Bad Doberan
Encyclopedia
Bad Doberan is a town in the district of Rostock
, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
. It was the capital of the former district of Bad Doberan
. As of 2010 its population was 11,325.
's city centre and is therefore part of one of the most developed regions in the north-eastern part of Germany. The town nestles between beautiful beech tree forests just 6 km from the Baltic Sea
and is one of the earliest German settlements in Mecklenburg. Today the town is a very popular bathing resort, thanks to Heiligendamm
, a district of Bad Doberan situated directly at the cliff line of the Baltic. Historically, Doberan used to be the summer residence for the Mecklenburg Dukes who resided in Schwerin
, and for their entourage.
, in 1171. Doberan (its original name) remained a small village until 1793, when the duke of Mecklenburg
founded the first German bathing resort, Heiligendamm. Doberan and Heiligendamm have been connected by a narrow gauge railway the Mollibahn
since 1886. The town has been called Bad Doberan since 1921 ("Bad" means "spa" and is a common prefix in Germany).
In August 1932, Adolf Hitler
was granted an honorary citizenship; Bad Doberan was the first town in Germany to do so. In fact, as the certificate was lost, there was disagreement for several years as to whether he had been granted honorary citizenship or not. However, in Spring 1932 the Nazi Party had an absolute majority in the town council assembly, and published articles still exist from that time, so it was generally accepted that Hitler was really honoured in this way. With the town hosting the G8 summit in June 2007, it was decided on April 2 that Hitler should be removed from the town's roll of honour, although normally an honorary citizenship of this kind ends upon the death of the person involved.
On June 12, 2011, a document surfaced that most likely points to Rosenkopf
as the first German town to grant Adolf Hitler honorary citizenship (July 22, 1932), not Bad Doberan.
However, the most famous building in Bad Doberan is the cathedral, or rather minster (Doberaner Münster, 1368), which was once the church of Doberan Abbey, and is one of the most impressive examples of North German brick architecture.
Bad Doberan is also home to the "Molli", a historic 19th century steam engine that acts as a tourist attraction/shuttle for everyday use, in the town and to the nearby beach village.
The town plays host to an annual festival celebrating the music of Frank Zappa
, the Zappanale
, and also displays a bust of the artist's head.
Rostock (district)
Rostock is a district in the north of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is bounded by the district Nordwestmecklenburg, the Baltic Sea, the district-free city Rostock and the districts Vorpommern-Rügen, Mecklenburgische Seenplatte and Ludwigslust-Parchim...
, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It was the capital of the former district of Bad Doberan
Bad Doberan (district)
Bad Doberan is a former district in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It was named after its largest town, Bad Doberan, the German Bad meaning spa. The district surrounded the City of Rostock, bordering the Baltic Sea in the north as well as the former districts of Nordvorpommern, Güstrow and...
. As of 2010 its population was 11,325.
Geography
Bad Doberan is situated just 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) west of RostockRostock
Rostock -Early history:In the 11th century Polabian Slavs founded a settlement at the Warnow river called Roztoc ; the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town aflame in 1161.Afterwards the place was settled by German traders...
's city centre and is therefore part of one of the most developed regions in the north-eastern part of Germany. The town nestles between beautiful beech tree forests just 6 km from the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
and is one of the earliest German settlements in Mecklenburg. Today the town is a very popular bathing resort, thanks to Heiligendamm
Heiligendamm
Heiligendamm is a German seaside resort, founded in 1793. The small cluster of structures which still survive are reminders of the glory days of days gone by when this part of the Baltic Sea was one of the playgrounds of Europe's aristocracy. It is the oldest seaside spa in Germany...
, a district of Bad Doberan situated directly at the cliff line of the Baltic. Historically, Doberan used to be the summer residence for the Mecklenburg Dukes who resided in Schwerin
Schwerin
Schwerin is the capital and second-largest city of the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The population, as of end of 2009, was 95,041.-History:...
, and for their entourage.
History
The area's first settlers were Cistercian monks, who founded a monastery here, Doberan AbbeyDoberan Abbey
Doberan Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery in Bad Doberan, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The church continues in use as Doberan Minster ....
, in 1171. Doberan (its original name) remained a small village until 1793, when the duke of Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
founded the first German bathing resort, Heiligendamm. Doberan and Heiligendamm have been connected by a narrow gauge railway the Mollibahn
Mollibahn
The Molli short: is a narrow-gauge steam-powered railway in Mecklenburg, running on gauge track. It operates between Bad Doberan, Heiligendamm and Kühlungsborn West over a total distance of 15.4 km with a running time of 40 minutes...
since 1886. The town has been called Bad Doberan since 1921 ("Bad" means "spa" and is a common prefix in Germany).
In August 1932, Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
was granted an honorary citizenship; Bad Doberan was the first town in Germany to do so. In fact, as the certificate was lost, there was disagreement for several years as to whether he had been granted honorary citizenship or not. However, in Spring 1932 the Nazi Party had an absolute majority in the town council assembly, and published articles still exist from that time, so it was generally accepted that Hitler was really honoured in this way. With the town hosting the G8 summit in June 2007, it was decided on April 2 that Hitler should be removed from the town's roll of honour, although normally an honorary citizenship of this kind ends upon the death of the person involved.
On June 12, 2011, a document surfaced that most likely points to Rosenkopf
Rosenkopf
Rosenkopf is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.On June 12th, 2011, a that most likely points to Rosenkopf as the first German town to grant Adolf Hitler honorary citizenship , not Bad Doberan, which had been generally confirmed as the town with that...
as the first German town to grant Adolf Hitler honorary citizenship (July 22, 1932), not Bad Doberan.
Sights
The classicist buildings characterizing the centres of Bad Doberan and Heiligendamm were all constructed between 1801 and 1836 by the architect Carl Theodor Severin.However, the most famous building in Bad Doberan is the cathedral, or rather minster (Doberaner Münster, 1368), which was once the church of Doberan Abbey, and is one of the most impressive examples of North German brick architecture.
Bad Doberan is also home to the "Molli", a historic 19th century steam engine that acts as a tourist attraction/shuttle for everyday use, in the town and to the nearby beach village.
The town plays host to an annual festival celebrating the music of Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
, the Zappanale
Zappanale
Zappanale is an annual music festival held outside Bad Doberan, a German town previously part of East Germany. The festival was first held in 1990, and the program features various bands performing the music of the late composer and guitarist Frank Zappa...
, and also displays a bust of the artist's head.