Mecklenburg-Strelitz (district) explained

Mecklenburg-Strelitz
State:	Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Capital:	Neustrelitz
Area:	2,089
Population:	77509
Population As Of:	2010
Dissolved:	2011
Carsign:	MST
Url:	mecklenburg-strelitz.de
Map:	File:Locator map MST in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.svg

Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a Kreis (district) in the southern part of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. Neighboring districts were (from the north clockwise) Demmin, Ostvorpommern Uecker-Randow, the districts Uckermark, Oberhavel and Ostprignitz-Ruppin in Brandenburg, and the district Müritz. The district-free city Neubrandenburg was nearly surrounded by the district.

History

The name of this district traces back to the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. This duchy was established in 1701 after the former duchy of Mecklenburg-Güstrow ceased to exist. The area of the district is roughly identical with the old duchy's main territory, the Stargarder Land. The old duchy included an exclave around Ratzeburg, which is today situated in Schleswig-Holstein. Southern parts of the older Mecklenburg-Strelitz, including the town of Fürstenberg, today belong to Brandenburg's Oberhavel district. The capital of the duchy was the town of Strelitz, which was completely destroyed in a fire in 1712. After this disaster the duke ordered a new town built at the shore of a small lake called the Zierker See. This town became Neustrelitz (= "New Strelitz").

Mecklenburg-Strelitz District was established by merging the three previous districts of Neubrandenburg, Neustrelitz and Strasburg in 1994. On 4 September 2011, it was merged into Mecklenburgische Seenplatte.

Coat of arms

The bull head on a yellow field is the coat of arms of the dukes of Mecklenburg. The tower stands for the castle of Stargard, the longtime seat of the dukes of Mecklenburg since its construction in the 13th century; it remains the northernmost mountain-top castle in present-day Germany. The Maltese cross alludes to the possessions of the Order of St. John of Malta in the territory before 1648.

Towns and municipalities

The subdivisions of the district were (situation August 2011):

Amt-free towns	Amt-free municipalities
valign=top	Neustrelitz	valign=top	Feldberger Seenlandschaft

Ämter
1. Friedland Datzetal Eichhorst^3 Friedland^1, 2 Galenbeck Genzkow Glienke^3 2. Mecklenburgische Kleinseenplatte Mirow^1, 2 Priepert Roggentin Wesenberg^2 Wustrow	3. Neustrelitz-Land (seat: Neustrelitz) Blankensee Blumenholz Carpin Godendorf Grünow Hohenzieritz Klein Vielen Kratzeburg Möllenbeck Userin Wokuhl-Dabelow 4. Neverin Beseritz Blankenhof Brunn Neddemin Neuenkirchen Neverin^1 Sponholz Staven Trollenhagen Woggersin Wulkenzin Zirzow	5. Stargarder Land Burg Stargard^1, 2 Cammin Cölpin Groß Nemerow Holldorf Lindetal Pragsdorf Teschendorf 6. Woldegk Groß Miltzow Helpt^3 Kublank Mildenitz^3 Neetzka Petersdorf Schönbeck Schönhausen Voigtsdorf Woldegk^1, 2
^1 - seat of the Amt; ^2 - town; ^3 - former town/municipality

External links

• Official website (German)