“Let there be harmony and public happiness within you.” That’s not just a nice saying. It is an inscription above the Stein Gate in Rostock.
Rostock. Officially, it is known as the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock. It is the largest city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. About 210,000 people call Rostock home.
But what makes Rostock so special? Let’s take a stroll through its history.
In the 11th century, the Polabian Slavs founded a settlement on the Warnow River. They called it Roztoc. Roztoc meant “fork of a river”. The name Rostock came from this old name.
In 1161, King Valdemar I of Denmark set the town ablaze. But Rostock rose from the ashes. German traders settled here and Rostock grew. In 1218, Rostock gained city rights under Heinrich Borwin.
Rostock joined the Hanseatic League in 1251. By the 14th century, it was a powerful port. It had 12,000 residents. Rostock was the biggest city in Mecklenburg. They built ships here for Baltic Sea cruises. In 1323, Rostock secured its access to the sea by incorporating Warnemünde.
The University of Rostock was founded in 1419. It is one of the oldest universities in the Baltic region.
The dukes of Mecklenburg gained control over Rostock in the late 15th century. This ended Rostock’s independence. Conflicts and constant plundering weakened Rostock’s power.
In 1565, clashes with Schwerin had consequences. The nobility brought in a beer tax that favored the dukes. Rostock refused to pledge allegiance. John Albert I marched on the city with 500 horsemen. He razed the city wall to build a fortress.
In 1573, the first Rostock Inheritance Agreement guaranteed the dukes hereditary rule. Rostock was bound for centuries. The citizens destroyed the fortress the next spring.
From 1575 to 1577, they rebuilt the city walls. They also rebuilt the Lagebusch tower and the Stein Gate. The inscription “sit intra te concordia et publica felicitas” reminds us of the conflict with the Duke.
Danes and Swedes occupied Rostock twice. This was during the Thirty Years’ War and from 1700 to 1721. The French under Napoleon occupied it until 1813.
In the 19th century, Rostock regained economic importance. This was due to wheat trade and later industry. They built the first propeller-driven steamers here.
The city expanded. New neighborhoods arose south and west of the old city. Around 1900, they added Steintor-Vorstadt and Kröpeliner-Tor-Vorstadt to house the growing population.
During the 20th century, aircraft manufacturing became important in Rostock. Arado Flugzeugwerke in Warnemünde and Heinkel Works had facilities here. The world’s first jet plane prototype flew here.
In the early 1930s, the Nazi Party gained popularity in Rostock. In 1933, the city council became entirely Nazi. In 1938, they destroyed the synagogue and imprisoned Jews during Kristallnacht.
Rearmament boosted Rostock’s industry. Heinkel, Arado, and Neptunwerft employed many. The city’s population grew.
During World War II, British bombing raids heavily damaged Rostock. Targets included factories and the shipyard. Churches and historic structures were hit too.
In 1945, Soviet forces captured Rostock.
After the war, Rostock became East Germany’s largest seaport. They expanded shipyards. The city’s population grew.
After reunification in 1990, Rostock lost its leading port position. The population declined. But after 2006, it began to grow again.
Today, Rostock and Warnemünde are popular tourist spots.
Rostock is a city of contrasts. It has faced conflict and destruction. But it has always rebuilt and thrived. The inscription on the Stein Gate is a reminder. “Let there be harmony and public happiness within you.” This is a fitting motto for Rostock.