The old part of Rostock (rebuilt after WW2) – the white piano was being played while we walked around and it was very pleasant to hear it in the background.
The day was warm and the children seemed to be having great fun dodging the intermittent water fountains.
Rostock was to be our last port of call for this Baltic cruise, before we headed back to Southampton. This year is the 800th anniversary of the town.
Our guide was a twenty eight year old university student, who was very good and offered his services as a tour guide in his spare time. His English was excellent.
Our coach transported us from the port to the old part of the town, which was about a twenty minute ride.
During WW2, Rostock was targeted by the RAF because of two aircraft factories in the vicinity. Bombing the factories also meant that the town received a lot of hits.
Both above & below from the internet – note the church which is still standing today.
The market square and the building in front of which the cars are parked, is the town hall.
The same square today, with a small market in operation, and the pink building is the town hall.
The guide told us there aren’t any photographs of the destroyed city on display, and the only public acknowledgment is a painting inside St Mary’s,which was the only church that survived.
Rostock has become one the most popular ports for cruise ships in Europe, and tourism is now one of their biggest industries.
We started are walking tour near the modern shopping are.
Kröpelin Gate – first mentioned in 1280,
Rostock used to be a walled defensive city and you entered via one the many gates, this gate is 54 mtrs (177 ft) high. It is now a free museum.
Part of the old wall.
They’ve reconstructed the support system for the defenders to fire over the wall.
I think this columned building part of Rostock University.
The university –
The yellow columned building is to my left, and the children playing in the fountains are just behind me.
The university was founded in 1419, which was seventy three years before Columbus discovered America. Today they have 14,000 students and 2933 staff.
On the 500th anniversary of Rostock University Albert Einstein received an honorary doctorate in 1919, which made the university the first place of higher learning in the world to honour Einstein in such away. Unlike many other academics, Einstein’s doctorate was not revoked during the Nazi period.
No 14 was our guide – the statues I think depict various virtues, justice, modesty, diligence etc.
The coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, which existed from 1815 to 1918, is displayed at the very top top of the university entrance ‘tower’.
In the park in front of the university there is a statue –
depicting another solider of the Napoleonic wars, and I was very surprised to see him because I didn’t realise that he came from Rostock.
Gebhard Leberecht von Blüche
The one consuming passion of Field Marshal (and later Prince) Blüche, was to beat the French under Napoleon. Blüche had been a solider most of his life, mainly fighting the French. His life story reads like a boys own adventure story.
During Napoleon’s ‘one hundred days’, after he had escaped from the Mediterranean island of Elba in 1815, the British (with contingents of Dutch & present day Belgium troops), and the Prussians under Blüche’s command, marched to combine their forces so as to face the French.
Napoleon’s tactic was to aim his army at the allied weak spot, which was the join of the two main armies, and force them apart, so that he could deal with each army individually.
This is what happened at Charleroi, and according to Wellington, who was surprised at the speed of Napoleon’s advance, commented that he (Wellington) had been ‘humbugged’. He also said about Napoleon, ”By God, that man does war honour’.
Once the allies had been split Napoleon attacked the Prussians at Ligny, and won the battle, but he was unable to destroy the Prussian army.
The failure to destroy the Prussians, was the decider two days later during the Battle of Waterloo. Wellington decided to hold his ground because he had been promised by Blüche that he would rejoin Wellington as soon as he could.
During the battle of Ligny, Blüche was severely injured after being trapped under his dead horse. He bathed his wound in liniment of rhubarb and garlic and after a good dose of schnapps he rejoined the army. Not bad for a seventy four year old.
As he climbed on his horse he said – “I have given my promise to Wellington, and you surely don’t want me to break it? Push yourselves, my children, and we’ll have victory!”
After Waterloo Blüche was invited to London to be formally thanked for his help. This was his second visit having visited after the fall of Napoleon in 1814.
British cartoonists had a field day of Blüche tanning the behind of the Corsican.
Picture from the internet.
Ratschow Haus – the Ratschow family lived here in the early 20th century the dark brick appearance is north German brick Gothic, and the front that can be seen is the only piece left after the bombing – the remainder of the house behind is a 1950’s construction, and was opened in 1961 as the municipal library, which is why you can see it referred to as Stadtbibliothek, which means library.
St Mary’s Church – (St Marien), 770 years old and still going strong, for the history of the church click this link St Mary’s church.
During the bombing all the area was on fire and it looked like,the church had caught fire. Click on this link about Friedrich Bombowski to read how he saved the church.
The church is Evangelical Lutheran (Protestant) denomination and still has regular Sunday services and daily prayer time.
North German Gothic brick – they made the bricks because of the lack of stone & rock to use as building material. The baked red-ish coloured bricks arrived in the area around the 12th century.
The church is famouse for housing an astronomical clock, which was built in 1472 and still going.
At the top of the clock, on each hour, the Apostle go around, and cross before Jesus before entering Paradise – Judas is not allowed in . . .
The clock shows the daily time, moon phases, month and the zodiac sign.
The calendar is valid until 2150, having been reconfigured in 2018, which replaced the previous re-configuring in 1885 to 2017. The clock is the only one of its kind to still operate with its original clockworks.
Close up of part of the face . . not sure how to interpret the information. The pointer on the left is pointing at the 18th of the month – we were there on the 18th July.
The huge organ with-in the church.
Installed in 1770, and it has 5,700 pipes and requires 83 stops.
The pulpit, note the size compared to the man in red viewing the pulpit.
Perhaps the sermon went on a little longer than planned.
Baptismal font – still in use.
Made in bronze, and began its life at Easter in 1290. It is decorated with scenes from Jesus’ life, and supported by four kneeling men representing Earth, Fire, Water, Air. The font was hidden during WW2 so that it couldn’t be melted down for munitions. The bird on the top is an eagle.
About a ten minute walk from the church towards the river, and we were close to snack time.
A small craft brewery near the river.
Of course I was forced to drink Maureen’s, as well as my own, because of her celiac condition. Everyone in the group was presented with a glass to take home as a memento.
The bagel soaked up the beer, for a pleasant ride back to the ship.
silverfox175 