Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - important persons

Literature, art, architecture and the unique countryside have all combined to give Mecklenburg-Vorpommern its individual cultural character. Many prominent figures have been closely linked with the region between the Baltic Sea and the Mecklenburg Lake District and made huge contributions to the cultural traditions of the state.

Ernst-Moritz Arndt Ernst Barlach Gebhardt Leberecht Fürst Blücher Georg Adolph Demmler Hans Fallada Caspar David Friedrich Gerhart Hauptmann	Otto Lilienthal Fritz Reuter Philipp Otto Runge Heinrich Schliemann Johann Heinrich von Thünen Albrecht von Wallenstein


Ernst-Moritz Arndt (1769-1860), patriotic writer and historian during the War of Liberation against Napoleon. He was born in Groß Schoritz (Isle of Ruegen) and taught at the University of Greifswald.

Ernst Barlach (1878-1938), sculptor, illustrator and writer spent many years in Guestrow where he carved many impressive wooden figures. The Ernst-Barlach Monument is housed in his former studio by the island lake as a reminder of the great artist’s creativity.

Gebhardt Leberecht Fuerst Bluecher (1742-1819) born in Rostock, popular military leader in the War of Liberation, finally routed Napoleon with the help Wellington in 1815 at Waterloo.

Georg Adolph Demmler (1804-1886), a student of Schinkel, one of the most notable builders in Mecklenburg, left his individual mark on the urban development of Schwerin.

Hans Fallada (1893-1947) - world renowned for his novels "Kleiner Mann-was nun?", "Wolf unter Woelfen", "Wer einmal aus dem Blechnapf frißt", "Jeder stirbt für sich allein" - lived and worked from 1933 to 1945 in the hamlet of Carwitz near Feldberg.

Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840), born in Greifswald, was one of the most notable romantic landscape artists. His well known paintings: Die Wissower Klinken (1851) and Kreidefelsen auf Rügen (1818) made the Isle of Rügen famous.

Gerhart Hauptmann (1862-1946), writer and Nobel Prize winner, spent many years on the Isle of Hiddensee. "Dat söte Länniken" (the sweet little land), as he called it, was the source of his creative inspiration. Here he wrote the drama "Before Sundown", which has been translated into 43 different languages.

Otto-Lilienthal (1848-1896), born in Anklam, was one of the most prominent pioneers of aviation. His research became the reference for the development of manned flight. The Wright brothers capitalised on his knowledge.

Fritz Reuter (1810-1874) is Mecklenburg’s national bard and is known as "the Goethe of Low German". He mirrored social life in Mecklenburg in his works, including his kitchen sink novels such as "Ut mine Stromtid" (1863/64). He was instrumental in bringing "Maekelborger Platt" (Mecklenburg Low German dialect) into world literature. His Mecklenburg birthplace, Stavenhagen now proudly calls itself the Reuter city.

Philipp Otto Runge (1777-1810), born in Wolgast, was a notable artist and German romantic theorist. His use of colours inspired such painters as Paul Klee and Franz Marc.

Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890), world famous discoverer of Troy and the royal graves at Mycenae, spent part of his childhood in Ankershagen (Müritz). The Heinrich-Schliemann- Museum houses an exhibition on the life and finds of the great archaeologist.

Johann Heinrich von Thuenen (1783-1850) ranks among the founders of the systematic land management theory. The Thuenen-Museum, at his smallholding in Tellow near Teterow, offers visitors from all over the world a glimpse into model land management pioneered by this agricultural scientist.

Albrecht von Wallenstein (1583-1634), imperial military leader in the Thirty Years War, was awarded the Duchy of Mecklenburg by the Kaiser.

Many prominent figures also came to Mecklenburg-Vorpommern purely for rest and recreation, such as Kurt Tucholsky, Heinrich Mann, Maxim Gorki and Johann Strauß who all found peace and inspiration in the resorts.