Preserving the heritage of the Hanseatic League – Wismar and Stralsund

In addition to the prominent Hanseatic cities of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern such as Rostock or Stralsund, there are also lesser-known ones such as Wismar. They have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites for a while and have a lot to offer. 2022 marks the 20th anniversary of the inscription of the “Historic Old Towns of Stralsund and Wismar” on the UNESCO World Heritage List. You can watch the ceremony in the video below

While UNESCO initially only considered individual outstanding monuments to be worthy of protection, it soon began to designate entire old towns as World Heritage Sites if they met the organization’s strict criteria. After Lübeck (1987) and Bamberg (1993), the old towns of Quedlinburg (1994) and Regensburg (2006) were also awarded the World Heritage title. It was therefore only logical that the cities of Wismar and Stralsund were also included in 2002.

Cultural heritage of the Hanseatic League

As ideal examples of the cultural heritage of the Hanseatic League, the trade association in the Baltic region in the 14th century, they have retained their medieval character. Today, many citizens of Wismar and Stralsund are characterized by a close connection to their city, and some have been fighting for decades to preserve the valuable historic buildings. The Wismar architect Hermann Ziegenhals was already enthusiastic about the architectural monuments and the city’s closed development in GDR times: “Back then, everyone wanted a new-build apartment on the outskirts of the city. I had a new-build apartment on the outskirts and wanted to go into the city center.” He adds thoughtfully: “By building, people create themselves.” So in 1978, he bought the house at Dankwartstr. 8, built around 1430, which Wismar residents call the “narrow towel” because of its width of just 4.80 meters.

Rescue concept for Wismar

The plan was to demolish the building, but Ziegenhals presented a coherent rescue plan. But he hardly got any building materials. After six years of renovation work, he was finally able to move in in 1984. He was awarded a prize for the restoration of the gabled house in keeping with its listed status and is proud to live in a world heritage site. Full of enthusiasm, he set about the difficult work. “If you want to draw, you have to be able to look first!” This was the advice he gave his students at the University of Wismar back then. And so he spent the first year and a half just looking and planning before embarking on the mammoth task of renovation.

Wismar has quality of life

In the 1980s, he finally saved the inconspicuous building near Wismar’s Rathausplatz from demolition. It is the oldest building in the city. Ziegenhals has collected material on probably every house in the old town. He is – you could say – a Wismarer through and through: “I really like living here. I love this city.” Numerous people who left Wismar after reunification have since returned, attracted by the Old Town’s undeniable quality of life. The most beautiful buildings and their history are presented in guided tours of the town. According to Ziegenhals, the new owners should develop a sense for traditional materials and careful renovation.