Rostock

For other uses, seeRostock (disambiguation).

Rostock
City
From top: Rostock skyline,St. Mary's Church,St. Peter's Church,seaside resortWarnemünde,city hall, Warnemünde beach
Flag Coat of arms
Administrative divisions of Rostock
Rostock Rostock
Coordinates:54°5′N12°8′E
Country	Germany
State	Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
District	Urban district
Subdivisions	21 boroughs
Government
•Lord mayor(2023–30)	Eva-Maria Kröger(Left)
Area
• Total	181.44 km2(70.05 sq mi)
Elevation	13 m (43 ft)
Population (2022-12-31)
• Total	209,920
• Density	1,200/km2(3,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00(CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00(CEST)
Postal codes	18001–18147
Dialling codes	0381
Vehicle registration	HRO
Website	rostock.de

Rostock

Rostock(German:[ˈʁɔstɔk];Polabian:Roztoc), officially theHanseaticand University City of Rostock(German:Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock), is the largest city in the GermanstateofMecklenburg-Vorpommernand lies in theMecklenburgianpart of the state, close to the border withPomerania.With around 210,000 inhabitants, it is the third-largest city on the GermanBalticcoast afterKielandLübeck,the eighth-largest city in the area of formerEast Germany,as well as the39th-largest cityof Germany. Rostock was the largest coastal and most important port city in East Germany.

Rostock stands on the estuary of theRiver Warnowinto theBay of Mecklenburgof the Baltic Sea. The city stretches for about 16 km (10 mi) along the river. The river flows into the sea in the very north of the city, between the boroughs ofWarnemündeand Hohe Düne. The city center lies further upstream, in the very south of the city. Most of Rostock's inhabitants live on the western side of the Warnow; the area east of the river is dominated by the port, industrial estates, and the forestedRostock Heath.The city's coastline east and west of the river mouth is relatively undeveloped, with long sandy beaches prevailing. The name of the city is ofSlavicorigin.

Rostock is the economic center of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the state's onlyregiopolis(a city outside the core of a metropolitan area). The port of Rostock is the fourth largest port in Germany after theNorth Seaports ofHamburg,Bremen/Bremerhaven,andWilhelmshaven,and the largest port on the German Baltic coast. The ferry routes between Rostock toGedserin Denmark and toTrelleborgin Southern Sweden are among the busiest between Germany andScandinavia.Rostock–Laage Airportlies in arural regionsoutheast of the city.

The city is home to the oldest university in theBaltic regionand one of theoldest universities in the world,theUniversity of Rostock,founded in 1419. The university's hospital,Universitätsmedizin Rostock,is one of two university hospitals in the state, along withUniversitätsmedizin Greifswaldof theUniversity of GreifswaldinWestern Pomerania.

History

See also:Timeline of Rostock

Early history

In the 11th centuryPolabian Slavsfounded a settlement at the Warnow river calledRoztoc(*ras-tokŭ,Slavic for "fork of a river" ); the name Rostock is derived from that designation.

The Danish kingValdemar Iset the town on fire in 1161. Afterwards the place was settled by German traders. Initially there were three separate cities:

• Altstadt(Old Town) around theAlter Markt(Old Market), which hadSt. Petri(St. Peter's Church),
• Mittelstadt(Middle Town) around theNeuer Markt(New Market), with St. Marien (St. Mary's Church) and

Confirmation ofLübeck lawcity rights, 1218

• Neustadt(New Town) around theHopfenmarkt(Hop Market, now University Square), with St. Jakobi (St. James's Church, demolished after World War II).

In 1218, Rostock was grantedLübeck lawcity rights byHeinrich Borwin,prince of Mecklenburg.

Hanseatic League

Rostock University,the oldest university in continental northern Europe and theBaltic Seaarea, founded in 1419.

During thefirst partition of Mecklenburgfollowing the death ofHenry Borwin II of Mecklenburgin 1226, Rostock became the seat of theLordship of Rostock,which survived for almost a century. In 1251, the city became a member of theHanseatic League.In the 14th century it was a powerful seaport town with 12,000 inhabitants and the largest city inMecklenburg.Shipsfor cruising theBaltic Seawere constructed in Rostock. The formerly independent fishing village ofWarnemündeat the Baltic Sea became a part of Rostock in 1323, to secure the city's access to the sea.

In 1419, theUniversity of Rostockwas founded, the oldest university in continental northern Europe and theBaltic Seaarea.

15th to 18th centuries

Rostock in the 16th century

Rostock in the 17th century

At the end of the 15th century, the dukes ofMecklenburgsucceeded in enforcing their rule over the town of Rostock, which had until then been only nominally subject to their rule and essentially independent. They took advantage of a riot known asDomfehde,a failed uprising of theimpoverishedpopulation. Subsequent quarrels with the dukes and persistent plundering led ultimately to a loss of the city's economic and political power.

Rostock 1780–90

In 1565 there were further clashes with Schwerin that had far-reaching consequences. Among other things, the nobility introduced a beerexcisethat favoured the dukes.John Albert Iadvanced on the city with 500 horsemen, after Rostock had refused to take the formal oath of allegiance, and had the city wall razed (slighted) to have a fortress built. The conflict did not end until the firstRostock Inheritance Agreementof 21 September 1573, in which the state princes were guaranteed hereditary rule over the city for centuries and recognizing them as the supreme judicial authority; this bound Rostock for a long time. The citizens razed (or slighted) the fortress the following spring.

From 1575 to 1577 the city walls were rebuilt, as was theLagebuschtower and theSteinGate, in the Dutch Renaissance style. The inscriptionsit intra te concordia et publica felicitas( "Let there be harmony and public happiness within you" ), can still be read on the gate, and refers directly to the conflict with the Duke. In 1584 the Second Rostock Inheritance Agreement was enforced, which resulted in a further loss of former city tax privileges. At the same time, these inheritance contracts put paid to Rostock's ambition of achievingimperial immediacy,asLübeckhad done in 1226.

The strategic location of Rostock provoked the envy of its rivals.Danesand Swedes occupied the city twice, first during theThirty Years' War(1618–48) and again from 1700 to 1721. Later in the early 19th century, theFrench,underNapoleon,occupied the town for about a decade until 1813. In nearbyLübeck-Ratekau,Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher,who was born in Rostock and who was one of few generals to fight on after defeat at theBattle of Jena,surrendered to the French in 1806. This was only after furious street fighting in theBattle of Lübeck,in which he led some of thecavalry chargeshimself. By the time of the surrender, the exhaustedPrussianshad neither food nor ammunition.

19th century

Colourful gabled houses of Rostock

In the first half of the 19th century, Rostock regained much of its economic importance, due at first to the wheat trade, then, from the 1850s, to industry, especially its shipyards. The first propeller-driven steamers in Germany were constructed here.

The city grew in area and population, with new quarters developing in the south and west of the ancient borders of the city. Two notable developments were added to house the increasing population at around 1900:

• Steintor-Vorstadtin the south, stretching from the old city wall to the facilities of the newLloydbahnhof(Lloyd Railway Station, nowRostock Hauptbahnhof), was designed as a living quarter. It consisted mostly of large single houses, once inhabited by wealthy citizens.
• Kröpeliner-Tor-Vorstadtin the west, was designed to house the working population as well as to provide smaller and larger industrial facilities, such as the Mahn & Ohlerich's Brewery (now Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock). The main shipyard,Neptun,was nearby at the shore of the river.

20th century

In the 20th century, important aircraft manufacturing facilities were situated in the city, such as theArado FlugzeugwerkeinWarnemündeand theHeinkelWorks with facilities at various places, including their secondaryHeinkel-Südfacility in Schwechat, Austria,as the original Heinkel firm's Rostock facilities had been renamedHeinkel-Nord.The world's firstairworthy jet plane prototypemade its test flights at their facilities in what used to be named theRostock-Marieneheneighborhood (today'sRostock-Schmarlcommunity, along the west bank of theUnterwarnowestuary).

In the early 1930s, the Nazi Party gained in popularity among Rostock's voters, many of whom had suffered economic hardship during the 1920s. Inelectionsin the summer of 1932, when the Nazis achieved 37.3 percent, their greatest national showing in a free election, they polled 40.3 percent in Rostock. A year later, after theNazi seizure of powerand the suppression of other political parties, the Rostock city council (Stadtrat) was composed entirely of Nazis. DuringKristallnachton 10 November 1938, the synagogue in Rostock's Augustenstrasse was destroyed by arson and dozens of Jews were beaten and imprisoned.

Feverish rearmament by the Nazi regime boosted Rostock's industrial importance in the late 1930s, and employment soared at theHeinkelandAradofactories, and at the Neptunwerft shipyard. The city's population grew from 100,000 in 1935 to 121,192 in 1939.

DuringWorld War II,Rostock was subjected to repeated and increasingly heavy bombing attacks, especially by the BritishRoyal Air Force.Targets included the Heinkel and Arado plants and the shipyard, but churches and other historic structures in the city centre were also heavily damaged, among them the 14th-century Nikolaikirche (St Nicholas Church) and Jakobikirche (St Jacob's Church). The ruins of the latter were pulled down in 1960.

The city was eventually captured by the Soviet2nd Belorussian Fronton 2 May 1945 during theStettin-Rostock offensive operation.

After the war, Rostock – now in theGerman Democratic Republic– became East Germany's largest seaport. The state expanded the national shipyards in the district ofWarnemünde.The city's population, boosted in part by resettled ethnic German refugees who had been expelled from territories in the east, increased in the GDR years to a peak of 260,000. Following thereunificationof Germany in 1990, Rostock lost its privileged position as the No. 1 port of the GDR, and the city's population declined to about 200,000. However, after 2006, the population increased again. Today, Rostock and Warnemünde are significant tourist destinations on the Baltic Sea.

Since the late 20th century migrants have come to Germany from Turkey and Africa seeking work. In response to high rates of joblessness and increased levels of crime, some Germans took part in theRostock-Lichtenhagen riotswhich occurred from 22 to 24 August 1992.

• 
  Depiction of Rostock in 1845
• 
  Rostock bomb damage, 1942
• 
  City hall, Market Square after war
• 
  Rostock in 2011
• 
  The 16th-centurySteintorcity gate
• 
  St. Mary's Church (Marienkirche), 2011

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1378	10,785	—
1773	9,000	−16.6%
1871	30,980	+244.2%
1900	54,713	+76.6%
1910	65,383	+19.5%
1919	67,953	+3.9%
1925	77,669	+14.3%
1933	90,150	+16.1%
1935	104,585	+16.0%
1939	121,315	+16.0%
1950	133,109	+9.7%
1955	150,004	+12.7%
1960	158,630	+5.8%
1965	184,204	+16.1%
1970	198,636	+7.8%
1975	213,475	+7.5%
1980	232,506	+8.9%
1985	244,444	+5.1%
1990	248,088	+1.5%
1995	227,535	−8.3%
2000	200,506	−11.9%
2005	199,288	−0.6%
2010	202,735	+1.7%
2015	206,011	+1.6%
2019	209,191	+1.5%
Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions.

Rostock has a population of about 210,000 people and is the largest city inMecklenburg-Vorpommernstate. Rostock became a member ofHanseatic Leaguein 15th century, which made Rostock a larger city. Rostock reached its peak of over 100,000 in 1935. In theEast Germanyera, Rostock was the largest and most important port of East Germany where many sailors and boatmen moved to this city. It also brought many harbour and other industiries to Rostock. Rostock reached its historical peak of population in 1988 with population of about 254,000. After theGerman Reunification,population Rostock decline due to many people who moved to former West Germany. Since 2003, Rostock's population starts to grow again due to students and new companies.

Rank	Nationality	Population (31.12.2022)
1	Ukraine	2,816
2	Syria	2,439
3	Poland	1,574
4	Vietnam	1,382
5	Russia	1,033
6	Afghanistan	794
7	Romania	714
8	Iran	545
9	India	465
10	Bulgaria	385

Politics

Districts

1788 historic map of Rostock, showing earlier district names

Modern Districts of Rostock

Symbols

Coat of arms

Motto:Within your walls may be harmony and happiness(in Latin)

Rostock has had three different coats of arms, known as theSignum,theSecretumand theSigillum.The Signum, which can be traced back to 1367, was developed last and is to this day the coat of arms of the city.

The Signum depicts a goldengriffinon a blue background, with bars of silver and red, the colours of theHanseatic League,below. It can be seen not only on flags and houses, and at bus stops, but also on bridges, gullies, fences, ships and restaurants.

Administration

Restored Rostock City Hall, a mixture of Baroque andBrick Gothicarchitecture.

Since the 13th century, the governing body of the city has been the city council (Rat), first consisting of ten, later of 24 electedaldermen(Ratsherren). The chairman of the city council was the city mayor. In the 19th century there were three mayors. Since 1925, the head of the city has borne the title ofLord Mayor.Having been elected by the city council for centuries, since 2002 this position is now elected directly by the citizens of Rostock, following a reform. If a candidate does not achieve an absolute majority in the first round, the two candidates with the most votes stand in a second round.

Results of the second round of the 2022 mayoral election.

The current Lord Mayor of Rostock is Eva-Maria Kröger ofThe Left,who was elected mayor in 2022 and took office on 1 February 2023.She won in the second round with 58.4% of votes against senior police officer Michael Ebert, anindependentbacked by theChristian Democratic Union,Independent Citizens for Rostock, andFree Democratic Party.

The most recent mayoral election was held on 13 November 2022, with a runoff held on 27 November, and the results were as follows:

Candidate		Party	First round		Second round
			Votes	%	Votes	%
	Eva-Maria Kröger	The Left	18,885	25.3	36,546	58.4
	Michael Ebert	Independent(CDU/UFR/FDP)	17,598	23.6	26,082	41.6
	Carmen-Alina Botezatu	Social Democratic Party	12,339	16.5
	Claudia Müller	Alliance 90/The Greens	6,414	8.6
	Michael Meister	Alternative for Germany	4,812	6.5
	Jörg Kibellus	Independent	3,836	5.1
	Jens Kaufmann	Independent	3,007	4.0
	Robert Uhde	Independent	1,807	2.4
	Karol Langnickel	Independent	1,442	1.9
	Holger Luckstein	Independent	1,182	1.6
	Niels Burmeister	Independent	1,109	1.5
	Rebecca Thoß	German Beer Drinkers Union	669	0.9
	Niklas Zimathis	Independent	453	0.6
	Roland Ulrich	Independent	369	0.5
	Matthias Bräuer	Independent	312	0.4
	Kai Oppermann	Independent	196	0.3
	Alina Kreis	Independent	155	0.2
Valid votes			71,585	99.4	62,628	99.1
Invalid votes			476	0.6	563	0.9
Total			75,061	100.0	63,191	100.0
Electorate/voter turnout			171,884	43.7	171,464	36.9
Source: City of Rostock (1st round,2nd round)

Winning party by precinct in the 2019 city council election.

Seat distribution in the 2019 city council election.

The city parliament (Bürgerschaft) represents the citizens. Representative are elected for five years. The number of representatives is currently 53. The city parliament is presided by thePräsident der Bürgerschaft,who heads and prepares the sessions and, together with the Lord Mayor, represents the city. The most recent city council election was held on 26 May 2019, and the results were as follows:

Party		Votes	%	+/-	Seats	+/-
	The Left(Die Linke)	58,405	19.9	6.5	11	3
	Alliance 90/The Greens(Grüne)	55,616	19.0	7.5	10	4
	Christian Democratic Union(CDU)	42,422	14.5	6.0	8	3
	Social Democratic Party(SPD)	42,269	14.4	2.5	8	1
	Alternative for Germany(AfD)	28,294	9.6	5.2	5	3
	Independent Citizens for Rostock (UFR)	21,483	7.3	0.8	4	±0
	Rostock Alliance (RB)	12,086	4.1	0.5	2	1
	Free Democratic Party(FDP)	9,645	3.3	0.8	2	1
	Die PARTEI(PARTEI)	7,373	2.5	New	1	New
	Free Voters(FW)	3,790	1.3	New	1	New
	New Start 09 (A'09)	2,897	1.0	0.5	1	±0
	The Grays - For All Generations (Graue)	1,869	0.6	0.1	0	1
	Pirate Party Germany(Piraten)	1,714	0.6	New	0	New
	National Democratic Party(NPD)	1,633	0.6	1.2	0	1
	Independents	3,779	1.3		0	±0
Valid votes		293,275	98.6
Invalid votes		4,179	1.4
Total		102,304	100.0		53	±0
Electorate/voter turnout		173,650	58.9	18.4
Source:City of Rostock

Geographical position of the RostockRegiopolis

Regiopolis Rostock

Rostock is the first city region that defines itself not only as a city in its boundaries, but as aregiopolis,with a supra-regional sphere of influence. A regiopolis can be compared to ametropolis,but on a smaller scale. This is a sign for the inter-regional cooperation and economic dynamics that can be found in the Rostock area. A taskforce with different actors such as the hanseatic city of Rostock, the administrativedistrict of Rostock,theRegional Planning Association Middle Mecklenburg/Rostockand the local business organisations are working on the promotion and advancement of the concept.

Geography

Geographic location

Rostock is located nearly centrally onMecklenburg-Vorpommern'sBaltic Seacoast. The city is crossed by theWarnow.

The seaside part of Rostock, Rostock-Warnemünde,is about 16 km (10 mi) to the north of the historic city centre. The west and the southeast are the most densely populated parts of town. The overseas port is to the east of Rostock. Rostock stretches 21.6 km (13.4 mi) from theBaltic Seato the south and 19.4 km (12.1 mi) from east to west.

Climate

Rostock has anoceanic climate(Köppen:Cfb) with strong influence of theBaltic Sea,more similar toDenmarkand far southernSwedenthan to the rest of Germany. The main difference with lower Scandinavia is that the continuous landmass to the south and east enables stronger bursts of heat during summer. In spite of this, theWarnemündestation is generally less warm on the average summer day than on the northern side of the sea. In addition, the maritime influence of the Baltic Sea tempers any Arctic blasts, ensuring slightly milder winters. The Warnemünde station is located on the open sea and thus has a stronger maritime influence and slightly smaller variations than the downtown that is further inland.

Climate data for Rostock (Warnemünde), 1991–2020 normals)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	14.0 (57.2)	17.0 (62.6)	22.3 (72.1)	29.5 (85.1)	32.8 (91.0)	35.0 (95.0)	35.5 (95.9)	36.9 (98.4)	32.4 (90.3)	26.1 (79.0)	19.5 (67.1)	15.5 (59.9)	36.9 (98.4)
Mean maximum °C (°F)	10.1 (50.2)	10.9 (51.6)	15.7 (60.3)	22.0 (71.6)	26.2 (79.2)	28.9 (84.0)	30.3 (86.5)	30.6 (87.1)	25.4 (77.7)	19.8 (67.6)	14.5 (58.1)	10.7 (51.3)	32.5 (90.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	3.8 (38.8)	4.4 (39.9)	7.3 (45.1)	12.2 (54.0)	16.4 (61.5)	19.7 (67.5)	22.0 (71.6)	22.2 (72.0)	18.5 (65.3)	13.3 (55.9)	8.0 (46.4)	4.9 (40.8)	12.7 (54.9)
Daily mean °C (°F)	1.9 (35.4)	2.2 (36.0)	4.4 (39.9)	8.4 (47.1)	12.5 (54.5)	16.0 (60.8)	18.4 (65.1)	18.4 (65.1)	15.0 (59.0)	10.5 (50.9)	6.0 (42.8)	3.0 (37.4)	9.7 (49.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−0.2 (31.6)	0.1 (32.2)	1.8 (35.2)	5.2 (41.4)	9.0 (48.2)	12.6 (54.7)	15.0 (59.0)	15.0 (59.0)	12.0 (53.6)	7.9 (46.2)	4.0 (39.2)	1.1 (34.0)	6.9 (44.4)
Mean minimum °C (°F)	−7.7 (18.1)	−6.0 (21.2)	−2.9 (26.8)	0.4 (32.7)	4.3 (39.7)	8.7 (47.7)	11.2 (52.2)	11.1 (52.0)	7.7 (45.9)	2.5 (36.5)	−1.6 (29.1)	−5.8 (21.6)	−9.8 (14.4)
Record low °C (°F)	−17.8 (0.0)	−18.4 (−1.1)	−15.1 (4.8)	−4.0 (24.8)	0.0 (32.0)	2.5 (36.5)	7.3 (45.1)	6.5 (43.7)	3.4 (38.1)	−1.8 (28.8)	−9.3 (15.3)	−15.6 (3.9)	−18.4 (−1.1)
Averageprecipitationmm (inches)	46.2 (1.82)	38.2 (1.50)	39.2 (1.54)	34.2 (1.35)	49.7 (1.96)	67.8 (2.67)	69.8 (2.75)	68.5 (2.70)	56.1 (2.21)	48.1 (1.89)	45.7 (1.80)	50.9 (2.00)	614.3 (24.19)
Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm)	16.6	14.8	13.5	11.3	12.5	13.5	14.0	14.8	13.4	15.1	15.9	17.4	171.9
Average snowy days(≥ 1.0 cm)	5.9	6.0	3.4	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.8	3.2	19.4
Averagerelative humidity(%)	84.5	82.1	79.1	74.4	74.4	74.2	74.7	74.8	77.4	80.7	84.5	85.5	78.9
Mean monthlysunshine hours	49.2	67.7	133.3	207.8	260.3	250.4	252.1	224.8	168.7	109.1	53.6	37.1	1,813.9
Source 1:World Meteorological Organization
Source 2: Météo ClimatInfoclimat

Main sights

Rostock

Panorama of Rostock from the bank of theWarnowriver during theHanse Sail

Aerial view of marina andYacht Harbour Residence "Hohe Düne"at theBaltic Sea,close toWarnemünde.

Heiligengeisthof(Holy Spirit Courtyard).

One of the most picturesque places in Rostock is theNeuer Markt(New Market Square), with the Town Hall – that was originally built in the 13th century inBrick Gothicstyle, but extensively transformed in the 18th century, with the addition of aBaroquefaçade and a banqueting hall. The square also preserved six original, carefully restored gable houses from the 15th and 16th centuries. The other historical houses in Hanseatic style that once bordered the square were destroyed in an Allied air-raid in 1942, and rebuilt in a simplified manner.

The 15th-centuryKerkhofhaus(at Große Wasserstraße, behind the Town Hall) is considered the best-preserved brick Gothic house in Rostock.

St. Mary's ChurchMarienkirche,on Ziegenmarkt, is an imposingBrick Gothicchurch. Built in the 13th century, it was enlarged and modified at the end of the 14th century into the present cross-shaped basilica. The huge tower was not completed until the end of the 18th century. Inside there is anastronomical clockerected in 1472 by Hans Düringer.

Kröpeliner Straße– main shopping street

The main pedestrian precinct isKröpeliner Straße,which runs east from the Neuer Markt to the 14th-centuryKröpeliner Tor,a former town gate. The main buildings ofRostock Universitylie at Universitätsplatz, near the middle of the street, in front of the lively fountain ofzest for life (Brunnen der Lebensfreude),known colloquially as Pornobrunn (fountain of pornography), for its nude sculptures.

TheKloster St Katharinen(Convent of St. Catherine), is an oldFranciscanmonasteryfounded in 1243, and extended several times during the 14th and 15th centuries. Now used as the seat of the Academy of Music and Theatre (HMT-Rostock).

The Brick GothicNikolaikirche(St. Nicholas Church), which is the oldest church in Rostock, was built in the mid-13th century. Heavily damaged duringWorld War IIand subsequently restored, the building is now used as an exhibition centre and concert hall, due to its outstanding acoustics.

Some parts of the medievalcity wall,with fourcity gates,have survived to the present day. The city has a large population of herring gulls that squawk loudly most days throughout the year.

Warnemünde

Alexandrinenstraßein Warnemünde.

Warnemünde Beach

Speicher(office buildings) at night. Headquarters ofAIDA Cruises.

Warnemündeis the seaside part of Rostock and a major attraction of the city. Locals and tourists alike enjoy the maritime flair of old houses, a large beach, alighthouseand the old fisherman's port.

Economy

The economy is mainly characterised by maritime industries (especiallyshipbuilding), high-tech industries (IT,biotechnology/life sciences,medical engineering), theUniversity of Rostock,tourismand the service sector. Major companies include:

Maritime Industry

• Caterpillar Inc.,manufacturer of diesel engines for ships
• Deutsche Seereederei Rostock, transport, cruises, property and tourism holding
• F. Laeisz
• Neptun Werft,shipyard belonging toMeyer Neptun Group
• Nordic Yards Warnemünde, shipyard
• Schiffselektronik Rostock
• Tamsen Maritim shipyard
• AIDA Cruises

Other engineering

• Nordex SE,a major producer ofwind turbines
• Suzlon,world's 5th largest wind turbine manufacturer
• Liebherr,manufacturer of cranes

Tourism industry

• AIDA Cruises,German company for cruises
• Scandlines,German-Danish ferry operator (byScandferries Holding)

Others

• Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock, German brewery belonging to theOetker-Gruppe
• Rostock University Hospital (Universitätsmedizin)
• Yara International,supplier of plant nutrients

Education

HistoricalBotanical Garden of Rostock University,greenhouse

Rostock is home to one of the oldest universities in the world. Founded in 1419, theUniversity of Rostockis the third oldest university in Germany in continuous operation, and one of theoldest universities of the world. It also maintains abotanical garden,theBotanischer Garten Universität Rostock.

The Academy of Music and Theatre (Hochschule für Musik und Theater) offers graduate degrees in artistic fields. Founded in 1994, the institution combinedErnst Busch,the former drama school, and the outpost school of theHanns Eisler Music School Berlin.Today, the combined school is a member of the Association of Baltic Academies of Music (ABAM), a union of 17 music conservatories at the Baltic Sea and Israel. Unique in Europe is the postgraduate degree in piano duo performance. The school possesses a large opera stage (Katharinensaal) and two chamber music halls. There are concerts every day throughout the year.

Rostock also hosts theMax Planck Institute for Demographic Researchand the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis, as well as two branches of Fraunhofer Institutes, one for Computer Graphics and one for Large Structures in Production Technology.

Culture

Volkstheater Rostock

Theatre

The municipal theatre is theVolkstheater Rostockwhere theNorddeutsche Philharmonie Rostockplays.

Events

The city is home to the annualHanse Sailfestival, during which many large sailing ships and museum vessels are brought out to sea, drawing over 1.5 million visitors.

An annual jazz festival,Ostsee-Jazz( "Baltic Sea Jazz" ), takes place in June.

Cinemas

The Lichtspieltheater Wundervoll is theart housecinema of Rostock. It opened in 1993 and offers a daily programme in two venues, the Metropol and the Frieda 23 with three cinemas. At Frieda 23 is the Institut für neue Medien (IFNM), Rostock's Institute for New Media, which includes a media workshop. Both Liwu and IFNM are active members of theLandesverband Filmkommunikation Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.Special screenings for schools, educational programmes and special programmes are offered as well. It is the central venue for Rostock's Film Festival, the Festival im Stadthafen (FISH), the German Federal Festival for Young German Film.

Museums and zoo

Walter Kempowskiarchives

• Rostock Art Gallery(Kunsthalle Rostock)
• Museum of Cultural History(Kulturhistorisches Museum)
• Stasi Museum (Dokumentations- und Gedenkstätte der Bundesbeauftragten für die Unterlagen des Staatssicherheitsdienstes der ehemaligen Deutschen Demokratischen Republik)
• Warnemünde Local History Museum (Heimatmuseum Warnemünde)
• Shipbuilding and Shipping Museum (Schiffbau- und Schifffahrtsmuseum)
• Rostock Zoo
• Walter Kempowski Archive
• Max-Samuel-Haus,Rostock Jewish Heritage Centre

Food and drink

Rostock manufactures its own local beer, called Rostocker Pilsner, manufactured at the Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock GmbH (Rostock Hanseatic Brewery Ltd.). The beer is well known throughout the city and is also sold in cities nearby. To celebrate Rostock's 800th birthday, a special light beer called Heller Freude was brewed to commemorate the occasion.

Sport

Ostseestadion,home ground ofHansa Rostock

Rostock Seawolveshuddle in April 2023.

Club	Sport	Founded	League	Venue	Head Coach	Website
Hansa Rostock	Football	1965	2. Bundesliga	Ostseestadion	Alois Schwartz	[1]
Rostock Seawolves	Basketball	1994	Basketball Bundesliga	Stadthalle Rostock	Christian Held	[2]
Rostocker FC 1895	Football	1895	NOFV-Oberliga Nord(5th division)	Sportpark am Damerower Weg	Jan Kistenmacher	[3]
HC Empor Rostock	Team handball	1946	3. Bundesliga	Rostocker Stadthalle	Maik Handschke	[4]
SV Warnemünde	Volleyball	1990	3rd league (men and women team)	Sporthalle Gerüstbauerring		[5]
Piranhas Rostock	Ice hockey	1953	Oberliga(3rd division)	Eishalle Rostock	Henry Thom	[6]
Rostocker Nasenbären	Skater hockey	2005	Inline-Skaterhockey-Bundesliga (1st league)	OSPA-Arena	Dimitri Kramarenko	[7]
HSG Warnemünde	Water polo	1971	Oberliga SH-MV (3rd league)	Neptun-Schwimmhalle		[8]

Transport

Rostock Hauptbahnhof(main station)

Transit map of Rostock

Rostock harbour at sunset

Car

Rostock can be reached by motorway (Autobahn)A 1fromHamburgviaLübeckonA 20and byA 19fromBerlinand A 20 fromSzczecinin Poland.

Public transport

Rostock Hauptbahnhofoffers fast rail connections toHamburgandBerlinand from there to almost any other European city.

Rostock is served by theRostock tramway network,with six tram lines that serve the inner city as well as the suburbs. The city is also served by an extensive bus fleet, as well as a handful of ferries that cross the Warnow.

Ferry/ship

Rostock is Germany's largest Baltic port. Rostock is also home to a large ferry port. It is a main base for ferry operatorsScandlinesandTT-Line,which both connect Rostock with major Scandinavian destinations. Furthermore, Rostock receives the highest number of cruise tourists in Germany every year.

Ferries leave for

• Helsinki,Finland
• Gedser,Denmark
• Trelleborg,Sweden
• Nynäshamn,Sweden
• Visby,Sweden

Air

TheRostock–Laage Airportoffers connections to major German and international destinations; regular flights to e.g.Munichare offered. The nearest larger international airports are inHamburgandBerlin.There are also a number of airfields for smaller aircraft, such as Purkshof.

Twin towns - sister cities

See also:List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Rostock istwinnedwith:

• Szczecin,Poland (1957)
• Turku,Finland (1959)
• Dunkirk,France (1960)
• Riga,Latvia (1961)
• Antwerp,Belgium (1963)
• Aarhus,Denmark (1964)
• Gothenburg,Sweden (1965)
• Bergen,Norway (1965)
• Rijeka,Croatia (1966)
• Varna,Bulgaria (1966)
• Bremen,Germany (1987)
• Dalian,China (1988)
• Raleigh,United States (2001)
• Guldborgsund,Denmark (2014)

Notable people

Further information:Category:People from Rostock

Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher,ca 1815

Peter Schulz,2010

Simon Paulli,1648

Albrecht Kossel

Public service & thinking

• Henry Borwin I, Lord of Mecklenburg(??–1227), Lord of Mecklenburg
• Carl Friedrich Behrens(1701-1750), a German sailor and soldier, landed inEaster Island
• Franz Aepinus(1724–1802), German-Russian natural philosopher.
• Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher(1742–1819), Prussian field marshal.
• Moritz Wiggers(1816–1894), politician, lawyer and notary
• Rudolph Sohm(1841–1917), jurist, Church historian and theologian
• Mathilde Mann(1859–1925), prominent German translator and editor
• Carl Brockelmann(1868–1956),semiticistand orientalist
• Hans Paasche(1881–1920), politician and pacifist
• Ernst Heinkel(1888–1958), aviation pioneer, worked inWarnemünde
• Erika Fuchs(1906–2005), translator
• Duchess Woizlawa Feodora of Mecklenburg(1918–2019), member of the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
• Berndt von Staden(1919–2014), diplomat, Ambassador to the United States 1973–1979
• Peter Schulz(1930–2013), politician (SPD) and firstMayor of Hamburg1971–1974
• Klaus Kilimann(born 1938), politician (SPD), physicist and Mayor of Rostock 1990–1993
• Joachim Gauck(born 1940), politician, civil rights activist and President of Germany 2012–2017
• Heinz Eggert(born 1946), theologian and CDU politician
• Eva-Maria Kröger(born 1982), politician, Mayor of Rostock since February 2023.

Science and academia

• Simon Paulli(1603–1680), Danish physician and naturalist
• Matthias Christian Sprengel(1746–1803), geographer and historian
• Christian Martin Frähn(1782–1851), German-Russian numismatist and historian.
• Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller(1825–1896), German-Australian physician, geographer and botanist.
• Clara Wehl(1833–1901), Australian botanist.
• Johann Georg Noel Dragendorff(1836–1898), pharmacist and chemist
• Hermann von Maltzan(1843–1891),malacologist,worked in the field ofconchology
• Albrecht Kossel(1853–1927), biochemist and pioneer in genetics, recipient of 1910Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicinefor determining the chemical composition of nucleic acids
• Paul Walden(1863–1957), Latvian-German chemist, lived and worked in Rostock
• Gustav Mie(1868–1957), physicist, worked on electromagnetic waves
• Karl Leo Heinrich Lehmann(1894–1960), American art historian, archaeologist and professor
• Arthur R. von Hippel(1898–2003), German-American materials scientist and physicist
• Hans von Ohain(1911–1998), physicist and engineer, worked inWarnemünde
• Egbert Brieskorn(1936–2013), mathematician who introducedBrieskorn spheres
• Sibylle Günter(born 1964), theoretical physicist, since 2011 heads theMax Planck Institute for Plasma Physics

Francis Cleyn

Dörte Helm,pre-1941

The Arts

• Francis Cleyn(ca.1582 – 1658), painter and tapestry designer.
• Johann Heinrich Bartholomäus Walther(1734–1802), Baltic-German architect, worked inTartu
• John Brinckman(1814–1870), poet and short story writer inLow German
• brothersFriedrich Eggers(1819-1872, art historian &Karl Eggers(1826–1900), lyric poet.
• Paul Tischbein(1820–1874), illustrator and painter primarily of landscapes; part of theTischbein family
• Adolf Wilbrandt(1837–1911), a German novelist and dramatist.
• Edvard Munch(1863–1944), Norwegian painter, lived in Rostock 1907/08.
• Heinrich Tessenow(1876–1950), architect, professor and urban planner
• Paul Wallat(1879–1964), landscape artist, draftsman and sculptor
• Margarete Scheel(1881–1969), artist, specializing in sculpture and ceramics
• Bruno Gimpel, (DE Wiki)(1886–1943), painter and illustrator.
• Egon Tschirch(1889–1948), painter and illustrator.
• Dörte Helm(1898–1941),Bauhausartist, painter and graphic designer.
• Jessie Rindom(1903–1981), a Danish film actress.
• Marianne Hoppe(1909–2002), actress
• Peter Borgelt(1927–1994), actor
• Jo Jastram(1928–2011), sculptor
• Walter Kempowski(1929–2007), writer
• Erik Smith(1931–2004), British record producer, pianist and harpsichordist.
• Mario Frank(born 1958), writer, CEO ofDer Spiegel2007/8; now a political biographer
• Franziska Knuppe(born 1974), fashion model
• Hinnerk Schönemann(born 1974), actor
• Marteria(born 1982), hip hop artist

Jan Ullrich,2016

Sports

• Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe(1888–1949), tennis and field hockey player
• Siegfried Brietzke(born 1952), a German rower and Olympic team gold medallist
• Hansjörg Kunze(born 1959), track and field athlete, bronze medallist at the1988 Summer Olympics
• Frank Rohde(born 1960), footballer and coach, played over 250 games and 42 forEast Germany
• Martina Proeber(born 1963), diver, silver medallist at the1980 Summer Olympics
• Christian Schenk(born 1965), decathlete, gold medallist at the1988 Summer Olympics
• Ramona Portwich(born 1967), canoe sprinter and multiple team medallist at three Summer Olympics
• Andreas Tews(born 1968), flyweight boxer, won two medals at two Summer Olympics
• Jörn Lenz(born 1969), footballer who played over 430 games
• Jan Quast(born 1970), light flyweight boxer, bronze medallist at the1992 Summer Olympics
• Steffen Baumgart(born 1972), football manager and former player who played 535 games
• Rolf Kohnert(born 1938), cyclist, 3 times Australian Masters Champion
• Jan Ullrich(born 1973), cyclist,Tour de Francewinner, won two medals at the2000 Summer Olympics
• Dörte Lindner(born 1974), diver, bronze medallist at the2000 Summer Olympics
• Annika Walter(born 1975), diver silver medallist at the1996 Summer Olympics
• Britta Kamrau(born 1979), long-distance swimmer
• André Greipel(born 1982), road bicycle racer
• Jennifer Zietz(born 1983), footballer, played 278 games and 15 for Germany women
• Hannes Ocik(born 1991), rower, three-time world champion, twice an Olympic team silver medallist

Bibliography

See also:Bibliography of the history of Rostock

See also

• Music in Rostock

External links

• Official Website
• Official tourism site
• European Route of Brick Gothic: Rostock
• "Rostock".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 23 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 754.