View source for Greifswald

{{short description|City in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany}}
{{Infobox German location
|name               = Greifswald
|type               = Stadt <!--DO NOT MODIFY, IT IS A PARAMETER FOR THE TOWN'S CAT-->
| image_skyline            = {{multiple image
| border = infobox
| perrow = 1/2/2/2
| total_width = 280
| align = center
| caption_align = center
| image1 = Greifswald-Panorama-2.png
| caption1 = "[[:File:Friedrich wiesen-bei-greifswald.jpg|Caspar David Friedrich View]]" of Greifswald
| image2 = Greifswald - Town Hall.jpg
| caption2 = City hall
| image3 = Kloster Eldena im Mai.jpg
| caption3 = [[Eldena Abbey|Eldena Abbey Ruins]]
| image4 = Greifswald-View over the City 2017.jpg
| caption4 = St Mary's Church
| image5 = 20040630460DR Wieck (Greifswald) Die drei Weisen.jpg
| caption5 = At the harbour
| image6 = EMAU - Rubenowplatz 2.jpg
| caption6 = [[Greifswald University]]
| image7 = Greifswald Turm-des-Doms-St.-Nikolai August-2009 SL273334.JPG
| caption7 = [[St. Nikolai, Greifswald|St Nicholas' Church]] }}
|image_flag         = Hissflagge der Stadt Greifswald.svg
|image_coa          = DEU Greifswald COA.svg
|coordinates        = {{coord|54|5|N|13|23|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan         = Greifswald_in_VG.svg
|plantext           =
|state              = Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
|district           = Vorpommern-Greifswald
|elevation          = 5
|area               = 50.81
|postal_code        = 17489-17493
|area_code          = 03834
|licence            = HGW
|Gemeindeschlüssel  = 13 0 75 039
|divisions          = 8 boroughs
|website            = [https://www.greifswald.de/ www.greifswald.de]
|mayor              = Stefan Fassbinder<ref>[https://www.laiv-mv.de/Wahlen/Kommunalwahlen/ Kommunalwahlen in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Ergebnisse der Bürgermeisterwahlen], Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Landesamt für innere Verwaltung, accessed 13 November 2022.</ref>
|leader_term        = 2022&ndash;29
|Bürgermeistertitel = Oberbürgermeister
|party              = 
}}

'''Greifswald''' ({{IPA|de|ˈɡʁaɪfsvalt|-|De-Greifswald.ogg}}; {{langx|nds|Griepswold}}), officially the '''University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald''' ({{langx|de|Universitäts- und Hansestadt Greifswald}}) is the fourth-largest city in the German state of [[Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania]] after [[Rostock]], [[Schwerin]] and [[Neubrandenburg]]. In 2021 it surpassed [[Stralsund]] for the first time, and became the largest city in the [[Pomerania]]n part of the state. It sits on the River [[Ryck]], at its mouth into the Danish Wiek, a sub-bay of the [[Bay of Greifswald]], which is itself a sub-bay of the [[Bay of Pomerania]] of the [[Baltic Sea]].

It is the seat of the district of [[Vorpommern-Greifswald|Western Pomerania-Greifswald]], and is located roughly in the middle between the two largest Pomeranian islands of [[Rügen]] and [[Usedom]]. The closest larger cities are [[Stralsund]], Rostock, [[Szczecin]] and Schwerin. It lies west of the River [[Zarow]], the historical cultural and linguistic boundary between West (west of the river) and Central Pomerania (east of the river). The city derives its name from the dukes of Pomerania, the [[House of Griffin]], and thus ultimately from the Pomeranian [[Griffin]], and its name hence translates as "Griffin's Forest".

The [[University of Greifswald]], which was founded in 1456, is the second-oldest university in the [[Baltic Region]] after the [[University of Rostock]]. The city is well-known for the ruins of [[Eldena Abbey]] (formerly ''Hilda Abbey''), a frequent subject of the paintings of [[Caspar David Friedrich]], who was born in the city when it was part of [[Swedish Pomerania]]. Greifswald is the seat of the [[Pomeranian State Museum]] (''Pommersches Landesmuseum''). The recently built Ryck Barrier (''Rycksperrwerk'') protects the city from exceptionally high tides and storm surges moving up from the Baltic.

The city's population was listed at 59,332 in 2021, including many of the 12,500 students and 5,000 employees of the [[University of Greifswald]]. Greifswald draws international attention due to the university, its surrounding [[Biotechnology|BioCon Valley]], the [[Nord Stream 1]] gas pipeline which ends at nearby [[Lubmin]], and the [[Wendelstein 7-X]] nuclear fusion projects.

==Geography==
Greifswald is located in the northeast of [[Germany]], approximately equidistant from Germany's two largest islands, [[Rügen]] and [[Usedom]]. The city is situated at the south end of the [[Bay of Greifswald]], the historic centre being about {{convert|5|km|mi|0|spell=on|abbr=off}} up the river [[Ryck]] that crosses the city. The area around Greifswald is mainly flat, and hardly reaches more than 20 m [[Above mean sea level|above sea level]]. Two islands, [[Koos (island)|Koos]] and [[Riems]], are also part of Greifswald. Three of Germany's fourteen national parks can be reached by car in one hour or less from Greifswald.

Greifswald is also roughly equidistant from Germany's two largest cities, [[Berlin]] ({{convert|240|km|abbr=on|disp=or}}) and [[Hamburg]] ({{convert|260|km|abbr=on|disp=or}}). The nearest larger cities are [[Stralsund]] and [[Rostock]].

The coastal part of Greifswald at the mouth of the Ryck, named Greifswald-Wieck, evolved from a fishing village. Today it provides a small beach, a marina and the main port for Greifswald.

=== Climate ===
Greifswald features an [[oceanic climate]] with some [[Humid continental climate|humid continental]] influence. Summers are pleasantly warm, although chilly at night. Due to its coastal location, heatwaves in Greifswald tend to be less extreme than other nearby locations inland. Winters are mild to cold, with occasional cold fronts coming in from [[Scandinavia]] or [[Siberia]]. Precipitation is spread throughout the year and comparatively low by German standards, while sunshine hours are above the German average.

{{Weather box	
| location = Greifswald (1991–2020 normals, extremes since 1975)	
| metric first = Y	
| single line = Y	
|collapsed = 
|Jan record high C = 15.1
|Feb record high C = 18.4
|Mar record high C = 21.2
|Apr record high C = 28.6
|May record high C = 32.1
|Jun record high C = 36.6
|Jul record high C = 35.6
|Aug record high C = 36.5
|Sep record high C = 30.4
|Oct record high C = 25.7
|Nov record high C = 19.1
|Dec record high C = 14.1
|year record high C = 36.6
|Jan avg record high C = 9.7
|Feb avg record high C = 10.9
|Mar avg record high C = 15.8
|Apr avg record high C = 21.8
|May avg record high C = 25.9
|Jun avg record high C = 28.9
|Jul avg record high C = 30.0
|Aug avg record high C = 30.5
|Sep avg record high C = 25.1
|Oct avg record high C = 19.7
|Nov avg record high C = 14.1
|Dec avg record high C = 10.3
|year avg record high C = 32.3
|Jan high C = 3.3
|Feb high C = 4.2
|Mar high C = 7.5
|Apr high C = 12.5
|May high C = 16.9
|Jun high C = 20.3
|Jul high C = 22.7
|Aug high C = 22.8
|Sep high C = 18.5
|Oct high C = 13.2
|Nov high C = 7.5
|Dec high C = 4.2
| year high C =	12.8
|Jan mean C = 1.1
|Feb mean C = 1.6
|Mar mean C = 4.0
|Apr mean C = 8.1
|May mean C = 12.4
|Jun mean C = 15.9
|Jul mean C = 18.1
|Aug mean C = 18.0
|Sep mean C = 14.2
|Oct mean C = 9.6
|Nov mean C = 5.2
|Dec mean C = 2.2
|year mean C = 9.2
|Jan low C = -1.2
|Feb low C = -1.0
|Mar low C = 0.6
|Apr low C = 3.9
|May low C = 7.7
|Jun low C = 11.2
|Jul low C = 13.7
|Aug low C = 13.5
|Sep low C = 10.3
|Oct low C = 6.3
|Nov low C = 2.7
|Dec low C = 0.0
|year low C = 5.6
|Jan avg record low C = -9.7
|Feb avg record low C = -8.6
|Mar avg record low C = -5.4
|Apr avg record low C = -1.8
|May avg record low C = 2.0
|Jun avg record low C = 6.4
|Jul avg record low C = 9.6
|Aug avg record low C = 8.8
|Sep avg record low C = 5.1
|Oct avg record low C = -0.2
|Nov avg record low C = -3.5
|Dec avg record low C = -7.6
|year avg record low C = -12.9
|Jan record low C = -23.1
|Feb record low C = -23.2
|Mar record low C = -19.1
|Apr record low C = -6.7
|May record low C = -1.8
|Jun record low C = 3.0
|Jul record low C = 7.0
|Aug record low C = 5.2
|Sep record low C = 2.0
|Oct record low C = -4.6
|Nov record low C = -12.1
|Dec record low C = -17.4
|year record low C = -23.2
|precipitation colour = green	
|Jan precipitation mm = 45.7
|Feb precipitation mm = 36.9
|Mar precipitation mm = 39.0
|Apr precipitation mm = 32.3
|May precipitation mm = 52.3
|Jun precipitation mm = 60.5
|Jul precipitation mm = 67.1
|Aug precipitation mm = 71.7
|Sep precipitation mm = 52.3
|Oct precipitation mm = 49.9
|Nov precipitation mm = 43.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 48.4
|year precipitation mm = 599.4
|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm		
|Jan precipitation days = 16.6
|Feb precipitation days = 15.1
|Mar precipitation days = 13.4
|Apr precipitation days = 11.2
|May precipitation days = 12.5
|Jun precipitation days = 13.2
|Jul precipitation days = 14.4
|Aug precipitation days = 13.4
|Sep precipitation days = 12.8
|Oct precipitation days = 15.7
|Nov precipitation days = 15.7
|Dec precipitation days = 17.1
|year precipitation days = 171.2
|Jan sun = 47.4
|Feb sun = 67.5
|Mar sun = 127.2
|Apr sun = 196.6
|May sun = 243.7
|Jun sun = 239.0
|Jul sun = 242.4
|Aug sun = 217.2
|Sep sun = 162.2
|Oct sun = 110.2
|Nov sun = 50.7
|Dec sun = 35.7
|year sun = 1739.7
|Jan humidity = 85.8
|Feb humidity = 83.2
|Mar humidity = 79.2
|Apr humidity = 74.9
|May humidity = 74.5
|Jun humidity = 73.9
|Jul humidity = 74.8
|Aug humidity = 76.1
|Sep humidity = 80.1
|Oct humidity = 83.6
|Nov humidity = 87.4
|Dec humidity = 87.6
|unit snow days = 1.0 cm
|Jan snow days = 8.6
|Feb snow days = 9.8
|Mar snow days = 5.0
|Apr snow days = 0.4
|May snow days = 0
|Jun snow days = 0
|Jul snow days = 0
|Aug snow days = 0
|Sep snow days = 0
|Oct snow days = 0
|Nov snow days = 1.2
|Dec snow days = 5.2
|year snow days = 	
| source 1 = [[World Meteorological Organization]]<ref name=WMO>{{cite web |title=World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020 | url=https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Greifswald_10184.csv |work=World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020) |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date=12 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012154839/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Greifswald_10184.csv |archive-date=12 October 2023}}</ref>
| source 2 = Infoclimat<ref>{{cite web |title=Normales et records climatologiques 1991–2020 à Greifswald |url=https://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie/normales-records/1991-2020/greifswald/valeurs/10184.html |publisher=Infoclimat |access-date=24 October 2023 |language=fr}}</ref>
}}

==History==

===Early history===

Greifswald was founded in 1199 when [[Cistercian monks]] founded the [[Eldena Abbey]].<ref name="Greifswaldhistory">{{cite web|title=No Name|url=http://www.greifswald.de/en.html|publisher=Greifswald|access-date=8 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517055345/http://www.greifswald.de/en.html|archive-date=17 May 2011}}</ref> In 1250, [[Wartislaw III, Duke of Pomerania]], granted town privileges to Greifswald according to the [[Lübeck law]].<ref name="Greifswaldhistory"/>

===Middle Ages and Reformation===
[[File:Greifswald Fangenturm.jpg|thumb|upright|Medieval ''Fangenturm'' (Prisoners' Tower), Greifswald]]
[[File:Klosterruine Eldena2.jpg|thumb|[[Eldena Abbey]] was founded in 1199. Today only its ruins remain.]]
[[File:Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald 044.jpg|thumb|The eastern side of the historic city centre (seen from the cathedral tower)]]

In medieval times, the site of Greifswald was an unsettled woodland which marked the border between the [[Denmark|Danish]] [[Principality of Rügen]] and the [[Pomeranian duchies and dukes|Pomeranian]] [[County of Gützkow]], which at that time was also under Danish control. In 1199, the Rugian Prince [[Jaromar I]] allowed Danish [[Cistercians|Cistercian]] monks to build [[Eldena Abbey|Hilda Abbey, now Eldena Abbey]], at the mouth of the River [[Ryck]]. Among the lands granted the monks was a natural [[salt evaporation pond]] a short way up the river, a site also crossed by an important south–north ''[[Via Regia|via regia]]'' trade route. This site was named ''Gryp(he)swold(e)'', which is the [[Low German]] precursor of the city's modern name – which means "[[Griffin]]'s Forest." Legend says the monks were shown the best site for settlement by a mighty griffin living in a tree that supposedly grew on what became Greifswald's oldest street, the ''Schuhagen''. The town's construction followed a scheme of rectangular streets, with church and market sites reserved in central positions. It was settled primarily by Germans in the course of the {{lang|de|[[Ostsiedlung]]}}, but settlers from other nations and [[Wends]] from nearby were attracted, too.

The [[salt]] trade helped Eldena Abbey to become an influential religious center, and Greifswald became a widely known market. When the Danes had to surrender their [[Pomerania]]n lands south of the Ryck, after losing the [[Battle of Bornhöved (1227)|Battle of Bornhöved]] in 1227, the town succeeded to the [[Pomeranian duchies and dukes|Pomeranian dukes]]. In 1241, the Rugian prince [[Wizlaw I]] and the Pomeranian duke [[Wartislaw III]] both granted Greifswald market rights. In 1250, the latter granted the town a charter under [[Lübeck law]], after he had been permitted to acquire the town site as a fief from Eldena Abbey in 1248.

When Jazco of Salzwedel from Gützkow founded a [[Franciscan]] friary within the walls of Greifswald, the Cistercians at Eldena lost much of their influence on the city's further development. Just beyond Greifswald's western limits, a town-like suburb (''Neustadt'') arose, separated from Greifswald by a ditch. In 1264, Neustadt was incorporated and the ditch was filled in.

Eldena Abbey and the major buildings of Greifswald were erected in the North German [[Brick Gothic]] (''Backsteingotik'') style, found along the entire southern coast of the Baltic.

Due to a steady population increase, Greifswald became at the end of the 13th century one of the earliest members of the [[Hanseatic League]], which further increased its trade and wealth. After 1296, Greifswald's citizens no longer needed to serve in the Pomeranian army, and Pomeranian dukes did not reside in the city.

In 1456, Greifswald's mayor Heinrich Rubenow laid the foundations of one of the [[List of oldest universities in continuous operation|oldest universities]] in the world, the [[University of Greifswald]], which was one of the first in Germany, and was, successively, the single oldest in [[Sweden]] and [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]].

In the course of [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]], Eldena Abbey ceased to function as a monastery. Its possessions fell to the Pomeranian dukes; the bricks of its Gothic buildings were used by the locals for other construction. Eldena lost its separate status and was later absorbed into the town of Greifswald. The religious houses within the town walls, the priories of the Blackfriars ([[Dominican Order|Dominicans]]) in the northwest and the Greyfriars (Franciscans) in the southeast, were secularized. The buildings of the Dominicans (the "black monastery") were turned over to the university; the site is still used as part of the medical campus. The Franciscan friary ("the "grey monastery") and its succeeding buildings are now the [[Pomeranian State Museum]].

During the [[Thirty Years' War]], Greifswald was occupied by (Catholic) Imperial forces from 1627 to 1631,<ref name="Langer406"/> and thereafter, under the [[Treaty of Stettin (1630)]], by (Protestant) Swedish forces.<ref>{{cite book|title=Gemeinsame Bekannte: Schweden und Deutschland in der Frühen Neuzeit|editor1-first=Ivo|editor1-last=Asmus|editor2-first=Heiko|editor2-last=Droste|editor3-first=Jens E.|editor3-last=Olesen|first=Herbert|last=Langer|chapter=Die Anfänge des Garnisionswesens in Pommern|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nI9dItT816kC&pg=PA397|publisher=LIT Verlag|location=Berlin-Hamburg-Münster|year=2003|isbn=3-8258-7150-9|language=de|page=397}}</ref>

===1631/48—1815: Sweden===
{{Further|Treaty of Stettin (1630)|Swedish Pomerania}}

[[File:GreifswalderBodden.png|thumb|right|Bay of Greifswald]]

[[File:Greifswald - Marktplatz 3.jpg|thumb|Greifswald's lively market square (''Marktplatz'')]]

During the [[Thirty Years' War]], Swedish forces entered the [[Duchy of Pomerania]] in 1630.<ref name=Langer406>{{cite book|title=Gemeinsame Bekannte: Schweden und Deutschland in der Frühen Neuzeit|editor1-first=Ivo|editor1-last=Asmus|editor2-first=Heiko|editor2-last=Droste|editor3-first=Jens E.|editor3-last=Olesen|first=Herbert|last=Langer|chapter=Die Anfänge des Garnisionswesens in Pommern|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nI9dItT816kC&pg=PA397|publisher=LIT Verlag|location=Berlin-Hamburg-Münster|year=2003|isbn=3-8258-7150-9|language=de|page=403}}</ref> Greifswald was besieged by Swedish troops on 12 June 1631<ref name=Langer406/> and surrendered on 16 June.<ref name=Langer406/> [[Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden]] had returned from [[Margraviate of Brandenburg|Brandenburg]] to supervise the siege, and upon his arrival received the university's homage for the liberation from Catholic forces.<ref name=Langer406/> After the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), Greifswald and the region surrounding it became part of the [[Kingdom of Sweden]]. [[Swedish Pomerania]], as it was then called, remained part of the Swedish kingdom until 1815,<ref>{{cite book|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|title=Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom II|year=1881|language=pl|location=Warszawa|page=883}}</ref> when it became part of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] as the [[Province of Pomerania (1815–1945)|Province of Pomerania]]. In 1871, it devolved to Germany.

The Thirty Years' War had caused starvation throughout Germany, and by 1630 Greifswald's population had shrunk by two-thirds. Many buildings were left vacant and fell into decay. Soon, other wars followed: the [[Swedish-Polish War]] and the [[Swedish-Brandenburg War]] both involved the nominally Swedish town of Greifswald. [[Assault on Greifswald|In 1659]] and 1678, Brandenburgian troops bombarded the town. The first bombardment hit mainly the northeast part of town, wrecking 16 houses. The second bombardment leveled 30 houses and damaged hundreds more all over the city. Cannonballs of this second bombardment can still be seen in the walls of St Mary's Church.

During the [[Great Northern War]] (1700–1721, Greifswald was compelled to house soldiers. While [[Siege of Stralsund (1711–1715)|besieging neighboring Stralsund]], [[Tsardom of Russia|Russian tsar]] [[Peter the Great]] allied with [[George I of Great Britain]] in the [[Treaty of Greifswald]]. Large fires in 1713 and 1736 destroyed houses and other buildings, including City Hall. The Swedish government had issued decrees in 1669 and 1689 absolving anyone of taxes who built or rebuilt a house. These decrees remained essentially in force, under Prussian administration, until 1824.<ref>Felix Schönrock's studies in: Frank Braun, Stefan Kroll, ''Städtesystem und Urbanisierung im Ostseeraum in der frühen Neuzeit: Wirtschaft, Baukultur und historische Informationssysteme: Beiträge des wissenschaftlichen Kolloquiums in Wismar vom 4. Und 5. September 2003'', 2004, pp.184ff, {{ISBN|3-8258-7396-X}}, 9783825873967, [https://books.google.com/books?id=kwOzlHo7h0QC&dq=geschichte+pommern&pg=PA88]</ref>

In 1763, [[Greifswald Botanic Garden]] was founded.

{{Further|Province of Pomerania (1815–1945)|Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}}

{{Panorama
|image   = File:Greifswald Panorama view.jpg
|height  = 250px
|alt     = The central market square (''Marktplatz'')
|caption = The central market square (''Marktplatz'')
}}

===1815 – ''today'': Germany===

[[File:Wiesen bei Greifswald (1821-1822) - Caspar David Friedrich (Hamburger Kunsthalle).jpg|thumb|[[Caspar David Friedrich]] (1774–1840) depicted his hometown in several paintings; this is ''Wiesen bei Greifswald'' (''Meadows near Greifswald''), 1820.]]
[[File:Frau am Fischerbrunnen, Greifswald.jpg|thumb|Woman at the 'fishers well', by [[Jo Jastram]] in the 20th century]]
During the 19th century, Greifswald attracted many Polish students.<ref>S. Wierzchosławski, Polskie organizacje studenckie na uniwersytecie w Gryfii w drugiej połowie XIX i początkach XX wieku, Studia Historica Slavo- Germanica T. X — 1981, s. 127 – 140</ref> After [[Breslau]] (now [[Wrocław]], Poland) and Berlin, Greifswald hosted the third-largest group of Polish students in Germany.<ref>Die Universität Greifswald in der Bildungslandschaft des Ostseeraums, page 372 [[Dirk Alvermann]], [[Nils Jörn]], Jens E. Olesen</ref>

About 1900, the town – for the first time since the Middle Ages – expanded significantly beyond the old town walls. Also, a major railway connected Greifswald to [[Stralsund]] and Berlin; a local railway line further connected Greifswald to [[Wolgast]].

The city survived World War II without much destruction, even though it housed a large German Army (''Wehrmacht'') garrison. During the war, in May 1940, the Stalag II-C [[German prisoner-of-war camps in World War II|prisoner-of-war camp]] was relocated to Greifswald from [[Dobiegniew]], and it housed [[French prisoners of war in World War II|French]], Belgian, Serbian and Soviet POWs with many sent to [[Forced labour under German rule during World War II|forced labor]] detachments in the region.<ref name=ushm>{{cite book|last1=Megargee|first1=Geoffrey P.|last2=Overmans|first2=Rüdiger|last3=Vogt|first3=Wolfgang|year=2022|title=The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume IV|publisher=Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum|page=397|isbn=978-0-253-06089-1}}</ref> In the spring of 1945, the camp was evacuated to the west.<ref name=ushm/> In April 1945, German Army Colonel (''[[Oberst]]'') Rudolf Petershagen defied orders and surrendered the city to the [[Red Army]] without a fight.

From 1949 to 1990, Greifswald was part of the [[German Democratic Republic]] (DDR). During this time, most historical buildings in the medieval parts of the city were neglected and a number of old buildings were pulled down. The population increased significantly, because of the construction of a nominal 1760&nbsp;MW [[Soviet]]-made [[nuclear power plant]] in [[Lubmin]], which was closed in the early 1990s. New suburbs were erected in the monolithic industrial socialist style (''see [[Plattenbau]]''). They still house most of the city's population.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}} These new suburbs were placed east and southeast of central Greifswald, shifting the former town center to the northwestern edge of the modern town.

Reconstruction of the old town began in the late 1980s. Nearly all of it has been restored. Before that almost all of the old northern town adjacent to the port was demolished and subsequently rebuilt. The historic marketplace is considered one of the most beautiful in northern Germany. The town attracts many tourists, due in part to its proximity to the [[Baltic Sea]].

Greifswald's greatest population was reached in 1988, with about 68,000 inhabitants, but it decreased afterward to 55,000, where it has now stabilized. Reasons for this included migration to western German cities as well as [[suburbanisation]]. However, the number of students quadrupled from 3,000 in 1990 to more than 11,000 in 2007 and the university employs 5,000 people; nearly one in three people in Greifswald are linked in some way to higher education.

Despite its relatively small population, Greifswald retains a supra-regional relevance linked to its intellectual role as a university town and to the taking of the central functions of the former Prussian [[Province of Pomerania (1815–1945)|Province of Pomerania]] after World War II, such as the seat of the bishop of the [[Pomeranian Lutheran Church]], the state archives (''Landesarchiv'') and the Pomeranian Museum (''Pommersches Landesmuseum''). Three courts of the state of [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] are also based at Greifswald:
* the Supreme Administrative Court (''Oberverwaltungsgericht'');
* the Supreme Constitutional Court (''Landesverfassungsgericht''); and
* the {{Ill|Fiscal Court Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|de|Finanzgericht Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}} (''[[Fiscal Court (Germany)|Finanzgericht]]'')

==Administrative division==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! District<br />(modern) !! District<br />(historical) !! [[Amalgamation (politics)|Amalgamation]] !! Size<br />([[Hectare|ha]]) !! Population
|-
| rowspan="7" | „Innenstadt“<br />(downtown) || Innenstadt ||  || 87.0 || 3.883
|-
| Steinbeckervorstadt ||  || 349.6 || 163
|-
| Fleischervorstadt ||  || 52.7 || 2.911
|-
| Nördliche Mühlenvorstadt ||  || 173.8 || 4.097
|-
| Südliche Mühlenvorstadt,<br />Obstbausiedlung ||  || 108.1 || 4.650
|-
| Fettenvorstadt,<br />Stadtrandsiedlung ||  || 657.3 || 2.853
|-
| Industriegebiet ||  || 634.7 || 583
|-
| „Schönwalde I<br />und Südstadt“ || Schönwalde I,<br />Südstadt ||  || 132.1 || 12.583
|-
| rowspan="2" | „Schönwalde II“ || Schönwalde II ||  || 88.0 || 9.994
|-
| [[Groß Schönwalde]]|| 1974 || 580.8 || 749
|-
| „Ostseeviertel“ || Ostseeviertel ||  || 219.7 || 8.577
|-
| rowspan="2" | „Wieck“ || [[Ladebow]]|| 1939 || 544.4 || 499
|-
| [[Wieck (Greifswald)|Wieck]]|| 1939 || 44.2 || 395
|-
| „Eldena“ || [[Eldena (Greifswald)|Eldena]]|| 1939 || 675.5 || 1.994
|-
| „Friedrichshagen“ || [[Friedrichshagen (Greifswald)|Friedrichshagen]]|| 1960 || 436.5 || 196
|-
| „Riems“ || [[Riems]],<br />Insel [[Koos (island)|Koos]] ||  || 233.6 || 814
|-
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center" | (''Size and population data as of 2002'')
|}

==Economy==
[[File:Greifswald Dorfkirche-Wieck May-2009 SL272548.jpg|thumb|The energy sector is important to the city's economy. Even the church in the Wieck district of Greifswald has [[solar panel]]s on its roof.]]
[[File:Greifswald - Lange Str.jpg|thumb|Shops on the High Street (or Main Street): Greifswald is a shopping destination for the entire region.]]
Greifswald and [[Stralsund]] are the largest cities in the [[Vorpommern]] part of [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]. Of great importance to the city's economy is the local [[University of Greifswald|university]] with its 12,000 students and nearly 5,000 employees in addition to many people employed at independent research facilities such as the [[Friedrich Loeffler Institute]] and spin-off firms.

Greifswald is also the seat of the diocese of the Pomeranian Evangelical Church as well as the seat of the [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|state]]'s chief constitutional court, and chief financial court.

[[Tourism]] plays a vital role as Greifswald is situated between the islands of [[Rügen]] and [[Usedom]] on the popular German [[Baltic coast]], which brings in many tourists.

One of Europe's largest producers of [[photovoltaic module]]s, Berlin-based [http://www.solon.com Solon SE], has a production site in Greifswald. The world's third-largest producer of [[yacht]]s worldwide, [[Hanse Yachts|HanseYachts]], is based in Greifswald. In the energy sector, an offshore natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, [[Nord Stream 1]], stops in Lubmin (near Greifswald). [[Riemser Arzneimittel]] is a pharmaceutical company based on the island of Riems, which is part of the city of Greifswald. [[Siemens]] Communications F & E produces goods here as well.

In a 2008 study,<ref>Siehe Handelsblatt: https://www.handelsblatt.com/news/Default.aspx?_p=302919&_t=ft&_b=1245899</ref> Greifswald was declared [[Germany]]'s most dynamic city. According to another 2008 study, Greifswald is the "youngest city" in Germany having the highest percentage of heads of household under 30 years of age.<ref>[http://www.webmoritz.de/2008/12/09/greifswald-ist-deutschlands-jungste-stadt/ Study shows: Greifswald is Germany's 'youngest city']</ref>

==Politics==
The current mayor of Greifswald is Stefan Fassbinder (Greens) since 2015. The most recent mayoral election was held on 12 June 2022, with a runoff held on 26 June, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! rowspan=2 colspan=2| Candidate
! rowspan=2| Party
! colspan=2| First round
! colspan=2| Second round
|-
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}| 
| align=left| Stefan Fassbinder
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens|Greens]]/[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]/[[The Left (Germany)|Left]]
| 9,351
| 48.5
| 9,329
| 56.1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}| 
| align=left| Madeleine Tolani
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]]
| 6,385
| 33.1
| 7,308
| 43.9
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Grassroots Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| Ina Schuppa-Wittfoth
| align=left| [[Grassroots Democratic Party of Germany|dieBasis]]
| 1,569
| 8.1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| Konstantin Zirwick
| align=left| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]]
| 529
| 2.8
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Daniel Küther
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 520
| 2.7
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Gamal Khalil
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 511
| 2.6
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Die PARTEI}}| 
| align=left| Lea Alexandra Siewert
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 399
| 2.1
|-
! colspan=3| Valid votes
! 19,264
! 99.4
! 16,637
! 99.3
|-
! colspan=3| Invalid votes
! 114
! 0.6
! 121
! 0.7
|-
! colspan=3| Total
! 19,378
! 100.0
! 16,758
! 100.0
|-
! colspan=3| Electorate/voter turnout
! 47,409
! 40.9
! 47,290
! 35.4
|-
| colspan=7| Source: City of Greifswald ([https://www.greifswald.de/wahlergebnisse/20220612/13075039/praesentation/ergebnis.html?wahl_id=10&stimmentyp=0&id=ebene_3_id_1 1st round], [https://www.greifswald.de/wahlergebnisse/20220612/13075039/praesentation/ergebnis.html?wahl_id=13&stimmentyp=0&id=ebene_3_id_1 2nd round])
|}

The most recent city council election was held on 9 June 2024, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! colspan=2| Party
! Votes
! %
! +/-
! Seats
! +/-
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU)
| 17,490
| 20.1
| {{increase}} 0.5
| 9
| {{steady}} 0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD)
| 14,155
| 16.2
| {{increase}} 4.5
| 7
| {{increase}} 2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}| 
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] (Grüne)
| 11,470
| 13.2
| {{decrease}} 4.6
| 6
| {{decrease}} 2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] (Die Linke)
| 8,001
| 9.2
| {{decrease}} 5.2
| 4
| {{decrease}} 2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD)
| 7,644
| 8.8
| {{decrease}} 1.9
| 4
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance}}| 
| align=left| [[Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance]] (BSW)
| 5,966
| 6.8
| New
| 3
| New
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Human Environment Animal Protection Party}}| 
| align=left| [[Human Environment Animal Protection Party|Animal Protection Party]] (Tierschutz)
| 4,871
| 5.6
| {{increase}} 0.7
| 2
| {{steady}} 0
|-
| 
| align=left| Initiative Referendum Greifswald (IBG)
| 4,823
| 5.5
| New
| 2
| New
|-
| 
| align=left| Citizens' List Greifswald (BG)
| 3,856
| 4.4
| {{decrease}} 0.7
| 2
| {{steady}} 0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP)
| 2,431
| 2.8
| {{decrease}} 2.3
| 1
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| 
| align=left| Alternative List (AL)
| 1,633
| 1.9
| {{decrease}} 0.5
| 1
| {{steady}} 0
|-
| 
| align=left| Alliance of the Civic Centre (AdbM)
| 1,286
| 1.5
| New
| 1
| New
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Die PARTEI}}| 
| align=left| [[Die PARTEI]]
| 1,117
| 1.3
| New
| 1
| New
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Volt Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Volt Germany]] (Volt)
| 1,079
| 1.2
| New
| 0
| New
|-
| 
| align=left| Free Voters (FW)
| 500
| 0.6
| New
| 0
| New
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|German Communist Party}}| 
| align=left| [[German Communist Party]] (DKP)
| 97
| 0.1
| New
| 0
| New
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independents]]
| 781
| 0.9
| New
| 0
| New
|-
! colspan=2| Valid votes
! 87,200
! 100.0
! 
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=2| Invalid ballots
! 1,109
! 3.7
! 
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=2| Total ballots
! 30,007
! 100.0
! 
! 43
! ±0
|-
! colspan=2| Electorate/voter turnout
! 47,059
! 63.8
! {{increase}} 7.6
! 
! 
|-
| colspan=7| Source: [https://www.greifswald.de/wahlergebnisse/20240609/13075039/praesentation/ergebnis.html?wahl_id=18&stimmentyp=0&id=ebene_-3_id_3# City of Greifswald]
|}

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}
Greifswald is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Städtepartnerschaften|url=https://www.greifswald.de/de/verwaltung-politik/rathaus/staedtepartnerschaften-und-internationale-kontakte/Staedtepartnerschaften/|website=greifswald.de|publisher=Greifswald|language=de|access-date=2021-02-03}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Gmina Goleniów|Goleniów]], Poland (2006)
*{{flagicon|NOR}} [[Hamar]], Norway (1997)
*{{flagicon|FIN}} [[Kotka]], Finland (1959)
*{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Lund Municipality|Lund]], Sweden (1990)
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Newport News, Virginia|Newport News]], United States (2007)
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Osnabrück]], Germany (1988)
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Szczecin]], Poland (2010)
{{div col end}}

===Friendly cities===
Greifswald has friendly relations with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Städtefreundschaften|url=https://www.greifswald.de/de/verwaltung-politik/rathaus/staedtepartnerschaften-und-internationale-kontakte/Staedtefreundschaften/|website=greifswald.de|publisher=Greifswald|language=de|access-date=2021-02-03}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Benxi]], China
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Bryan, Texas|Bryan]], United States (1995)
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[College Station, Texas|College Station]], United States (1995)
*{{flagicon|UKR}} [[Drohobych]], Ukraine (2017)
*{{flagicon|BRA}} [[Pomerode]], Brazil (2005)
*{{flagicon|GRC}} [[Samos]], Greece (2015)
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Shenyang]], China
*{{flagicon|EST}} [[Tartu]], Estonia (2006)
*{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Vyborg]], Russia (2018)
{{div col end}}

==Education==

===University===
{{Main|University of Greifswald}}
[[File:Rubenowplatz Greifswald.jpg|thumb|[[University of Greifswald]].]]
[[File:Greifswald Knopfstrasse 20 2012-05-28.jpg|thumb|upright|The city's public library.]]
Founded in 1456, the [[University of Greifswald]] is one of the [[List of oldest universities in continuous operation|oldest universities]] in both [[Germany]] and [[Europe]]. Currently, about 12,300 students study at five faculties: [[theology]], [[law]]/[[economics]], [[medicine]], [[University of Greifswald Faculty of Arts|humanities and social sciences]], and [[mathematics]]/natural sciences.

The university co-operates with many research facilities, such as:
* the [[Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik]] ([[plasma physics]]) has its second site (after [[Garching bei München|Garching]]) in Greifswald and is experimenting with a [[stellarator]], [[Wendelstein 7-X]].
* [[Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach|Alfried Krupp]] Institute of Advanced Study
* [[Friedrich Loeffler Institute]] on the Isle of [[Riems]] (National Research Institute for Animal Health)
* ''Institut für Niedertemperatur-Plasmaphysik'' (Institute of Low Temperature Plasma Physics)
* ''Technologiezentrum'' (Centre for [[Technology]])
* ''Biotechnikum'' (Centre for [[Bioscience]])

===Secondary schools===
* [[Alexander von Humboldt|Alexander-von-Humboldt]]-Gymnasium
* [[Friedrich Ludwig Jahn|Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn]]-Gymnasium (founded in 1561 as ''schola senatoria'' and one of the oldest schools still existing in Germany)
* [[Johann Gottfried Herder|Johann-Gottfried-Herder]]-Gymnasium (fused with the Jahn-Gymnasium in 2006)
* Ostseegymnasium

==Culture==
===Museums, exhibitions, and cultural events===
[[File:Greifswalder Theaterhaus.jpg|thumb|''Theater Vorpommern'' (Theater of Hither Pomerania)]]
[[File:Pommersches Landesmuseum 02.jpg|thumb|''[[Pomeranian State Museum|Pommersches Landesmuseum]]'' (Pomeranian State Museum)]]
Greifswald has a number of museums and exhibitions, most notably the [[Pomeranian State Museum]] ({{langx|de|Pommersches Landesmuseum}}): [[history of Pomerania]] and arts, including works by [[Caspar David Friedrich]], a native of Greifswald. The University of Greifswald also has a large number of collections, some of which are on display for the public.

Events and attractions hosted in Greifswald include:
* ''Theater Vorpommern'': theatre, orchestra and opera
* ''Stadthalle Greifswald'': medium-sized convention centre
* ''Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern'': Greifswald is one of several sites of the state's classical music festival
* [[Nordischer Klang]] is the largest festival of Nordic culture outside of the [[Nordic countries]] themselves
* [[Johann Sebastian Bach|Bach]] festival
* Eldena Jazz Evenings
* ''Gaffelrigg'' summer fair
* ''Museumshafen'': historic ships in the "museum port"
* regular literary events in the ''Koeppenhaus''
* ''St. Spiritus'' cultural centre
* [[Greifswald International Students Festival]] (GrIStuF e. V.)
* Radio 98eins (open radio)
* Greifswald Night of Music (''Greifswalder Musiknacht'')
* Greifswald long-ship festival (''Greifswalder Drachenbootfest'')

===Cinemas===
[[Art house]] is shown regularly at the film club "Casablanca",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.casablanca-greifswald.de/ |title=Home |website=casablanca-greifswald.de}}</ref> which has existed since 1992. It puts its focus on the heritage of 35mm films.  The Koeppenhaus shows art house cinema as part of its special programmes. The cinema initiative "KinoAufSegeln"<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.museumswerft-greifswald.de/index.php/kulturwerft/33-kino-auf-segel |title=Kino auf Segeln |access-date=2016-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304155728/http://www.museumswerft-greifswald.de/index.php/kulturwerft/33-kino-auf-segel |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> screening art house open air on the site of the Greifswalder Museumswerft, Greifswald's shipyard museum. It exists since 2015. All three are active members of the ''Verband für Filmkommunikation'' (Association for Film Communication) of  Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the umbrella organisation of art house cinemas and film clubs.
{{Clear}}

==Sightseeing==
[[File:Greifswald Turm-des-Doms-St.-Nikolai August-2009 Crop.jpg|thumb|130px|Tower of [[St. Nikolai, Greifswald|St.-Nikolai]]]]

===Medieval churches===
Among Greifswald's [[brick gothic]] churches is the '''[[St. Nikolai, Greifswald|Dom St. Nikolai]]''' (St. Nicholas collegiate church) in the city center, which, with its {{convert|100|m|sp=us}} tall tower, is the symbol of the city. The exact date of its founding is unknown, but the original church dates from the late 13th century. The tower was built, and an organ installed in the church, in the late 14th century. In the mid-17th century, when Greifswald was part of [[Swedish Pomerania]], severe storm damage was repaired with support from the Swedish Crown. Neglect during the early [[Deutsche Demokratische Republik|DDR]] period necessitated extensive refurbishment, completed in 1989, the last full year of the DDR.

The '''St.-Marien-Kirche''' (St. Mary's Church), built adjacent to the Old Town marketplace in the mid-13th century, contains ground-level brick walls four and one-half meters (14&nbsp;ft) thick. Medieval murals depicting scenes from the Passion of Christ were restored in 1977–84. The church organ, known as the ''Marienorgel'' (St. Mary's Organ), was installed by the [[Stralsund]] organ builder Friedrich Mehmel in 1866, replacing an earlier instrument. It features 37 registers.

[[File:Greifswaldjakobi.jpg|thumb|130px|St.-Jacobi-Kirche]]

On the west side of the Old Town stands the '''St.-Jacobi-Kirche''' (St. James's Church), dating from the early 13th century. In 1400 it was rebuilt to contain a nave and two transepts, requiring the addition of four buttresses. The original half-timbered tower, heavily damaged in a 1955 fire, was rebuilt in brick.

===''Stolpersteine''===

[[File:Erinnerungstafel an die Synagoge in Stralsund (2009-04-28).JPG|thumb|115px|left|Synagogue memorial plaque]]

''[[Stolperstein]]e'', part of the European ''[[Stolperstein]]'' (literally "stumbling stone") memorial project, are scattered around Greifswald. The brass plaques, engraved with the names of Jewish residents who were murdered in the Holocaust, are embedded in the sidewalk in front of houses where they once lived. Some of the ''Stolpersteine'' in Greifswald mark the nationwide November 9, 1938, ''[[Kristallnacht]]'' pogroms in which members of the Nazi [[Sturmabteilung|SA]] and [[Schutzstaffel|SS]] murdered many German Jews, vandalized Jewish property and burned down synagogues – including the Greifswald Synagogue, dating from 1787. In 2012 all the 13 Stolpersteine were stolen, presumably by pro-Nazi extremists. The following year (2013) they were replaced.<ref>[https://www.ostsee-zeitung.de/Nachrichten/MV-aktuell/Nach-Diebstahl-Greifswalder-Stolpersteine-werden-neu-verlegt Nach Diebstahl: Greifswalder Stolpersteine werden neu verlegt. 2013. ''Ostsee Zeitung''. 15 May.]</ref><ref>[https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/person-holds-on-may-22-2013-in-greifswald-northeastern-news-photo/169315198 GERMANY-WWII-HISTORY-NAZIS-JEWS-STUMBLING STONES.]</ref>

A memorial plaque was installed on the site of the synagogue in 2008 in a ceremony attended by German Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]].
{{-}}

===Objects named after [[The Holocaust|Holocaust]] perpetrators===
* [[Alfried Krupp]] Wissenschaftskolleg Greifswald ([[Alfried Krupp Institute for Advanced Study]])<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1sW6RPe7rwDKlFNa7micTeQezCpomKof3&ll=53.99886263313506%2C13.648038713564636&z=11 Lev Golinkin. 2022 (interactive map). Monuments and Streets Named After Nazis Worldwide. ''Forward'']</ref><ref>[http://neweasterneurope.eu/2019/06/18/krupp-in-greifswald-or-on-the-perils-of-forgetting-about-the-holocaust/ Tomasz Kamusella. 2019. Krupp in Greifswald: On the Perils of Forgetting about the Holocaust. ''New Eastern Europe''. 18 June.]</ref>
* [[Ferdinand Sauerbruch]] Street<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1sW6RPe7rwDKlFNa7micTeQezCpomKof3&ll=53.8119763805058%2C13.805967180361511&z=9 Lev Golinkin. 2022 (interactive map). Monuments and Streets Named After Nazis Worldwide. ''Forward'']</ref><ref>Gerhard Baader, Susan E. Lederer, Morris Low, Florian Schmaltz and Alexander V. Schwerin. 2005. Pathways to Human Experimentation, 1933-1945: Germany, Japan, and the United States (pp 205-231). In: Carola Sachse and Mark Walker, eds. ''Politics and Science in Wartime: Comparative International Perspectives on the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute'' (Ser: Osiris, 2nd Series, Vol. 20). Washington DC: Georgetown University. BMW Center for German & European Studies, p 216.</ref>

==Transport==
[[File:Greifswald Wieck.jpg|thumb|Greifswald is crossed by the [[Ryck]] river that flows into the [[Bay of Greifswald]].]]
According to a 2009 study, 44% of all people in Greifswald use their bicycle for daily transport within the city, which, at the time, was the highest rate in Germany.<ref>[http://www.greifswald.de/pressemitteilungen/mitteilung-lesen/article/greifswald-ist-fahrradhauptstadt-deutschlands.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=1&cHash=d709927c7b Greifswald ist Fahrradhauptstadt Deutschlands, press release 2009-10-20]</ref> There are also public local and regional bus operators.
Local buses are run by [http://www.sw-greifswald.com/ SWG (Stadtwerke Greifswald)].

Greifswald is situated at an equal distance of about {{convert|250|km|abbr=on}} to Germany's two [[List of cities in Germany with more than 100,000 inhabitants|largest]] cities, [[Berlin]] and [[Hamburg]], which can be reached via the [[Autobahn 20]] by car in about two hours. There are also train connections to and from Hamburg (via [[Stralsund]] and [[Rostock]]), and Berlin. The popular summer tourist destinations [[Usedom]] and [[Rügen]] can be reached both by car and train.

[[Greifswald railway station]] connects Greifswald with [[Stralsund]], [[Züssow]], [[Usedom]], [[Angermünde]], [[Eberswalde]], [[Berlin]] and [[Szczecin]] (through [[Pasewalk]]). The station is also served by [[Intercity-Express|ICE]] and [[EuroCity]] services to cities in Germany and the [[Czech Republic]].

The nearest airports to the city are [[Berlin Brandenburg Airport]] and [[Solidarity Szczecin–Goleniów Airport]].

Greifswald has a port on the [[Baltic Sea]] as well as several marinas. The historic city centre is about {{convert|3|km|0|abbr=off}} off the shore, and can be reached by yachts and small boats on the river [[Ryck]]. The [[Bay of Greifswald]] is a popular place for sailing and surfing, with Germany's two largest islands, Rügen and Usedom, just off the coast.

==Notable people==
[[File:Gerhard von Kügelgen portrait of Friedrich.jpg|140px|thumb|upright|[[Caspar David Friedrich]] (painted by [[Gerhard von Kügelgen]], c. 1810–20)]]
[[File:Edmund Hoefer (1819-1882).png|thumb|140px|Edmund Hoefer, 1865]]
[[File:Duehrkoop - Max Lenz.jpg|140px|thumb|Max Lenz, 1897]]
{{See also|List of University of Greifswald people}}

=== Early Times ===
* [[Bartholomäus Sastrow]] (1520–1603), mayor of Stralsund and autobiographer
* [[Sibylla Schwarz]] (1621–1638), poet
* Count [[Carl Gustav Rehnskiöld]] (1651–1722), Swedish field marshal
* [[Christian Thomsen Carl]] (1676–1713), a Danish naval officer, saved the town council's archives 
* [[Johann Christoph Andreas Mayer|Joh. Chr. Andreas Mayer]] (1747–1801), physician
* [[Christian Wilhelm Ahlwardt]] (1760–1830), philologist
* [[Caspar David Friedrich]] (1774–1840), Romantic painter.<ref>{{Cite NIE |wstitle= Friedrich, Kaspar David |volume= VIII | page= |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Karl Schildener]] (1777–1843), lawyer and local historian
* [[Ludwig Julius Caspar Mende]] (1779–1832), gynecologist, obstetrician and coroner
* [[Friedrich Christian Rosenthal]] (1780–1829), anatomist
* [[Adolph Wilhelm Otto]] (1786–1845), anatomist

=== 19th C. ===
* [[Heinrich Eddelien]] (1802–1852), a Danish history painter
* [[Johann Karl Rodbertus]] (1805–1875), economist and socialist.<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Rodbertus, Karl Johann |volume= 23 | page = 437 |short= 1}}</ref>
* [[Edmund Hoefer]] (1819–1882), novelist and literary critic.<ref>{{Cite Collier's|wstitle= Hoefer, Edmund |volume=V |short= 1}}</ref>
* [[Wilhelm Ahlwardt]] (1828–1909), orientalist
* [[Rudolf Schirmer]] (1831–1896), ophthalmologist
* [[Heinrich Heydemann]] (1842–1889), classical philologist and archaeologist
* [[Elisabeth of Wied]] (1843–1916) first [[queen of Romania]] as the wife of [[King Carol I]].<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Elizabeth of Rumania |volume= 9 | page = 286 |short= 1}}</ref>
* [[Hans Hartwig von Beseler]] (1850–1921), WWI [[Colonel general]]
* [[Max Lenz]] (1850–1932), historian
* [[Heinrich Bandlow]] (1855–1933), author, writing in Standard as well as in Low German
* [[Otto Schirmer]] (1864–1918), ophthalmologist
* [[Georg Engel]] (1866–1931), writer, dramatist and literary critic
* [[Percival Pollard]] (1869–1911), literary critic, novelist and short story writer
* [[Ludwig Tessnow]] (1872–1904), child serial killer
* [[Gertrud Berger]] (1876–1949), landscape painter who lived here
* [[Konrad Haenisch]] (1876–1925), journalist, editor and politician
* [[Friedrich Baethgen]] (1890–1972), historian, specialized in medieval studies 
* [[Heinrich Zimmer]] (1890–1943), Indologist and historian of South Asian art
* [[Hans Fallada]] (1893–1947), author
* [[Kurt Wolff (aviator)|Kurt Wolff]] (1895–1917), WWI flying ace
[[File:DE Gercke Doris 2007-10-05 by Steschke.jpg|140px|thumb|Doris Gercke, 2007]]
[[File:FIFA WC-qualification 2014 - Austria vs. Germany 2012-09-11 - Toni Kroos.JPG|thumb|180px|Toni Kroos, 2012]]

=== 20th C. ===
* [[Wolfgang Koeppen]] (1906–1996), author
* [[Magnus von Braun]] (1919–2003), chemical engineer, aviator and rocket scientist
* [[Gerhard Gentzen]] (1909–1945), mathematician and logician
* [[Ray Guillery]] FRS (1929–2017), physiologist and neuroanatomist
* [[Josef Sommer]] (born 1934), actor
* [[Doris Gercke]] (1937–2025), writer of crime thrillers
* [[Hans Lüssow]] (born 1942), naval officer, Vice Admiral of the German navy, inspector of the navy
* [[Lutz Feldt]] (born 1945), naval officer, Vice Admiral of the German navy, inspector of the navy
* [[Joachim Dreifke]] (born 1952), rower, medallist in the [[1976 Summer Olympics|1976]] and [[1980 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Cornelia Linse]] (born 1959), rower and medallist in the [[1980 Summer Olympics]] 
* [[Caren Metschuck]] (born 1963), swimmer, gold medalist at the [[1980 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Martin Jankowski]] (born 1965), author
* [[Susanne Wiest]] (born 1967), activist for the [[unconditional basic income]]
* [[Jarkko Martikainen]] (born 1970), a Finnish singer, songwriter and member of the rock band [[YUP (band)|YUP]]
* [[Alexander Kowalski (musician)|Alexander Kowalski]] (born 1978), [[techno music]] artist
* [[Robin Szolkowy]], (born 1979), pair figure skater and twice Olympic bronze medalist
* [[Judith Schalansky]] (born 1980), writer, book designer and publisher
* [[Sebastian Sylvester]] (born 1980), former middleweight boxing champion
* [[Luise Amtsberg]] (born 1984), politician, member of the Bundestag for Alliance 90/The Greens.
* [[Franz-Robert Liskow]] (born 1987), politician
* [[Verena Schott]] (born 1989), [[Paralympic swimming|Paralympic swimmer]] and Paralympic medal winner. 
* [[Toni Kroos]] (born 1990), former footballer for [[Real Madrid]] and [[Germany national football team]]
* [[Felix Kroos]] (born 1991), former footballer and brother of Toni Kroos

==See also==
{{portal|Germany}}
* [[Principality of Rügen]]
* [[Duchy of Pomerania]]
* [[Hither Pomerania]]
* [[Swedish Pomerania]]
* [[Greif (brigantine)|''Greif'']] (ship)

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|Greifswald|voy=Greifswald}}
* {{cite EB9 |wstitle = Greifswald |volume= XI | pages = 183&ndash;184 |short=1}}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Greifswald |volume= 12 | page = 577 |short= 1}}
* {{Official website}} {{in lang|de}}
* [https://www.uni-greifswald.de/ University of Greifswald (official website)] {{in lang|de}}
* [http://www.pommersches-landesmuseum.de Pomeranian State Museum, Greifswald (official website)] {{in lang|de}}
* [http://www.theater-vorpommern.de Theater Vorpommern] {{in lang|de}}
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/27141797@N05/sets Greifswald, damals und heute] {{in lang|de}} (private photo series on the urban agenda in the last 20 years)

{{Towns and municipalities in Vorpommern-Greifswald (district)}}
{{Germany Districts of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}}
{{Hanseatic League}}
{{pomerania}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Greifswald| ]]
[[Category:Members of the Hanseatic League]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in Germany]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns of the Baltic Sea]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Germany (Baltic Sea)]]
[[Category:Vorpommern-Greifswald]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 12th century]]
[[Category:1250 establishments in Europe]]
[[Category:Holocaust locations in Germany]]
[[Category:Antisemitism in Germany]]