Picher, Germany
Encyclopedia
Picher is a municipality
in the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim
in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
. Picher's population is 748 (as of June 2006).
. The closest full size city is Ludwiglust, some 12 km away. Picher is close to the A 24
freeway linking Berlin and Hamburg. A smaller nearby town called Bresegard
takes part of its full name (Bresegard bei Picher) from Picher. This town has traditionally been associated with Picher, first being part of Picher's eclessiastical territory, and also as a way of differentiating itself from the other Bresegard (Bresegard bei Eldena).
This area of Germany (Mecklenburg) was once occupied by Slavic peoples. Starting in the 11th century the local western Slavic populace began intermixing with incoming German settlers. Several centuries later the area was considered completely "Germanized".
Picher was mentioned in 1291 for the first time as "Pychere" and initially belonged to the County of Dannenberg
, but by the 14th century it had become part of the County of Schwerin. A church in 13th century Picher is mentioned 1319 for the first time. This church was destroyed, replaced and expanded repeatedly. By 1875 the church in Picher was considered quite old; it was decided to replace the structure with a brand new edifice in the neogothic style.
Picher was part of the area initially captured or occupied by American troops at the end of World War Two. In other words Picher was on the American side of the line of contact
between American Soviet forces. Due to previous agreements by the Allied powers, this part of Germany was transferred to Soviet control some several weeks after American occupation. As a remote village Picher did not suffer war time destruction.
Since Medieval times Picher had a rural church center, first Catholic and later Lutheran. Still standing and operating in Picher is a large Brick Gothic
revival Lutheran church, which was built in the 1870s. During Picher's time as a town in East Germany the cemetery surrounding the Picher church had most of its headstones removed and/or destroyed under authority from local government officials. Since German Reunification
some families have restored markers, some using a single family name headstone as a catch-all replacement.
Municipalities of Germany
Municipalities are the lowest level of territorial division in Germany. This may be the fourth level of territorial division in Germany, apart from those states which include Regierungsbezirke , where municipalities then become the fifth level.-Overview:With more than 3,400,000 inhabitants, the...
in the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim
Ludwigslust-Parchim
Ludwigslust-Parchim is a district in the west of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is bounded by the state Schleswig-Holstein, the district Nordwestmecklenburg, the district-free city Schwerin, the districts Rostock and Mecklenburgische Seenplatte and the states Brandenburg and Lower Saxony...
in the state of 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...
. Picher's population is 748 (as of June 2006).
Geography
Picher lies in northern end of the Griesen area, a forested zone that is between the rivers Sude, Elde and ElbeElbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
. The closest full size city is Ludwiglust, some 12 km away. Picher is close to the A 24
Bundesautobahn 24
is an autobahn in northern Germany that connects the large metropolitan regions of Hamburg and Berlin. It was one of the three transit access roads to West Berlin during the Cold War....
freeway linking Berlin and Hamburg. A smaller nearby town called Bresegard
Bresegard bei Picher
Bresegard bei Picher is a small municipality in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Often it is simply referred to simply as Bresegard. There is another municipality within Mecklenburg also called Bresegard and to differentiate the two 'bei Picher' is added, signifying a close proximity...
takes part of its full name (Bresegard bei Picher) from Picher. This town has traditionally been associated with Picher, first being part of Picher's eclessiastical territory, and also as a way of differentiating itself from the other Bresegard (Bresegard bei Eldena).
History
Picher was mentioned in 1291 for the first time as "Pychere" and initially belonged to the County of Dannenberg
County of Dannenberg
The County of Dannenberg was a fief in the Duchy of Saxony. Its heartland was largely identical with the present-day collective municipality of Elbtalaue in north Germany....
, but by the 14th century it had become part of the County of Schwerin. A church in 13th century Picher is mentioned 1319 for the first time. This church was destroyed, replaced and expanded repeatedly. By 1875 the church in Picher was considered quite old; it was decided to replace the structure with a brand new edifice in the neogothic style.
Picher was part of the area initially captured or occupied by American troops at the end of World War Two. In other words Picher was on the American side of the line of contact
Line of contact
The Line of Contact marked the farthest advance of American, British and Soviet Armies into Germany at the end of World War II. This contact began with the first meeting between Soviet and American forces at Torgau, near the Elbe river on Elbe Day, April 25, 1945...
between American Soviet forces. Due to previous agreements by the Allied powers, this part of Germany was transferred to Soviet control some several weeks after American occupation. As a remote village Picher did not suffer war time destruction.
Since Medieval times Picher had a rural church center, first Catholic and later Lutheran. Still standing and operating in Picher is a large Brick Gothic
Brick Gothic
Brick Gothic is a specific style of Gothic architecture common in Northern Europe, especially in Northern Germany and the regions around the Baltic Sea that do not have natural rock resources. The buildings are essentially built from bricks...
revival Lutheran church, which was built in the 1870s. During Picher's time as a town in East Germany the cemetery surrounding the Picher church had most of its headstones removed and/or destroyed under authority from local government officials. Since German Reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
some families have restored markers, some using a single family name headstone as a catch-all replacement.