Demmin

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Demmin
Map highlighting the district Demmin
County seat	Demmin
Area	81.56 km²
Population	12,753 (2006-06-30)
Car identification	DM

Demmin is a town in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is the capital of the district Demmin.

1 Events of Spring 1945
2 Coat of arms
3 Famous residents
4 Offline reading
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Events of Spring 1945

German troops had destroyed the bridges over the River Peene while retreating from Demmin. This way, the advance of the Red Army was slowed down, when they arrived in Demmin on April 30, 1945. On April 30 / May 1, 1945, Demmin was handed over to the Red Army without fighting, just like other cities, like Greifswald. There were pockets of resistance, which did not justify or explain what happened then. Despite the unconditional and complete surrender of Demmin to the Red Army, nearly 900 people committed mass suicides in fear of the Red Army. Coroner lists show that most drowned in the nearby River Tollense and River Peene, where others poisoned themselves. ^[1]. This was fueled by atrocities and rapes committed by Red Army soldiers until the city commander had the access to the rivers blocked on May 3. All in all, about 900 people perished.

The largest part of Demmin's historic city centre fell victim to a planned arson committed by the Red Army. Particularly the area around the central market square was completely leveled.

market square Demmin 1945

A never accepted amongst native Demminers version promoted by GDR-historiography wants to tell us that the actions of the Red Army had to be seen as a retribution for the poisoning of Red Army officers by a Demmin pharmacist family, who had allegedly invited some Red Army officers to celebrate the liberation of Demmin, and who were said to have poisoned those army officers using wine. Historians today can prove that this version is not based on any facts. Official GDR historiography has hushed up these incriminating to the Red Army events, and has explained the destruction of Demmin as being the result of combat operations towards the end of World War II.

[edit] Coat of arms

Coat of arms

The coat of arms displays:

a red fortress with three open gates
the two towers are topped by a silver lily
a leaned to the right silver shield displaying a
red griffin is the heraldic animal of Pomerania
On top of the shield there is a crowned, blue helmet with green peacock feathers
The red fortress symbolizes the city's history as the residency of Pomeranian princes
The lily crowning both towers symbolizes the city flower used in the 18th century.

[edit] Famous residents

Joachim Lütkemann, preacher and author (1608 - 1655)
Paul Freiherr von Maltzahn, diplomat and German ambassador in Iran (*1945)
Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann, salesman and financial advisor, slave trader (1724 -1782)
Banjo player Andy Glandt was born in Demmin.