Schwerin's street names: contemporary witnesses of the GDR history revealed!

Schwerin's street names: contemporary witnesses of the GDR history revealed!

in Schwerin, the state capital of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, street names play a crucial role when it comes to reflecting history and political currents of the past decades. Many of the current names are deeply rooted in the time of the GDR, telling stories of socialist thinkers and anti -fascist martyrs. These street names are not only orientation aids, but also memories of a complex past that shapes today's Schwerin. According to Nordkurier , Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße is an example of this past evaluation. It was named in honor of the co -founder of the KPD and testifies to the claim of the GDR to be the heiress of the revolutionary labor movement.

Another example is Rudolf-Breitscheid-Straße, which is reminiscent of a social democratic resistance fighter who lost his life during National Socialism. The reference to Breitscheid as an anti -fascist hero shows how the GDR also included different political currents in its memory policy. The Schweriner Local states that some residents have moved in different streets, but basically in a similar social environment. These inconsistent names reflect the multi -layered history of the city, which was influenced by incorporations and urban changes.

from Fritz Reuter to Otto Weltzien

Fritz-Reuter-Straße is another example of how literature and history are connected. Reuter, a Low German writer, was celebrated in the GDR as a "folk poet", although he was not actively socialist. On the other hand, Otto-Welzien-Straße honors a brave resistance fighter, and here too it becomes clear how closely local personalities are intertwined with the overarching mythical stories.

After reunification, many of these street names remained unchanged, which was not the case in other cities. In Schwerin, a more reserved strategy regarding renaming was pursued, as the Nordkurier reports. Even if the ideological origin of these names is often faded in everyday life, they are witnesses of a past era and rain to deal with one's own history.

a look into the past

The brochure "Schweriner Straßenname", created by Dieter Greve, the former head of the municipal cadastral and surveying office, offers valuable insights into the origin and importance of the street names in Schwerin. After an in -depth research, Greve has updated and revised this brochure, which makes it a valuable reference work. Here you will find not only 578 current street names, but also a list of historical, former names. The brochure is available for a small fee in the citizens' office and in geodata sales and also equipped with clear cards that illustrate the development of the city.

The change in the road racing in Schwerin is not only a local phenomenon, but also reflects the larger social and political changes, the city for city happened, as can be read on wikipedia . It is interesting to observe how dealing with street names has also changed in recent years, and it is increasingly being important that women in the nomenclature also take into account.

This is how it should be noted: The streets in Schwerin not only tell of a time that they also ask us to pause and think about their own past. In this sense, you invite you to deal with the story and explore the social and cultural identity of the region.