Schwerin

Schwerin is the capital and second-largest city of the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. It has around 96,000 people, making it the smallest capital city in Germany by population. The city sits on the southwestern shore of Lake Schwerin, the second-largest lake in the Mecklenburg Lake Plateau.

Schwerin was first mentioned in 1018 and received its city rights in 1160 from Henry the Lion, making it the oldest city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Over time, it has been the capital of several states, including the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

Today, Schwerin is famous for its beautiful, well-preserved buildings, such as the romantic Schwerin Palace and Schwerin Cathedral. The city's main industries include high technology, machine building, healthcare, and tourism.

Geography

Schwerin is surrounded by several areas, including Klein Trebbow, Seehof (Mecklenburg), Leezen (Mecklenburg), and many others. The city has twelve lakes inside its borders, which makes it very beautiful.

Schwerin has a mild oceanic climate, because it is close to the Baltic Sea. The city has warm winters and cool summers. Temperatures usually go from about 1 °C in winter to 18 °C in summer.

History

Schwerin is surrounded by many lakes, with the largest being the Schweriner See. In the 11th century, a group called the Slavic Obotrite lived there. In 1160, a leader named Henry the Lion took control of the area. A castle was built and later turned into a grand palace. In 1358, Schwerin became very important as the center of a region called the Duchy of Mecklenburg.

In more recent times, many people from Schwerin moved to the United States, especially to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and today the two cities are friends. After World War II, Schwerin was controlled by Soviet forces. Later, after Germany reunited, Schwerin became the capital of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Demographics

As of the 2022 German census, Schwerin has a population of 96,447, making it the smallest state capital in all of Germany. By the end of 2025, the population had grown to 99,721. This shows that Schwerin might soon have over 100,000 people, which would make it a major city again.

In 2007, Schwerin had a higher crime rate than other German cities. This was partly because some offenses, like riding a bus without a ticket, were counted in the crime rate, which made the numbers look higher.

Politics

The most recent city council election was held on June 9, 2024.

Bernd Nottebaum of the CDU has been the mayor of Schwerin since 2026. The last mayoral election was on June 4, 2023, with a runoff on June 18.

Schwerin has had many mayors since 1800. Some well-known mayors include Rudolf Christian Heinrich Kahle (1800–1843), Ernst Julius Gottlieb Bernien (1843–1848), and Friedrich Strempel (1848–1858). The city has had mayors from many political parties over the years.

Infrastructure

Schwerin has city buses and trams run by NVS (Nahverkehr Schwerin). The central station, Schwerin Hauptbahnhof, connects by rail to Berlin, Hamburg and Rostock. The nearest airport is Hamburg Airport, about 116 km (72 mi) west of Schwerin.

The city has two academic colleges: the Schwerin campus of the "Fachhochschule des Mittelstands" (University of Applied Sciences of the Mittelstand), and the Schwerin campus of the "Hochschule der Bundesagentur für Arbeit" (University of the Federal Employment Agency). Schwerin is unique among German state capitals because it has no universities.

Sights

Schwerin has many interesting places to visit. The most famous is the Schwerin Palace, located on an island in the Schweriner See lake. It was home to the Dukes of Mecklenburg and is now where the state parliament meets. Another important building is the Schwerin Cathedral, built between 1260 and 1416 in a style called Brick Gothic.

The city also has lovely squares like the Alter Garten, with old buildings such as the Altes Palais, the neoclassical Staatliches Museum Schwerin (State Art Museum), and the Staatstheater (City Theater). There is also a historic city hall from the 18th century and the Schelfkirche (Saint Nicolai Church), which was rebuilt after a storm in 1713. You can also visit the TV Tower Schwerin-Zippendorf.

Museums

The Staatliches Museum Schwerin-Kunstsammlungen has many beautiful paintings and artworks, including pieces from the 17th century and modern artists like Max Liebermann. The State Museum of Technology used to be in Schwerin but moved to the city of Wismar in 2012.

Twin towns – sister cities

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

Schwerin has friends in many cities around the world. Some of these friends are:

• Odense, Denmark
• Piła, Poland
• Reggio Emilia, Italy
• Tallinn, Estonia
• Vaasa, Finland
• Växjö, Sweden
• Wuppertal, Germany

Notable people

Schwerin has been home to many important people throughout history. Some came from noble families, while others became known in the arts, politics, science, and sports.

In the arts, Schwerin produced talented actors, painters, writers, and musicians. Many of these artists helped shape German culture.

In politics, the city saw leaders who helped guide the nation, including diplomats and lawmakers. Some were involved in important historical events.

The city also produced notable scientists who made discoveries, as well as athletes who won Olympic medals in sports like rowing, swimming, and volleyball.