History Rügen

1 history

1.1 pre-history , germanii
1.2 slavic rani
1.3 principality under danish suzerainty
1.4 part of pomerania
1.5 nazi era
1.6 gdr era
1.7 reunited germany

history


one of many megalith sites on rügen: lancken-granitz dolmen



1608 map eilhardus lubinus



german romantic painter caspar friedrich s chalk cliffs on rügen



ralswiek castle


pre-history , germanii

discoveries in bodden indicate there has been settlement here since stone age. on rügen there numerous stone monuments, such megalithic tombs , altar stones have survived present day. 1st century, inhabitants of rügen part of east germanic tribe of rugii, occupied region later become western pomerania , gave island name. rugii may have originated scandinavia or evolved autochthonous tribes. in migration period, many rugii moved south , founded empire in pannonia.

slavic rani

from 7th century west slavic rani (or rujani) built empire on rügen , neighbouring coast between recknitz , ryck. decidedly affected history of baltic sea area , surrounding obodritic (in west) , liutician (in south) occupied mainland next few centuries. many traces of life can found today.

the basis of great military strength combination of ranian navy , favourable location. denmark, @ time successful in britain , scandinavia, neither able match ranian rivals in baltic sea region nor protect coastline ranian armies until 12th century. meanwhile, ranians built numerous castles , temples in barth-jasmund-gristow triangle.

the temple hill of jaromarsburg, @ northern tip of rügen , dedicated god svetovid, significant beyond boundaries of ranian empire. after fall of radgosc became chief shrine pagan northwestern slavs. administrative centre of empire charenza (possibly identical present garz or venz hillfort). main trading centre of empire ralswiek @ southernmost point of großer jasmunder bodden.

principality under danish suzerainty

in 1168, danish king, valdemar i, , army commander , advisor, bishop absalon of roskilde destroyed svetovid temple in hillfort @ cape arkona, ending both territorial , religious autonomy of rani; former monarchs became danish princes of rügen. rani prince jaromar (died 1218) vassal of danish king , christianized island s inhabitants. in 1184, pomeranians, rule had extended far land of gützkow , demmin , made them immediate neighbours of danish principality of rugia, commissioned overlord, holy roman emperor, seize rügen empire, defeated in bay of greifswald.

under danish rule principality of rugia changed character. danish monasteries established (e.g. bergen abbey in 1193 , hilda abbey, today eldena abbey, in 1199). german colonists introduced land , became largest , culturally influential group within population. slavic cultural element disappeared, due lack of own slavic church structures, rani absorbed in period followed german-influenced people of rügen. in addition colonization of country , building of new monasteries , churches, towns re-established. in 1234 rügen prince wizlaw founded town of stralsund , granted greifswald market rights in 1241. power of towns grew rapidly, forcing rügen s rulers make concessions—for example, prince s castle @ barth slighted , schadegast, princely twin of municipally-controlled stralsund, ousted in favour of latter.

in 1304 storm surge, known saints flood, devastated island , flooded peninsula between mönchgut , ruden.

invasion of rügen brandenburg-prussia @ neukamp in 1678 (etching jan luiken).


part of pomerania

after death of last slav prince, wizlaw iii, in 1325, principality acquired pomerania-wolgast consequence of 1321 inheritance agreement (erbverbrüderung), , 1368/72-1451 part of estate of branch line, house of barth. state of affairs, disputes on danish throne occurred @ time, led rügen wars of succession. after had played out, former principality went in 1354 pomerania-wolgast , became part of holy roman empire. in 1478, pomerania-wolgast , pomerania-stettin united and, 170 years later, combined state went sweden in 1648 result of treaty of westphalia (see swedish pomerania). rügen part of swedish pomerania 1648 1815. under gustav iv adolf of sweden town of gustavia constructed on mönchgut peninsula, abandoned during napoleonic wars. in years 1678 , 1715, rügen briefly wrested swedes elector of brandenburg, frederick william , king in prussia, frederick william i. example, brandenburg-danish army landed on island part of invasion of rügen in 1678. after treaty of saint-germain in 1679 island passed danish swedish ownership again. @ time of napoleonic wars, rügen held french 1807–1813. in treaty of kiel of 1814, transferred sweden denmark , fell prussia, along new western pomerania (neuvorpommern), vienna convention of 1815. in 1818 island became part of administrative district of stralsund , belonged prussian province of pomerania.

in 1816 first bathing resort founded @ putbus. later more resorts established, , rügen remained famous holiday resort of germany until world war ii.

nazi era

the nazis added large resort: prora, planned strength through joy organisation, aimed occupy people s free time. however, prora never completed.

in 1936 first bridge connecting rügen mainland constructed (rügendamm), replacing former ferry shuttles.

the operation commanded wolfram von richthofen bombed town of guernica during spanish civil war, named after island. abwehr signals intelligence operation during same conflict titled operation bodden after strait separating rügen german mainland.

in aftermath of world war ii, east german , soviet authorities exiled landholders mainland island.

gdr era

after second world war rügen became part of state of mecklenburg within german democratic republic (gdr). in 1952 island became part of district of rostock.

the island focal point of project rose (action rose) gdr government designed nationalize hotels, taxis , service companies on 10 february 1953. occasion supposed have been visit walter ulbricht island of rügen, during had been annoyed many surviving private hotels , guest houses. many of hotel owners convicted kangaroo courts under pretext of having been engaged in economic crime or agents working west. property confiscated , sent prison. many of owners , small businessmen incarcerated in bützow prison. hotels supposed have been expropriated free german trade union federation (fdgb). in fact, used accommodation barracks-based people s police (kasernierte volkspolizei or cpi). result of confiscation of hotels, tourism on rügen in 1953 came complete standstill time.

in following 4 decades, island became 1 of main tourist areas in gdr. fdgb played dominant role in tourist accommodation. in 1963 fdgb had 7,519 holiday places, reisebüro der ddr 2,906 places , further 5,025 available businesses , organizations. in addition, there 12,245 places children in summer camps , 20,800 places campers. plots located near beaches. increased holiday capacity not generated until 1970s , 1980s.

reunited germany

binz, 1 of several spas on rügen, featuring typical resort architecture of german baltic sea — kurhaus (spa hotel) @ night



the pier of sellin @ night

in 1990, rügen became part of new state of mecklenburg-vorpommern and, neighbouring islands of hiddensee , ummanz, formed district of rügen. since 2011 mecklenburg-vorpommern district reforms rügen has been part of vorpommern-rügen.

in 2007 second bridge, rügen bridge (rügenbrücke), built replace first 1 built in 1936.

rügen has surpassed sylt popular german island again.