Woldegk
Woldegk | |
---|---|
Coordinates:53°27′34″N13°34′58″E/ 53.45944°N 13.58278°E | |
Country | Germany |
State | Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |
District | Mecklenburgische Seenplatte |
Municipal assoc. | Woldegk |
Government | |
•Mayor | Ernst-Jürgen Lode |
Area | |
• Total | 164.14 km2(63.37 sq mi) |
Elevation | 110 m (360 ft) |
Population (2022-12-31)[1] | |
• Total | 4,196 |
• Density | 26/km2(66/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+01:00(CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00(CEST) |
Postal codes | 17348 |
Dialling codes | 03963, 03964, 039859 |
Vehicle registration | MST |
Website | windmuehlenstadt-woldegk.de |
Woldegk(German pronunciation:[ˈvɔldɛk] ) is a town in theMecklenburgische Seenplattedistrict, inMecklenburg-Western Pomerania,Germany.It is situated 24 km southeast ofNeubrandenburg.The former municipality ofPetersdorfwas merged into Woldegk in May 2019. Woldegk is 164.14 km2in area and has 4,392 inhabitants (2018).
History
[edit]After first being settled as an adjunct ofBrandenburgin 1236, Woldegk was brought intoMecklenburgby the marriage of Beatrix of Brandenburg with Heinrich of Mecklenburg in 1292, and developed into a fortified,walled townwithrampartsandmoatsby the mid-15th century. Between 1492 and 1635, at least fourwindmillswere constructed and put into use milling grain produced in the surrounding agricultural area.
The village was damaged by fire several times, and was completely destroyed in 1647 in theThirty Years War,after which only 14 inhabitants survived. In the 18th century, the village was rebuilt and as many as seven Dutch style windmills were in operation by 1745.
On 29 June 1764,a deadly F5 tornadohit the town. The tornado wasamong the strongest ever recordedwith damage assessed at the highest level of theTORRO scale(T11). The rating was assigned based on several surveys by German scientistGottlob Burchard Genzmer.[2]
The town remained economically backward until the late 19th century, when construction of the Friedrich Willhelm Railway in 1893 fostered industrial development, including a sugar beet plant, a steam plow factory, and two brickyards. Municipal services also were developed, including a gas plant and a water tower and distribution system. During this period, many substantial commercial and buildings as well as a distinctiveRathaus(city hall) were constructed and gave Woldegk a more cosmopolitan flavor, although it remained essentially a rural village.
InWorld War II,at least 70% of Woldegk was destroyed. At the end of the war in 1945, the interior of the stone St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church was gutted by fire when a phosphorus bomb dropped through the roof, killing a number of refugees from the surrounding area who had taken shelter there. After the war, reconstruction took place in theGerman Democratic Republic.Followingreunification of Germany,the region surrounding Woldegk has declined economically, and remains one of the poorest areas of the country.
In the late 20th century, some of the distinctive historic windmills of Woldegk were rebuilt and refurbished, one of which is open as a museum, and the mill pond also has been rebuilt. Tourist literature and the town's motto promote Woldegk as theCity of Windmills(Stadt der Windmühlen). Efforts to restore the church, the stone foundation of which dates back to 1236–1250, are still underway.
Woldegk is located at the intersection of federal highways B 104 (Neubrandenburg-Stettin) and B 198 (Neustrelitz-Prenzlau).
Economy
[edit]FWW Fahrzeugwerk GmbH was founded in 2001 asdefense technologycompany, to repair wheeled and tracked vehicles and components, "partnering with the Bundeswehr, NATO, Western European countries and the United Nations".[3]In November 2018,General Dynamics Corporationacquired FWW and it becameGeneral Dynamics European Land Systems- FWW GmbH in November 2019.[4]
Notable residents
[edit]- Rudolf Doehn(1821–1895), writer and politician
- Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord(1878–1943), general
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City wall
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Old windmill
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Church
References
[edit]- ^"Bevölkerungsstand der Kreise, Ämter und Gemeinden 2022"(XLS)(in German).Statistisches Amt Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.2023.
- ^Gottlob Burchard Genzmer (9 June 2005)."Beschreibung des Orcans, welcher den 29. Jun. 1764 einen Strich von etlichen Meilen im Stargardischen Kreise des Herzogthums Mecklenburg gewaltig verwüstet hat"(PDF)(in German). Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 31 October 2005.Retrieved25 June2013.
- ^"FWW Fahrzeugwerk GmbH".de.linkedin.Retrieved24 September2023.
- ^"General Dynamics European Land Systems acquires Germany's FWW Fahrzeugwerk GmbH | General Dynamics - General Dynamics".gd.Retrieved31 August2023.
External links
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