

1900: 210,680 inhavitants (including annexed suburbs)(External Link

)

1910: 236,113 inhabitants(External Link

)

1939: 382,000 inhabitants

1945: 260,000 inhabitants (German population largely expelled, plus war losses.)

1950: 180,000 inhabitants (drop due to continuing expulsions of Germans)

1960: 269,400 inhabitants (resettling of Poles)

1970: 338,000 inhabitants

1975: 369,700 inhabitants

1980: 388,300 inhabitants

1990: 412.600 inhabitants

1995: 418.156 inhabitants

2000: 415,748 inhabitants

2002: 415,117 inhabitants

2003: 414,032 inhabitants

2004: 411,900 inhabitants

2005: 411,119 inhabitants

Architecture and urban planning

Szczecin's architectural style is mainly influenced by those of the last half of the 19th century and the first years of the 20th century: Academic art and Art Nouveau. In many areas built after 1945, especially in the city centre, which had been destroyed due to Allied bombing, social realism is prevalent.
Urban planning of Szczecin is unusual. The first thing observed by a newcomer is abundance of green areas: parks and avenues – wide streets with trees planted in the island separating opposite traffic (where often tram tracks are laid); and roundabouts. This makes Szczecin's city project quite similar to that of Paris. The reason is, Szczecin (like Paris) was rebuilt in the 1880s using a design by Georges-Eugène Haussmann.
This course of designing streets in Szczecin is still used, as many recently built (or modified) city areas include roundabouts and avenues.

Municipal administration

The city is administratively divided into boroughs (Polish: dzielnica), which are further divided into smaller neighbourhoods. The governing bodies of the latter serve the role of auxiliary local government bodies called Neighborhood Councils (Polish: Rady Osiedla). Elections for Neighborhood Councils are held up to six months after each City Council elections. Attendance is rather low (on May 20 2007 it ranged from 1.03% to 27.75% and was 3.78% on average). Councillors are responsible mostly for small infrastructure like trees, park benches, playgrounds, etc. Other functions are mostly advisory. Official list of districts

Boguslaw Liberadzki, SLD-UP, economist, minister of transport.

Sylwester Chruszcz, LPR, architect and politician, elected in Silesian constituency, but lives in Szczecin.

Transport

There is a common bus network in Szczecin and Police, Poland. There are trams in Szczecin.

Economy

Szczecin has three shipyards (Stocznia Remontowa Gryfia, Stocznia Pomerania, Stocznia Szczecińska), of which one is the biggest in Poland (Stocznia Szczecińska, which five years ago went bankrupt and was reinstated. It has a fishing industry and a steel mill. It is served by Szczecin-Goleniów "Solidarność" Airport and by the Port of Szczecin, third biggest port of Poland. It is also home to several major companies. Among them is the major food producer Drobimex, Polish Steamship Company, producer of construction materials Komfort, Bosman brewery and Cefarm drug factory. It also houses several of the new business firms of the IT branch.

Culture

Major cultural events in Szczecin are:

Days of the Sea (Polish Dni Morza) held every June.

Street Artists' Festival (Polish Festiwal Artystów Ulicy) held every July.

Days of The Ukrainian Culture (Polish Dni Kultury Ukraińskiej) held every May.

Air show on Dabie airport held every May.

Museums

National Museum in Szczecin (Polish Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie) collects arts, old jewelry, military equipment. It has three branches:

Museum of the City of Szczecin (Polish Muzeum Miasta Szczecina).
Maritime Museum (Polish Muzeum Morskie).
Gallery of Contemporary Arts (Polish Galeria Sztuki Współczesnej).

Museum of the Szczecin Archidiocese (Polish Muzeum Archidiecezjalne w Szczecinie) collects sacral arts and historical documents.

EUREKA - the miracles of science. EUREKA

Arts and entertainment

Bismarck tower Szczecin

Kana Theatre (Polish Teatr Kana)

Modern Theatre (Polish Teatr Współczesny)

Opera in the Castle (Polish Opera na Zamku)

Polish Theatre (Polish Teatr Polski)

(ruins of) The Quistorp's Tower (Polish Wieża Quistorpa, German Quistorpturm)

The Pomeranian Dukes' Castle in Szczecin (Polish Zamek Książąt Pomorskich w Szczecinie)

The Castle Cinema (Polish Kino Zamek)

The Cellar by the Vault Cabaret (Polish Kabaret Piwnica przy Krypcie)

The Crypt Theatre (Polish Teatr Krypta)

Education and science

University of Szczecin (Polish Uniwersytet Szczeciński) with 35.000 students, rector Zdzislaw Chmielewski

Technical University of Szczecin (Polish Politechnika Szczecińska)

Pomeranian Medical University (Polish Pomorska Akademia Medyczna)

University of Agriculture in Szczecin (Polish Akademia Rolnicza w Szczecinie)

Branch of Academy of Music in Poznan (Polish Akademia Muzyczna w Poznaniu)

Maritime University of Szczecin (Polish Akademia Morska w Szczecinie)

The West Pomeranian Business School (Polish Zachodniopomorska Szkoła Biznesu)

Higher School of Public Administration in Szczecin (Polish Wyższa Szkoła Administracji Publicznej w Szczecinie)

High Theological Seminary in Szczecin (Polish Arcybiskupie Wyższe Seminarium Duchowne w Szczecinie)

Higher School of Applied Arts (Polish Wyższa Szkoła Sztuki Użytkowej)

Academy of European Integration (Polish Wyższa Szkoła Integracji Europejskiej)

Wyższa Szkoła Ekonomiczno-Turystyczna

Wyższa Szkoła Humanistyczna TWP

Wyższa Szkoła Języków Obcych

Wyższa Szkoła Techniczno-Ekonomiczna

Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa- Collegium Balticum

Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa "OECONOMICUS" PTE

Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania

Scientific and regional organizations

Western Pomeranian Institute (Polish Instytut Zachodnio-Pomorski)

Szczecin Scientific Society (Polish Szczecińskie Towarzystwo Naukowe)

Sports

There are many popular professional sports team in Szczecin area. The most popular sport today is probably football (thanks to Pogon Szczecin just promoted to play in the 1st league in season 2004/2005). Amateur sports are played by thousands of Szczecin citizens and also in schools of all levels (elementary, secondary, university).

Professional teams:

Pogon Szczecin - football team (4th regional league in season 2007/2008)

Arkonia Szczecin - football team (4th league in season 2003/2004)

Pogon II Szczecin - 2nd Pogon football team (regional 4th league in season 2007/2008)

KS Stal Szczecin - 15 youth and junior teams, 1 senior, being in 4th regional league in season 2007/2008

Pogon Nowa Szczecin - regional league "B klasa" - a fans answer for bad politics of 1st league team - it's based on players from Szczecin, not on Brazilians like the Pogon team used to be in 2005/2006

KS Piast Szczecin - women's volleyball team, (Seria A in season 2003/2004 and 2004/2005)

Łącznościowiec Szczecin - women's handball team playing in Polish Ekstraklasa Women's Handball League: 9th place in 2003/2004 season

Wicher Warszewo - futsal team playing in Środowiskowa Liga Futsalu (Futsal League) - 2 regional Futsal League: 2th place in 2006/2007 season - promotion in the first regional Futsal League

Husaria Szczecin - American football team playing in Polish American Football League

Amateur leagues

Halowa Amatorska Liga Pilkarska - Hall Amateur Football League (External Link

)

Halowa Liga Pilki Noznej- Hall Football League

Szczecinska Liga Amatorskiej Koszykowki - Szczecin Amateur Basketball League (External Link

)

Szczecinska Amatorska Liga Pilki Siatkowej - Szczecin Amateur Volleyball League (External Link

) - women league, 1st, 2nd and 3rd men league

Elita Professional Sport - Elita Hall Football League (External Link

) - 1st and 2nd league, futsal cup

Kaskada Szczecin Rugby Club - club rugby (External Link

) - 7 and 15 league, rugby cup

Twinning cities

The sister cities of Szczecin are:

Bremerhaven, Germany

Rostock, Germany

Dalian, China

Esbjerg, Denmark

Kingston upon Hull, UK

Malmö, Sweden

Murmansk, Russia

St. Louis, Missouri, USAFurther Information

Get more info on 'Stettin'.

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