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INVEST in SZCZECIN
The past of the City of Szczecin is both multinational and multicultural one. The history of the Town began at the turn of 7th and 8th centuries when there was already a Slavonic settlement on today's castle hill and, a fortified city as well. At the end of the 10th century, Szczecin became a feudal estate of the Polish Prince, Mieszko I and it was already in 1005, when Pomeranians gained its full independence. It was during the times of Bolestaw Krzywousty, when Szczecin experienced the sphere of Polish influence again. During that time it was the bishop, Otto from Bamberg, who carried on chrystianization mission in Pomerania (years 1124/1125 and 1128). This second period of Polish feudal sovereignty over the Western Pomerania and Szczecin lasted 60 years (1121-1181).
During 1184-1227, Szczecin - together with Pomerania - was under Danish sovereignty. It was about 12th century when first German people arrived to Szczecin. They have settled down nearby today's Old Town's Hall. In 1187, a rich merchant, Beringer from Bamberg funded the St Jacob's Church. Since that date, a spontaneous affluence of German people to the town and the growth of their importance, is noted. The rapidly expanding German community, have absorbed old Slavonic town already in 1237.
The municipal rights, Szczecin has received them in 1243 and the city of Szczecin became a permanent duke's residence. Since that moment, the town started to play an important political part in Pomerania. It was in 1278, when Szczecin became a member of Hanza. There was a great part of the Gryphites' dynasty in the history of Pomerania. The dynasty has built an autonomous Pomeranian state and its representatives governed in Pomerania over 500 years feud of the German Reich, at the same time. The politics of Pomeranian sovereigns was limited substantially towards maintaining of autonomy - as far-reaching and longstanding as possible.
(1121-1637). The Duchy of Pomerania was a buffer state between Poland, Brandenburg and the Teutonic Order and it wasDuring the 17th century, the decadency of prosperity of the town began and, soon afterwards, economical breakdown of the whole duchy deepened as a consequence of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). Prince Bugustaw XIV, the last one of the Gryphites dynasty died without issue in 1637. In accordance with the Peace of Westphalia, concluded in Osnabriick (1648), hitherto independent Pomeranian Duchy was divided between Sweden and Brandenburg. Szczecin, with considerable part of Pomerania passed over to Swedish hands. During 90 years of Swedish rule, a visible downfall of the town, of the port and trade appeared.
After the great North War, concluded with Stockholm's Treaty in the year 1720, Szczecin was included to Prussia and obtained the status of capital of the Pomerania Province. The Prussian authorities made Szczecin a strong military centre, of which evidence were defence fortifications, covering much bigger surface then the area of the town itself. In the course of Napoleonic wars, the town was very important French fortress during a several years (1806-1813). The stay of the Frenchmen caused substantial fall in population and brought about economical collapse of the town.
Once the town returned to Prussia, the shipbuilding industry revived and the town became, step by step, an important centre of that industry in the state of Prussia. The Prussian authorities expanded military function of the Szczecin fortress which, for ever afterwards, had unfavourable repercussions on town planning development. Permanent affluence of rural people, as well as industrial and trade development, caused that spatial development possibilities of Szczecin within fortification limits, promptly exhausted. Many years endeavours of the town authorities towards removing of the fortifications were crowned with success in 1873 when destruction of forts and town's walls began. Since that moment, very dynamic development of the town is noted. The spatial development of Szczecin was a classical pattern of geometrical town planning at that time and the basis for that were radial-like squares with triangle building plots on which Neoclassical and Secession tenement-houses, as well as functional public utilities buildings were constructed. The next important stage in spatial development of the town began at the turn of 19th and 20th centuries when merging of suburban housing estates, urbanized already and independent hitherto, and small towns took place. The said development was connected with significant development of the municipal infrastructure.
On 26th April 1945, Szczecin was conquered by the 65th Russian army and the Polish administration took over the town on 5th July 1945. During the Potsdam Conference, the Great Threesome decided to award Szczecin to Poland. During the Second World War, 60-70% of the buildings, 70-80% of the harbour with its dependencies and 90% of industrial objects were destroyed. Mostly suffered the terrain over the Odra River and the buildings in the centre of the town including ancient Old Town. The extent of war damages was such, that Szczecin was counted among 20 most ruined towns of Germany of that time.
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