Usedom ( , ) is a
Baltic Sea island on the border between
Germany and
Poland. It is situated north of the
Szczecin Lagoon ()
estuary of the
River Oder in
Pomerania. Most of the island belongs to the German district of
Ostvorpommern in the Federal State of
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, with the exception of the eastern part and the city of
Świnoujście () which is in Polish
West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Its area is 445 km² (the German part 373 km²; the Polish part 72 km²).
Its population is 76,500 (the German part 31,500; the Polish part 45,000).
Geography
The island is separated to the east from the neighbouring island of
Wolin by the
Świna () strait (or river), which is the main route connecting Szczecin Bay with the
Pomeranian Bay, a part of the Baltic Sea. The strait between the island and the mainland is called Peenestrom; it is an underwater extension of the valley of the
Peene river, which flows into the westernmost part of Szczecin Bay. The island is mostly plain, partly covered by marshes.
The main town on the island is
Świnoujście, which has more inhabitants than the rest of the island. Another town, giving its name to the island, is called
Usedom. The largest municipality in the German part is
Heringsdorf (from 2005 to 2006 called Dreikaiserbäder). There are many popular tourist resorts on the northern coast, including the three
Dreikaiserbäder cities of
Ahlbeck,
Heringsdorf and
Bansin, as well as Świnoujście and
Zinnowitz.
Economic activities include agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry, food processing and timber production.
History
Settled since the
Stone Age, the area was inhabited by
Germanic Rugians, before the
Polabian Slavs moved in during the
5th,
6th and
7th centuries. Around the island,
Wendish/
Scandinavian trade centres such as
Vineta/
Jomsborg and Menzlin were established. In 1128 the
Pomeranian Duke Wartislaw I was converted to
Christianity through the efforts of
Otto of Bamberg. In 1155 the
Premonstratensians established a monastery in Grobe, generally known as
Usedom Abbey, which in 1309 was moved to the village of
Pudagla. In the meantime, a
Cistercian nunnery was founded in
Krummin and soon almost the whole island was in the possession of one or the other. During the
Reformation, ownership passed to the
Slavic dukes of Pomerania, who took over the island.
During the
Thirty Years' War, on
June 26,
1630, the
Swedish Army under King
Gustav Adolf II landed in the village of
Peenemünde, located on the
Peene river (Polish: Piana). Usedom was annexed by
Sweden after the war for almost a century, until in 1720 it was sold for 2 million
thalers to the Prussian king
Frederick William I. In 1740
Frederick the Great developed a seaport in Swinemünde.
The small village of
Peenemünde came to prominence again during
World War II. The
Luftwaffe tested their
missiles and
rockets, including the
V-1 and
V-2 in the locality. Germany used thousands of slave labourers on Usedom during World War II.
In 1945 the eastern part of the island, together with the city and port of
Świnoujście, was assigned to
Poland by the
Potsdam Conference, the German inhabitants being expelled to the west. The territory was populated with Poles who had in turn been expelled by the
Soviet Union from lands east of the
Bug River.
Tourism
The Isle of Usedom is one of Germany's major holiday and recreation areas due to its beaches, its natural beauty and a number of elegant seaside towns such as Zinnowitz and Heringsdorf, which have been frequented by the German and international nobility as well as the general public. Many hotels and
bed and breakfast establishments are available on both sides of the German-Polish border. In addition to the coastline, the
hinterland features nature reserves, castles, lakes and historic villages. Points of interest include:
Gallery
