Ever wondered about Greifswald’s oldest sailing club? Right before you stands the Akademischer Seglerverein zu Greifswald the ASV. Founded in 1908 it’s more than just a club. It’s a piece of Greifswald’s history a testament to the city’s maritime spirit and its connection to the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University.
The ASV wasn’t the first sailing club in Greifswald. Others existed before it. But the ASV holds a unique distinction. It was the first academic sailing club at a German university. Think of it this way. While other technical universities had their sailing clubs the ASV was a pioneer. It embraced students from all walks of university life. This non-corporate approach made it incredibly popular.
For decades the ASV thrived. It organized regattas. It competed against clubs from Stralsund and Stettin. It even played a key role in the Pommern Week a major sailing event between Warnemünde and Stettin. The ASV even had branches in Stettin and Berlin.
World War I put a halt to things. The ASV was forced to close its doors. The same happened during World War II. After the war all clubs were dissolved. In the DDR era Greifswald like other cities saw the rise of Betriebssportgemeinschaften. The university formed a Hochschulsportgemeinschaft its sailing section taking over the ASV’s boats. ASV members who remained in Greifswald helped build that section.
In 1968 former Greifswald ASV members formed a new ASV in Lübeck. After the fall of the Berlin Wall the Greifswald university sailing section members left the Hochschulsportgemeinschaft. They revived the ASV zu Greifswald. Initially the Lübeck ASV resisted but now friendly ties exist between them. Both consider themselves successors to the original ASV.
Today the ASV continues its mission. It promotes sailing within the university. It welcomes students and the wider community. The ASV boasts four club-owned keelboats multiple dinghies and about 30 privately owned keelboats. Its sailing area includes the Dänische Wiek the Greifswald Bodden and the southern Baltic Sea. The ASV is a vibrant part of Greifswald’s sailing scene. It’s a place where generations of sailors have learned honed their skills and shared a passion for the water. It’s a legacy that continues to sail strong.