Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze; german: Pommern; Kashubian: ''Pòmòrskô''; sv, Pommern) is a historical region on the southern shore of the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and ...

in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The western part of Pomerania belongs to the German states of

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV; ; nds, Mäkelborg-Vörpommern), also known by its anglicized name Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania, is a state in the north-east of Germany. Of the country's sixteen states, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ranks 14th in po ...

and

Brandenburg Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an area of 29,480 sq ...

, while the eastern part belongs to the West Pomeranian, Pomeranian and Kuyavian-Pomeranian voivodeships of Poland. Its historical border in the west is the Mecklenburg-Western Pomeranian border ''

Urstromtal An ''urstromtal'' (plural: ''Urstromtäler'') is a type of broad glacial valley, for example, in northern Central Europe, that appeared during the ice ages, or individual glacial periods of an ice age, at the edge of the Scandinavian ice sheet and ...

'' which now constitutes the border between the

Mecklenburg Mecklenburg (; nds, label= Low German, Mękel(n)borg ) is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The largest cities of the region are Rostock, Schweri ...

ian and Pomeranian part of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, while it is bounded by the

Vistula The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland. The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...

River in the east. The easternmost part of Pomerania is alternatively known as

Pomerelia Pomerelia,, la, Pomerellia, Pomerania, pl, Pomerelia (rarely used) also known as Eastern Pomerania,, csb, Pòrénkòwô Pòmòrskô Vistula Pomerania, prior to World War II also known as Polish Pomerania, is a historical sub-region of Pome ...

, consisting of four sub-regions:

Kashubia pl, Kaszuby , native_name_lang = csb, de, csb , settlement_type = Historical region , anthem = Zemia Rodnô , image_map = Kashubians in Poland.png , image_flag ...

inhabited by ethnic

Kashubians The Kashubians ( csb, Kaszëbi; pl, Kaszubi; german: Kaschuben), also known as Cassubians or Kashubs, are a Lechitic ( West Slavic) ethnic group native to the historical region of Pomerania, including its eastern part called Pomerelia, in nor ...

Kociewie Kociewie is an ethnocultural region in the eastern part of Tuchola Forest, in northern Poland, Pomerania, south of Gdańsk. Its cultural capital is Starogard Gdański, the biggest town is Tczew, while other major towns include Świecie, Pelpl ...

Tuchola Forest The Tuchola Forest, also known as Tuchola Pinewoods or Tuchola Conifer Woods, (the latter a literal translation of pl, Bory Tucholskie; csb, Tëchòlsczé Bòrë; german: Tuchler or Tucheler Heide) is a large forest complex near the town of Tuch ...

and

Chełmno Land Chełmno land ( pl, ziemia chełmińska, or Kulmerland, Old Prussian: ''Kulma'', lt, Kulmo žemė) is a part of the historical region of Pomerelia, located in central-northern Poland. Chełmno land is named after the city of Chełmno (hist ...

. Pomerania has a relatively low population density, with its largest cities being Gdańsk and Szczecin. Outside its urban areas, it is characterized by farmland, dotted with numerous lakes, forests, and small towns. In the west of Pomerania lie several islands, the largest of which are

Rügen Rügen (; la, Rugia, ) is Germany's largest island. It is located off the Pomeranian coast in the Baltic Sea and belongs to the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The "gateway" to Rügen island is the Hanseatic city of Stralsund, where ...

, the largest island in Germany,

Usedom Usedom (german: Usedom , pl, Uznam ) is a Baltic Sea island in Pomerania, divided between Germany and Poland. It is the second largest Pomeranian island after Rügen, and the most populous island in the Baltic Sea. It is north of the Szczecin ...

/Uznam, and

Wolin Wolin (; formerly german: Wollin ) is the name both of a Polish island in the Baltic Sea, just off the Polish coast, and a town on that island. Administratively, the island belongs to the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Wolin is separated from th ...

, the largest island in Poland. The region has a rich and complicated political and demographic history at the intersection of several cultures.

Geography

Borders

Pomerania is the area along the

Bay of Pomerania The Bay of Pomerania ( pl, Zatoka Pomorska; german: Pommersche Bucht; csb, Pòmòrskô Hôwinga) is a basin in the southwestern Baltic Sea, off the Pomeranian shores of Poland and Germany. It stretches between the northernmost tip of the island ...

of the

between the rivers

Recknitz The Recknitz (historically known as ''Raxa'') is a river in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in northeastern Germany. The Recknitz's glacial valley stretches as far south as the heights at Glasewitz near Güstrow. The river has no definite source, but rath ...

Trebel Trebel is a municipality in the district Lüchow-Dannenberg, in Lower Saxony, Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russ ...

Tollense The Tollense (, from Slavic ''dolenica'' "lowland, (flat) valley") is a river in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in northeastern Germany, right tributary of the Peene. It has a total length of 95.8 km. The upper course begins near a small lake na ...

and Augraben in the west and

in the east.The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, 2000, Pomerani

/ref> It formerly reached perhaps as far south as the

Noteć Noteć (; , ) is a river in central Poland with a length of (7th longest) and a basin area of .Central European Plain, but its southern, hilly parts belong to the

Baltic Ridge Baltic may refer to: Peoples and languages *Baltic languages, a subfamily of Indo-European languages, including Lithuanian, Latvian and extinct Old Prussian *Balts (or Baltic peoples), ethnic groups speaking the Baltic languages and/or originatin ...

, a belt of terminal moraines formed during the

Pleistocene The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was finally confirmed in ...

. Within this ridge, a chain of

moraine-dammed lake A moraine-dammed lake occurs when the terminal moraine has prevented some meltwater from leaving the valley. Its most common shape is that of a long ribbon (ribbon lake). Example of moraine dammed lakes include: *Argentina/Chile: General Carre ...

s constitutes the

Pomeranian Lake District The Pomeranian Lakeland or Pomeranian Lake District ( pl, Pojezierze Pomorskie) is a lakeland in Farther Pomerania. It lies today in the east of the Polish Voivodeship of West Pomerania in northwest Poland. The lakeland is located in the extrem ...

. The soil is generally rather poor, sometimes sandy or marshy. The western coastline is jagged, with many peninsulas (such as

Darß The Darß or Darss is the middle part of the peninsula of Fischland-Darß-Zingst on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The peninsula's name is of Slavic origin. There is a large forest in the ...

–

Zingst Zingst ( Polabian ''Sgoni'') is the easternmost portion of the three-part Fischland-Darß-Zingst Peninsula, located in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, between the cities of Rostock and Stralsund on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea. T ...

) and islands (including

, and

) enclosing numerous bays (

Bodden Bodden are briny bodies of water often forming lagoons, along the southwestern shores of the Baltic Sea, primarily in Germany's state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. These lagoons can be found especially around the island of Rügen, Usedom an ...

) and lagoons (the biggest being the Lagoon of Szczecin). The eastern coastline is smooth. Łebsko and several other lakes were formerly bays, but have been cut off from the sea. The easternmost coastline along the

Gdańsk Bay Gdańsk Bay or the Gulf of Gdańsk ( pl, Zatoka Gdańska; csb, Gduńskô Hôwinga; russian: Гданьская бухта, Gdan'skaja bukhta, and german: Danziger Bucht) is a southeastern bay of the Baltic Sea. It is named after the adjacent por ...

(with the

Bay of Puck The Bay of Puck or Puck Bay (; ; german: Putziger Wiek), is a shallow western branch of the Bay of Gdańsk in the southern Baltic Sea, off the shores of Gdańsk Pomerania, Poland. It is separated from the open sea by the Hel Peninsula. The bay ha ...

) and

Vistula Lagoon The Vistula Lagoon ( pl, Zalew Wiślany; russian: Калининградский залив, transliterated: ''Kaliningradskiy Zaliv''; german: Frisches Haff; lt, Aistmarės) is a brackish water lagoon on the Baltic Sea roughly 56 miles (90 ...

, has the

Hel Peninsula Hel Peninsula (; pl, Mierzeja Helska, Półwysep Helski; csb, Hélskô Sztremlëzna; german: Halbinsel Hela or ''Putziger Nehrung'') is a sand bar peninsula in northern Poland separating the Bay of Puck from the open Baltic Sea. It is l ...

and the Vistula peninsula jutting out into the Baltic.

Subregions

The Pomeranian region has the following administrative divisions: *

Western Pomerania Historical Western Pomerania, also called Cispomerania, Fore Pomerania, Front Pomerania or Hither Pomerania (german: Vorpommern), is the western extremity of the historic region of Pomerania forming the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, Weste ...

(''Vorpommern'') in northeastern Germany, stretching from the Recknitz river to the

Oder–Neisse line The Oder–Neisse line (german: Oder-Neiße-Grenze, pl, granica na Odrze i Nysie Łużyckiej) is the basis of most of the international border between Germany and Poland from 1990. It runs mainly along the Oder and Lusatian Neisse rivers a ...

. This region is part of the

federal state A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government ( federalism). In a federation, the self-gover ...

. The southernmost part of historical Western Pomerania (the

Gartz Gartz is a town in the Uckermark district in Brandenburg, Germany. It is located on the West bank of the Oder River, on the border with Poland, about 20 km south of Szczecin, Poland. It is located within the historic region of Western Pomer ...

area) is now in

, while its historical eastern parts (the Oder estuary) are now in Poland. Western Pomerania comprises the historical regions inhabited by Western Slavic tribes Rugians and Volinians, otherwise the

Principality of Rügen The Principality of Rügen; da, Fyrstendømmet Rygien; pl, Księstwo rugijskie; la, Rugia was a Danish principality, formerly a duchy, consisting of the island of Rügen and the adjacent mainland from 1168 until 1325. It was governed by a loc ...

and the

County of Gützkow The County of Gützkow (german: Grafschaft Gützkow) was a county in the Duchy of Pomerania in the High Middle Ages. It was established in 1129 from the Castellany of Gützkow. Following the death of its last count in 1359, it was reestablished i ...

. * The Zachodniopomorskie, West Pomeranian Voivodeship (''Zachodniopomorskie'') in Poland, stretching from the Oder–Neisse line to the Wieprza river, encompassing most of historical Pomerania in the narrow sense (as well as small parts of historic Greater Poland and Lubusz Land). * The Pomeranian Voivodeship, with similar borders to

, stretching from the Wieprza river to the

delta in the vicinity of Gdańsk. * The northern half of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, comprising most of Tuchola Forest#Ethnocultural region, Tuchola Forest and

. The bulk of Farther Pomerania is included within the modern West Pomeranian Voivodeship, but its easternmost parts (the Słupsk area) now constitute the northwest of Pomeranian Voivodeship. Farther Pomerania in turn comprises several other historical subregions, most notably the Principality of Cammin, the County of Naugard, and the Lands of Schlawe and Stolp, The Lauenburg and Bütow Land is considered a part of

(

Kashubia pl, Kaszuby , native_name_lang = csb, de, csb , settlement_type = Historical region , anthem = Zemia Rodnô , image_map = Kashubians in Poland.png , image_flag ...

) by the Polish historiography, and of Farther Pomerania by the German historiography. Parts of Pomerania and surrounding regions have constituted a euroregion since 1995. The Pomerania euroregion comprises Hither Pomerania and Uckermark in Germany, West Pomerania in Poland, and Scania in Sweden. File:Niechorze Widok z latarni 3 (Piotr Kuczynski).jpg, Typical Pomeranian beach (West Pomeranian Voivodeship) File:Małe regaty na jeziorze Wdzydze.jpg, Wdzydze Lake (Pomeranian Voivodeship) File:Poland Turkusowe Lake.jpg, Wolin National Park (West Pomeranian Voivodeship) File:2 SPN 01.jpg, Słowiński National Park (Pomeranian Voivodeship) File:Usedomer Strand.jpg,

/Uznam (

) File:Kap Arkona2.jpg, Cape Arkona (

)

Etymology

In Lechitic languages the prefix "po-" means ''along''; unlike the word "po", which means ''after''. Pomorze, therefore, means ''Along the Sea''. This construction is similar to toponyms Pogórze (disambiguation), Pogórze (''Along the Mountains''), Polesie (''Along the Forest''), Porzecze (disambiguation), Porzecze (''Along the River''), etc. Pomerania was first mentioned in an Holy Roman Empire, imperial document of 1046, referring to a ''Zemuzil dux Bomeranorum'' (Zemuzil, Duke of Pomerania, Zemuzil, Duke of the Pomeranians). Pomerania is mentioned repeatedly in the chronicles of Adam of Bremen (c. 1070) and Gallus Anonymus, Gallus Anonymous (ca. 1113).

Terminology

The term "West Pomerania" is ambiguous, since it may refer to either Hither Pomerania (in German usage and historical usage based on German terminology) or to combined Hither and Farther Pomerania or the West Pomeranian Voivodeship (in Polish usage). The term "East Pomerania" may similarly carry different meanings, referring either to Farther Pomerania (in German usage and historical usage based on German terminologye.g. :File:Pomerania 1653.PNG, here (Sheperd Atlas), or i
old Enc Britannica
/ref>), or to Pomerelia or the Pomeranian Voivodeship (in Polish usage). }
pl, Ziemia lęborsko-bytowska) , Człuchów,
Chojnice,
Kościerzyna,
Kartuzy,
Żukowo,
Puck, Poland, Puck,
Władysławowo,
Jastarnia,
Hel, Poland, Hel , Wejherowo,
Reda, Poland, Reda,
Rumia,
(so-called Little Kashubian Tricity)
Gdynia,
Sopot,
Gdańsk
(Tricity, Poland, Tricity)
Pruszcz Gdański,
Nowy Staw , Starogard Gdański,
Skarszewy,
Pelplin,
Tczew,
Gniew , Świecie,
Nowe , Tuchola,
Pruszcz, Świecie County, Pruszcz , Toruń,
Grudziądz,
Chełmno,
Chełmża,
Wąbrzeźno,
Kowalewo Pomorskie,
Jabłonowo Pomorskie,
Radzyń Chełmiński,
Łasin,
Brodnica (part north of Drwęca with historic center),
Golub-Dobrzyń, Golub , - style="text-align:center;" , style="background:#c2e6ff; text-align:left;", Current countries , colspan="6", Germany , colspan="12", Poland , - style="text-align:center;" , rowspan="2" style="background:#c2e6ff; text-align:left;", Current administrative regions , colspan="5" rowspan="1", Land Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
(State of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania) , colspan="1" rowspan="1", Land

(State of Brandenburg) , colspan="4" rowspan="2", województwo zachodniopomorskie
(West Pomeranian Voivodeship) , colspan="5" rowspan="2", województwo pomorskie
(Pomeranian Voivodeship) , colspan="3" rowspan="2", województwo kujawsko-pomorskie
(Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship) , - style="text-align:center;" , colspan="1" rowspan="1", Vorpommern-Rügen District , colspan="1" rowspan="1", Vorpommern-Greifswald District , colspan="1" rowspan="1", Mecklenburgische Seenplatte (district), Mecklenburgische Seenplatte District , colspan="2" rowspan="1", Vorpommern-Greifswald District , colspan="1" rowspan="1", Uckermark (district), Uckermark District , - style="text-align:center;" , rowspan="5" style="background:#c2e6ff; text-align:left;", German terminology
(corresponding English term) , colspan="12", PommernThe Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2001–07

(Pomerania) , colspan="6", Pomerellen, Pommerellen
(

)
After Partitions of Poland, part of the wider Westpreussen
(West Prussia)
before Partitions of Poland, part of the wider Königlich-Preußen or Preußen Königlichen Anteils
(Royal Prussia) , - style="text-align:center;" , colspan="7", Vorpommern
in modern usage the part located in Germany only
(Hither Pomerania, Fore Pomerania)
, colspan="5" rowspan="2", Hinterpommern
(Farther/Further Pomerania, Rear Pomerania) , colspan="2" rowspan="4", Kaschubei
(

Kashubia pl, Kaszuby , native_name_lang = csb, de, csb , settlement_type = Historical region , anthem = Zemia Rodnô , image_map = Kashubians in Poland.png , image_flag ...

)
areas south-east of Chojnice, Könitz (Czarna Woda, Schwarzwasser, Czersk): Tucheler Heide
(

),
Koschneiderei , colspan="2" rowspan="4", Kociewie , rowspan="4", Tucheler Heide
(

),
Koschneiderei , rowspan="4", Kulmerland
(

) , - style="text-align:center;" , colspan="2", Neuvorpommern
(New Hither Pomerania) , colspan="5", Altvorpommern
(Old Hither Pomerania) , - style="text-align:center;" , colspan="3" rowspan="2", Westpommern
(Western Pomerania) , style='border-style: solid solid none solid;' colspan="6", Mittelpommern
(Middle Pomerania) , colspan="3" rowspan="2", Ostpommern
(Eastern Pomerania) , - style="text-align:center;" , style='border-style: none dotted solid solid;' colspan="1", , style='border-style: dotted dotted solid dotted;' colspan="4", Mittelpommerscher Keil
(Middle Pomeranian Wedge)
excluding Świnoujście, Międzyzdroje,

and Dziwnów , style='border-style: none solid solid dotted;' colspan="1", , - style="text-align:center;" , rowspan="3" style="background:#c2e6ff; text-align:left;", Polish terminology
(corresponding English term) , colspan="11", Western Pomerania, Pomorze Zachodnie
(Western Pomerania)
Pomorze Nadodrzańskie
( Oder Pomerania)
, colspan="7", Pomorze Wschodnie
(Eastern Pomerania)
Pomorze Nadwiślańskie
(

Pomerania)
before World War II simply Pomorze
(Pomerelia, literally Pomerania)
before Partitions of Poland, part of the wider Royal Prussia, Prusy Królewskie
(Royal Prussia) , - style="text-align:center;" , colspan="6", Pomorze Zaodrzańskie
(Trans-Oder Pomerania)
Pomerania-Wolgast, Pomorze Wołogoskie
(Wołogoszcz or german: Wolgast Pomerania) , colspan="3", Pomorze Szczecińskie
(Szczecin Pomerania)
Western Pomerania, Pomorze Zachodnie w węższym znaczeniu
(Western Pomerania in narrower sense)
, colspan="2", Pomorze Środkowe
(Middle Pomerania)
Pomorze Koszalińsko-Słupskie
(Koszalin and Słupsk Pomerania) , colspan="6", Gdańsk Pomerania, Pomorze Gdańskie
(Gdańsk Pomerania)
, rowspan="2", Ziemia chełmińska
(

)
ethnocultural region
, - style="text-align:center;" , colspan="7", Pomorze Przednie
(Hither Pomerania, Fore Pomerania) in modern usage the part located in Germany only , colspan="4", Pomorze Tylne
(Farther/Further Pomerania, Rear Pomerania) usage limited mainly to translations of German texts , colspan="3", Kashubia, Kaszuby
(Kashubia)
ethnocultural region
areas south-east of Chojnice (Czarna Woda, Czersk): Bory Tucholskie
(

)
ethnocultural region,
Kosznajderia
former ethnocultural region , colspan="2",

ethnocultural region , Bory Tucholskie
(

)
ethnocultural region,
Kosznajderia
former ethnocultural region , - style="text-align:center;" , rowspan="2" style="background:#c2e6ff; text-align:left;", Kashubian terminology
(corresponding English term) , colspan="11" rowspan="2", Zôpadnô Pòmòrskô
(Western Pomerania) , colspan="1" rowspan="1", Lãbòrskò-bëtowskô Zemia
(Lauenburg and Bütow Land)
, colspan="6" rowspan="1", Pòrénkòwô Pòmòrskô
(Eastern Pomerania) , - style="text-align:center;" , colspan="3" rowspan="1" , Kaszëbë
(Kashubia
ethnocultural region) , colspan="2" rowspan="1", Kòcéwskô (

)
ethnocultural region , colspan="1" rowspan="1", Tëchòlsczé Bòrë (

)
ethnocultural region,
Kòsznajderiô (Kosznajderia)
former ethnocultural region , colspan="1" rowspan="1", Chełmińskô Zemia (

)
ethnocultural region

History

Prehistory to the Middle Ages (circa 400 A.D. – 1400 A.D.)

Settlement in the area called Pomerania for the last 1,000 years started by the end of the Vistula Glacial Stage, some 13,000 years ago. Archeological traces have been found of various cultures during the Stone Age, Stone and Bronze Age, Baltic peoples, Germanic peoples and Vistula Veneti, Veneti during the Iron Age and, in the Middle Ages, Dark Ages, West Slavs, West Slavic tribes and Vikings.Jan M Piskorski, ''Pommern im Wandel der Zeiten'', 1999, pp.18ff, Horst Wernicke, ''Greifswald, Geschichte der Stadt'', Helms, 2000, pp.16ff, Johannes Hoops, Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde, Walter de Gruyter, p.422, Werner Buchholz, ''Pommern'', Siedler, 1999, pp.22,23, Joachim Herrmann, ''Die Slawen in Deutschland'', Akademie-Verlag Berlin, 1985, pp.pp.237ff,244ff Starting in the 10th century, Piast Poland, early Polish rulers subdued the region, successfully integrating the eastern part with Poland, while the western part fell under the suzerainty of Denmark and the Holy Roman Empire in the late 12th century.Joachim Herrmann, ''Die Slawen in Deutschland'', Akademie-Verlag Berlin, 1985, pp.261,345ffNora Berend, ''Christianization and the Rise of Christian Monarchy: Scandinavia, Central Europe and Rus' C. 900–1200'', Cambridge University Press, 2007, p.293, , David Warner, ''Ottonian Germany: The Chronicon of Thietmar of Merseburg'', Manchester University Press, 2001, p.358, , Michael Borgolte, Benjamin Scheller, ''Polen und Deutschland vor 1000 Jahren: Die Berliner Tagung über den "Akt von Gnesen"'', Akademie Verlag, 2002, p.282, , Gdańsk, established during the reign of Mieszko I of Poland has since become Poland's main port (apart from periods of Poland losing control over the region). In the 12th century, the Duchy of Pomerania (western part), as a vassal state of Poland, Conversion of Pomerania, became Christian under saint Otto of Bamberg (''the Apostle of the Pomeranians''); at the same time

(eastern part) became a part of diocese of Włocławek within Poland. Since the late 12th-early 13th century, the House of Griffin, Griffin Duchy of Pomerania stayed with the Holy Roman Empire and the Principality of Rugia with Denmark, while Pomerelia, under the ruling of Samborides, was a part of Poland.Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeiten, 1999, pp.35ff, Gerhard Krause, Horst Robert Balz, Gerhard Müller, ''Theologische Realenzyklopädie'', Walter de Gruyter, 1997, pp.40ff, Jan M. Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeiten, 1999, p.43, Pomerania, during its alliance in the Holy Roman Empire, shared borders with West Slavs, West Slavic state Oldenburg, as well as Poland and the expanding Margraviate of Brandenburg. In the early 14th century the Teutonic Knights Teutonic takeover of Danzig (Gdańsk), invaded and annexed Pomerelia from Poland into Monastic state of the Teutonic Knights, their monastic state, which already included historical Prussia (region), Prussia. As a result of the Teutonic rule, in German terminology the name of Prussia was also extended to conquered Polish lands like Gdańsk Pomerania, although it was not inhabited by Balts, Baltic Old Prussians, Prussians but Lechites, Lechitic Poles. Meanwhile, the Ostsiedlung started to turn Slavic narrow Pomerania into an increasingly German-settled area; the remaining Wends and Polish people, often known as

, continued to settle within Pomerelia.Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeiten, 1999, pp.77ff, In 1325 the line of the princes of Rügen died out, and the principality was inherited by House of Pomerania, the Griffins.

Renaissance (circa 1400–1700) to Early Modern Age

In 1466, with the Teutonic Order's defeat in the Thirteen Years' War (1454–1466), Thirteen Years' War, Pomerelia became again subject to the Polish Crown and formed the Pomeranian Voivodeship (1466–1772), Pomeranian Voivodeship within the province of Royal Prussia. While the German population in the Duchy of Pomerania adopted the Protestant reformation in 1534,Werner Buchholz, Pommern, Siedler, 1999, pp.205–212, Gerhard Krause, Horst Robert Balz, Gerhard Müller, ''Theologische Realenzyklopädie'', Walter de Gruyter, 1997, pp.43ff, the Polish (along with Kashubians, Kashubian) population remained with the Roman Catholic Church. The Thirty Years' War severely ravaged and depopulated narrow Pomerania; few years later this same happened to Pomerelia (''the Deluge (history), Deluge''). With the extinction of the House of Griffin, Griffin house during the same period, the Treaty of Stettin (1653), Duchy of Pomerania was divided between the Swedish Empire and Brandenburg-Prussia Peace of Westphalia, in 1648, while Pomerelia remained in with the Polish Crown.

Modern Age

German Empire - Prussia - Pomerania (1871)

Prussia Treaty of Stockholm (Great Northern War), gained the southern parts of Swedish Pomerania in 1720,Werner Buchholz, Pommern, Siedler, 1999, Partitions of Poland, invaded and annexed Pomerelia from Poland in 1772 and 1793, and Congress of Vienna, gained the remainder of Swedish Pomerania in 1815, after the Napoleonic Wars. The former Province of Pomerania (1653-1815), Brandenburg-Prussian Pomerania and the former Swedish parts were reorganized into the Prussian Province of Pomerania (1815–1945), Province of Pomerania, while

was made part of the Province of West Prussia. With Prussia, both provinces joined the newly constituted German Empire in 1871. Under German rule, the Polish minority suffered discrimination and oppressive measures aimed at eradicating its culture. Following the German Empire's defeat in World War I, however, Pomorze Gdańskie/

was returned to the rebuilt Polish state as part of the so-called Polish Corridor), while German-majority Gdansk/Danzig was transformed into the independent Free City of Danzig. In 1938 Germany's Province of Pomerania was expanded to include northern parts of the former Province of Posen–West Prussia, and in late 1939 Polish territories annexed by Nazi Germany, the annexed Pomorze Gdańskie/Polish Corridor became part of the Nazi Germany, wartime Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia. The Nazis deported the Pomeranian Jews Nisko plan, to a reservation near Lublin in Pomerelia. The Polish population suffered heavily during the Nazi oppression; more than 40,000 died in executions, death camps, prisons and forced labour, primarily those who were teachers, businessmen, priests, politicians, former army officers, and civil servants. Thousands of Poles and Kashubians suffered deportation, their homes taken over by the German military and civil servants, as well as some Baltic Germans resettled there between 1940 and 1943. After Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II, the German–Polish border was shifted west to the

, and all of Pomerania was in the Soviet Military Administration in Germany, Soviet Occupation Zone.Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeiten, The German inhabitants of the former eastern territories of Germany and Poles of German ethnicity from Pomerelia were Expulsion of Germans from Poland after World War II, expelled. Between 1945 and 1948, millions of ethnic Germans (Volksdeutsche) and German citizens (Reichsdeutsche), were removed from former German territory now governed by Poland and other Eastern European countries. Many German civilians were sent to internment and labor camps where they were used as forced labor as part of German reparations to countries in Eastern Europe. The death toll attributable to the flight and expulsions is disputed, with low-range estimates in the hundreds of thousands (see: Flight and Expulsion of Germans 1944-1950). The area was resettled primarily with Poles of Polish ethnicity, (some themselves Polish population transfers (1944–1946), expellees from Kresy, former eastern Poland) and some Ukrainian minority in Poland, Poles of Ukrainian ethnicity (resettled under Operation Vistula) and few Jews in Poland, Polish Jews. Most of Hither or

(''Vorpommern'') remained in Germany, and most of the expelled Pomeranians found refuge there, later many moved on to other German regions and abroad. Today German Hither Pomerania forms the eastern part of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, while the Polish part is divided mainly between the West Pomeranian, Pomeranian voivodeships, with their capitals in Szczecin and Gdańsk. During the 1980s, the Solidarity (Polish trade union), Solidarity and ''Die Wende'' ("the change") movements overthrew the Communism, Communist regimes implemented during the post-war era; since then, Pomerania is democracy, democratically governed. Pomeranian dialect and traditions still live in the country of Brazil in a colony where the language is still spoken. The arrival of Pomerania immigrants with Germans and Italians helped form the state of Espírito Santo since the early 1930s. Their importance and respect are one of the cultural signatures of the area. The Brazilian city of Pomerode (in the state of Santa Catarina (state), Santa Catarina) was founded by Pomeranian Germans in 1861 and is considered the most typically German of all the German towns of southern Brazil.

Demographics

The German part of

is inhabited by German Pomeranians. In other parts, Poles are the dominant ethnic group since the territorial changes of Poland after World War II, and the resulting Polonization.

, descendants of the Pomeranians (Slavic tribe), medieval West Slavic Pomeranians, are numerous in rural

. German Hither Pomerania had a population of about 470,000 in 2012 (districts of Vorpommern-Rügen and Vorpommern-Greifswald combined) – while the Polish districts of Hither Pomerania had a population of about 580,000 in 2012 ( Szczecin and Świnoujście city with powiat rights, cities with powiat rights, Police County, as well as Gmina Goleniów, Goleniów Gmina Wolin, Wolin and Gmina Międzyzdroje, Międzyzdroje gminas combined). So overall, about 1.15 million people live in the historical region of Hither Pomerania today, while the Szczecin metropolitan area reaches even further. Pomerelia is dominated by the Tricity, Poland, Tricity metropolitan area (Pomeranian Voivodeship) with its population in 2012 estimated at least at 1,035,000 and the area at 1,332,51 km², encompassing the Tricity, Poland, Tricity itself with a population of 748,986 combining the eponymous three cities of Gdańsk (population 460,427), Gdynia (population 248,726) and Sopot (population 38,217), as well as the Little Kashubian Tricity with a population of 120,158 people (2012), formed by the City of Wejherowo (population 50,310 in 2012) and the towns (urban gminas) of Rumia (population 49,230 in 2020) and Reda, Poland, Reda (population 26,011 in 2019). The area also includes two smaller towns of Żukowo and Pruszcz Gdański belonging to the eponymous urban-rural gminas, and a number of rural gminas.

Cities in Pomerania

Altogether, there are 16 cities in the broad-sense Pomerania, understood as comprising also

. Their list is presented below and includes the 14 municipalities in Poland electing a city mayor ( pl, prezydent miasta) instead of a town mayor ( pl, burmistrz), with 9 of them holding the status of a city with powiat rights ( pl, miasto na prawach powiatu, an independent city), as well as the 2 municipalities in Germany holding the status of a district-belonging city (german: link=no, Große kreisangehörige Stadt), as no city of the German part of Pomerania holds currently any higher status, such as a partially of fully independent city (german: link=no, Große selbständige Stadt, ''Kreisfreie Stadt'', or ''Stadtkreis''), or a City-state#Non-sovereign city-states, city-state (german: link=no, Stadtstaat).

Cities in the historical region of Hither Pomerania

* Szczecin (city with powiat rights, West Pomeranian Voivodeship): 408,913; up to 763,321 in the metropolitan area * Stralsund (Vorpommern-Rügen district, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern): 59,418 * Greifswald (Low German: ''Griepswohld''; Vorpommern-Greifswald district, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern): 59,232 * Świnoujście (city with powiat rights, West Pomeranian Voivodeship); 40,864 * In addition, the Brandenburgian city of Schwedt expanded in the contemporary times, so that its neighbourhoods north of Welse are located in historical Hither Pomeraniq File:Szczecin Zamek Ksiazat Pomorskich (od pln-zach).jpg, Szczecin File:Stralsund, Blick von der Marienkirche (2013-07-07-), by Klugschnacker in Wikipedia (7).JPG, Stralsund

Cities in the historical region of Farther Pomerania

* Koszalin (city with powiat rights, West Pomeranian Voivodeship): 109,343 * Słupsk (city with powiat rights, Pomeranian Voivodeship): 94,849 * Stargard (Stargard County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship): 69,724 * Kołobrzeg (Kołobrzeg County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship); 46,259

Cities in the historical region of Pomerelia

* Tricity, Poland, Tricity (Pomeranian Voivodeship): 748,986; the Tricity, Poland, Tricity metropolitan area (Pomeranian Voivodeship): population in 2012; at least 1,035,000 area 1,332,51 km² ** Gdańsk (city with powiat rights, Pomeranian Voivodeship): 460,427 ** Gdynia (city with powiat rights, Pomeranian Voivodeship): 248,726 ** Sopot (city with powiat rights, Pomeranian Voivodeship): 38,217 * Toruń (city with powiat rights, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship): 205,934 * Grudziądz (city with powiat rights, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship): 96,042 * Tczew (Tczew County, Pomeranian Voivodeship): 60,279 * Wejherowo (Wejherowo County, Pomeranian Voivodeship): 50,375 * Starogard Gdański (Starogard County, Pomeranian Voivodeship): 44,470 File:Długie Pobrzeże in Gdańsk (Motława).jpg, Gdańsk

Culture

Languages and dialects

In the German part of Pomerania, Standard German and the East Low German Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch dialect, Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch and Central Pomeranian dialect, Central Pomeranian dialects are spoken, though Standard German dominates. Polish language, Polish is the dominating language in the Polish part; Kashubian language, Kashubian dialects are also spoken by the

. East Pomeranian dialect, East Pomeranian, the East Low German dialect of Farther Pomerania and western Pomerelia, Low Prussian, the East Low German dialect of eastern Pomerelia, and Standard German were dominating in Pomerania east of the Oder-Neisse line before Flight and expulsion of Germans from Poland during and after World War II, most of its speakers were expelled after World War II. Slovincian language, Slovincian was spoken at the Farther Pomeranian–Pomerelian frontier, but is now extinct. Kashubian and East Low German are also spoken by the descendants of émigrées, most notably in the Americas (e.g. Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Canada).

Cuisine

: ''For typical food and beverages of the region, see Pomeranian cuisine.''

Museums

Wik 22 Szczecin Pałac Sejmu Stanów Pomorskich

At least 50 museums in Poland cover the history of Pomerania, the most important of them being the District Museum in Toruń, the Museum in Grudziądz, the National Museum in Gdańsk, the National Maritime Museum, Gdańsk, the Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk, the Museum of Sopot, the Emigration Museum in Gdynia, the Museum of Polish Navy in Gdynia, the Museum of Kociewie in Starogard Gdański, the Museum of Kashubian and Pomeranian Literature and Music in Wejherowo, the Kashubian Museum in Kartuzy, the Central Pomerania Museum in Słupsk, the Darłowo Museum, the Koszalin Museum, the Museum of Polish Arms in Kołobrzeg, the Museum of Archeology and History in Stargard, the National Museum, Szczecin, National Museum in Szczecin, and the Museum of Maritime Fisheries in Świnoujście, The Pomeranian State Museum in Greifswald, as well as the Stralsund Museum, both have a variety of archeological findings and artefacts dedicated to the history of Pomerania from the different periods covered in this article.

Education

Universities

There are four traditional (non-profiled and multi-faculty, public university, public research university, research) universities in the region, namely the University of Greifswald, the University of Szczecin, the University of Gdańsk and the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, the oldest of which, the University of Greifswald, was founded when Greifswald belonged to Duchy of Pomerania, thus being one of the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest universities in the world.

Economy

Agriculture primarily consists of raising livestock, forestry, fishery, and the cultivation of cereals, sugar beets, and potatoes. Industrial food processing is increasingly relevant in the region. Key producing industries are shipyards, mechanical engineering facilities (i.a. renewable energy components), and sugar refineries, along with paper and wood fabricators. Service industries today are an important economical factor in Pomerania, most notably with logistics, information technology, life sciences, life science, biotechnology, health care, and other high tech, high-tech branches often Business cluster, clustering around research facilities of the Pomeranian universities. Since the late 19th century, tourism has been an important sector of the economy, primarily in the numerous seaside resorts along the coast.

Gallery

File:Stralsunder Rathaus mit Schaufassade, dahinter die Nikolaikirche-2630.jpg, Stralsund, one of several Hanseatic League, Hanseatic cities built in typical Brick Gothic style. File:Wik 21 klasztor Police - Jasienica.jpg, Ruins of Augustinians' cloister in Jasienica, Police. File:2010.10.02 PELPLIN (16).jpg, Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Pelplin, Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Pelplin, one of the largest churches in Poland File:Poland Gniew - castle.jpg, Teutonic Knights' castle in Gniew,

Footnotes

External links

Internet directories

* * * *

Culture and history

Pomeranian dukes castle in Szczecin (Polish, German, English)

*
Collection of historical eBooks about Pomerania (German)
*

Maps of Pomerania

* :de:Bild:Provinz Pommern 1905.png, Map of Pomerania as in 1905, in German Wikipedia
Woiewództwa Pomorskie i Małborskie oraz Pomerania Elektorska, G.B.A.Rizzi-Zannoni 1772

* [http://www.hoeckmann.de/germany/pomerania.htm Pomerania in 1789] {{Authority control Pomerania, Divided regions Historical regions Historical regions in Germany Historical regions in Poland Holocaust locations in Poland

Geography

Borders

Subregions

Etymology

Terminology

History

Prehistory to the Middle Ages (circa 400 A.D. – 1400 A.D.)

Renaissance (circa 1400–1700) to Early Modern Age

Modern Age

Demographics

Cities in Pomerania

Cities in the historical region of Hither Pomerania

Cities in the historical region of Farther Pomerania

Cities in the historical region of Pomerelia

Culture

Languages and dialects

Cuisine

Museums

Education

Universities

Economy

Gallery

See also

Footnotes

External links

Internet directories

Culture and history

Maps of Pomerania