How about a journey to Selmsdorf? It is a municipality northwest of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Selmsdorf is administered by the Schönberger Land office in Schönberg.
Selmsdorf is five kilometers east of Lübeck. It forms part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. The municipality is bordered to the northwest and north by the lower Trave River. It is also near the Pötenitzer Wiek and Dassower See. An end moraine rises to 83 meters above sea level in the southwest. Here lies one of Europe’s largest landfills. It is the Ihlenberg landfill.
Selmsdorf is surrounded by Lübeck to the north. Dassow is northeast. Schönberg lies to the southeast. Lüdersdorf is southwest.
For nature lovers, the northern part of the municipality is interesting. The Trave River shore and Dassower See offer scenic views. The idyllic district of Teschow sits on a peninsula. Well-maintained hiking and cycling trails connect these spots. A viewpoint near Teschow overlooks the Trave River. You can see the opposite Dummersdorf shore. Stülper Huk is visible. The Skandinavienkai ferry port is three kilometers north in Lübeck-Travemünde. Pötenitzer Wiek and Priwall are also within sight. The Große Teich, also called Torfmoorsee, lies in the village itself. The Selmsdorfer Traveufer nature reserve is in the municipality. The Palinger Heide and Halbinsel Teschow are protected landscapes.
About one kilometer west of Selmsdorf lies the abandoned village of Bardowiek. It belongs to the municipality. It was razed during GDR times.
Selmsdorf includes Hof Selmsdorf. It also encompasses Lauen, Sülstorf, Teschow, and Zarnewenz.
First mentioned in 1292 as “Celmerstorpe”, Selmsdorf was an Angerdorf. This farming village existed for over five centuries. Around 1825, more craftsmen, traders, workers, and innkeepers settled here. Its proximity to Lübeck drove this growth. Selmsdorf lies on the old Hanseatic trade route Lübeck-Wismar. Today, it is Bundesstraße 105. A Sühnestein erected in 1398 marks a medieval murder. It stands at the entrance to Teschow. The inscription asks for prayers for Marquard Börtzow. He died in 1398 on St. Clement’s Day.
In 1584, Daniel Zöllner acquired Hinrick Vittensee’s farm in Selmsdorf. Zöllner enlarged it in 1604. He is considered the founder of the later Selmsdorf estate. The Selmsdorf church was built in 1864. It features a Gothic style with yellow brick. Selmsdorf was the second largest town in the Principality of Ratzeburg. Only Schönberg was bigger. It belonged to Mecklenburg-Strelitz until the two Mecklenburgs united in 1934.
Lauen and Teschow were first mentioned in 1194. This occurred in the Isfriedian Division Treaty as Lewen and Thescowe.
Until the late 19th century, the village was a farming community. It grew toward Lübeck’s Schlutup district. It became a place with long-established farming families. Workers who lived in Selmsdorf worked mainly in Lübeck.
In 1907, a Dutch windmill was moved to Selmsdorf. It had been built in 1821 in neighboring Schönberg. It burned down in 1922. Millers Dittmann, Grabig and Werner used it until then.
A local SPD association was founded in 1908. Wilhelm Oldörp became the first mayor in 1919.
On July 1, 1950, Lauen, Sülstorf, Teschow, and Zarnewenz were incorporated. Before that, they had been independent municipalities.
Until 1989, Selmsdorf lay in the border area. This was due to its proximity to the inner-German border. Visitors needed special permission to enter. Selmsdorf was the northernmost border crossing point. It connected the GDR to the Federal Republic. Today, it is the “An der Trave” industrial estate.
From 1952 to 1994, Selmsdorf belonged to the Grevesmühlen district. It was part of the Rostock district until 1990. From 1990 to 1994, it was in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The municipality has been in the Nordwestmecklenburg district since 1994.
The municipality introduced a citizen budget in 2023. It started with 20,000 euros for proposals from the population. All eligible residents decide how to use the funds. They vote at a citizens’ meeting.
The neo-Gothic St. Mary’s Church dates from 1864. It features yellowish brick. A narrow west tower stands tall.
In Selmsdorf, the B 104 and B 105 intersect. These are Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s two longest federal highways. The nearest highway access points are Lüdersdorf and Schönberg. They are on the A 20. Selmsdorf has no railway connection. The nearest stations are Lüdersdorf and Schönberg. They are on the Lübeck-Bad Kleinen railway line.