Gützkow

Gützkow
Coat of arms
Gützkow
Location of Gützkow within Vorpommern-Greifswald district
Coordinates: 53°57′N 13°25′E / 53.950°N 13.417°E / 53.950; 13.417Coordinates: 53°57′N 13°25′E / 53.950°N 13.417°E / 53.950; 13.417
Country	Germany
State	Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
District	Vorpommern-Greifswald
Municipal assoc.	Züssow
Government
• Mayor	Jutta Dinse
Area
• Total	57.15 km2 (22.07 sq mi)
Population (2013-12-31)[1]
• Total	2,794
• Density	49/km2 (130/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	17506
Dialling codes	038353
Vehicle registration	OVP
Website	stadt.guetzkow.de

Gützkow is a town in the District of Vorpommern-Greifswald in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated some 15 km south of Greifswald, on the north bank of the River Peene. Gützkow was the central town of the medieval County of Gützkow.

History

The name Gützkow is derived from the Slavic Old Polabian language, as is the case of most toponyms in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The oldest records of the name are 1128 as "Gozgauia", 1140 Chozcho, 1163 Gozkowe, 1175 Gotzchowe, 1183 Chozkowe, 1207 Gotzkowe, 1214 Chozcowe, 1228 Gutzkowe and are derived from polabian Gost = German Gast^[2] (English "guest"), the town having had a temple, to which many guests traveled. The assumption of a person named Chockov (place of Chocek, Chocek as name-giver) is not based on facts.

Other historical earliest historial names include Gokecowe, Gotzekowe and Gotzkovborg^[3]

References