Garz/Rügen

Infobox Ort in Deutschland
Art = Stadt
Wappen = Garz-Wappen.pnglat_deg = 54 |lat_min = 19
lon_deg = 13 |lon_min = 21
Lageplan = Garz-Rügen_in_RÜG.pngBundesland = Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Landkreis = Rügen
Amt = Bergen auf Rügen
Höhe = 15
Fläche = 65.44
Einwohner = 2567
Stand = 2006-12-31
PLZ = 18574
Vorwahl = 03838, 038304, 038307
Kfz = RÜG
Gemeindeschlüssel = 13 0 61 011
Adresse-Verband = Markt 5–6
18528 Bergen auf Rügen
Bürgermeister = Klaus Meißner

Garz/Rügen (IPA2|garts) is a city in Rügen district in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The city is administered by the "Amt" of Bergen auf Rügen, in the city of the same name. In June 2004, the once self-governing community of Zudar on the peninsula of the same name was amalgamated into Garz. In January 2005, Karnitz was also amalgamated into Garz.

Geography

Garz lies in the south of the island of Rügen, about 5 km from the coast. The area is low rolling hills, and the highest point is the "Kanonenberg" at 34 m. Garz is 22 km from Stralsund on the mainland, and 12 km from the district seat, Bergen auf Rügen.

The following communities all belong to Garz/Rügen: Bietengast, Dumsevitz, Foßberg, Freudenberg, Glewitz, Götzlaffshagen, Grabow, Groß Schoritz, Karnitz, Klein Stubben, Kniepow, Koldevitz, Kowall, Losentitz, Maltzien, Poltenbusch, Poppelvitz, Rosengarten, Schabernack, Silmenitz, Swiene, Tangnitz, Wentorf, Zicker and Zudar.

History

The name Garz comes from the Slavic "Gardec" and means "fortified place" or "little castle". The town was thought to be the former princely residence "Charenza", yet today that seems to be unlikely. The precursor of Garz was identified as the town of "Ruyendal".

The castle was destroyed, together with the temple that was also here, by the Danes in 1168. Garz was raised to city in 1319 and thus is said to be the oldest city on the island of Rügen. It was an important trading centre in the Middle Ages. The city is moulded today, as in the past, by an agricultural economy.

In 1930, the diabetes researcher Gerhardt Katsch founded Germany's first home for the clinical and sociomedical treatment of diabetics in Garz. After the institution moved to Karlsburg in Vorpommern, an outpost of the Karlsburg Institute (Central Institute for Diabetes) stayed in Garz as a holiday spot for treating diabetic children over the summer holidays.

Culture and sightseeing

Buildings

Things that are worth seeing are, among others:
*the Slavic castle wall (remains of "Charenza" castle), which are counted among Germany's best preserved;
*the St. Petri Evangelical Church in the Gothic style, built about 1400.

Near Garz, Deutsche Telekom AG runs a transmission facility for VHF, television and microwave radio relay. A 190-m-high steel lattice mast provides a mount for the antennas.

Economy and infrastructure

Transport

The town has at its disposal a well built network of bicycle paths with a length of about 42.5 km.

Public institutions

Located in the town is the "Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Museum", dedicated to the poet of that name born in the area.

Personalities

Sons and daughters of the city

*Johann Christian Ludwig Hellwig (1743-1831), German entomologist

External links

* [http://www.m-vp.de/ruegen/garz/garz.htm Garz's website]
* [http://erwin-rosenthal.de/rosenthal/garz_r%FCgen.htm Private homepage about Rügen and Garz]