The Baltic region is best known for the Hanseatic League, a powerful trade league of cities and city-states that dominated the political environment of Northern Europe through to the end of the Middle Ages. Their influence can be felt across Northern Europe, but today it is most visible in the brick cityscapes of Lübeck, Wismar, and Stralsund. As the League declined, it was supplanted by new powers, the Dukes of Mecklenburg and Pomerania.
Select a Region to Explore in Detail
Holstein
Holstein was historically part of the Kingdom of Denmark, yet it was also part of the Holy Roman Empire. Its population spoke German, yet it was the home to many Danish-Speaking Monarchs. The land itself is one of the fertile plains and sandy beaches, and home to some of the most important cities in German history, Hamburg, Lübeck, and Kiel.
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg was a land first colonized by the Saxons over the course of the 12th century. Even today, the region has a colonial feel, sparsely populated, and full of pastoral wetlands and small walled towns. It is home to some of the most underappreciated destinations in Germany, including the spectacular cityscape of Schwerin and numerous charming towns.
Slesvig
Slesvig is a borderland between the German and Danish-speaking world. Though prior to 1864 it was much closer to the Danish-speaking world, and only afterward it became much more German. Despite spending a brief time as part of Germany, the region was once a cultural and economic center of medieval Denmark.
Vorpommern
The region of Pomerania is composed of two parts, Vorpommern (Western Pomerania) in modern Germany, and Hinterpommern, all of which lie in modern Poland. The historical heritage of Pomerania was almost without exception destroyed in WWII. Virtually nothing survived the war and we are left only with a handful of treasures such as the city Stralsund.
