Barth, Germany Summary

Barth
Coat of arms	Location

Administration
Country	Germany
State	Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
District	Nordvorpommern
Municipal assoc.	Barth
Town subdivisions	4
Mayor	Stefan Kerth (SPD)
Basic statistics
Area	40.83 km² (15.8 sq mi)
Elevation	2 m (7 ft)
Population	9,097 (31/12/2006)
- Density	223 /km² (577 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate	NVP
Postal code	18356
Area code	038231
Website	www.stadt-Barth.de Coordinates: 54°22′″N 12°43′″E / <span class="geo-dec geo" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for Expression error: Unexpected / operator Expression error: Unexpected / operator">Expression error: Unexpected / operator, Expression error: Unexpected / operator

Barth is a town in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated at a lagoon of the Baltic Sea at the opposite side of the Darß peninsula. Barth belongs to the district of Nordvorpommern. Population: 9,700 (2001). The origins of Barth are unknown. Some people claim, that the town was founded by survivors from the sunken town of Vineta. The first generally accepted record is of 1255, when the prince of Rügen acknowledged the town. The last prince of Rügen, Witzlaw III, erected a castle at the place in 1315. He often resided in Barth, until he died and the town became a part of Pomerania. During World War II Barth was the site of a German prisoner of war camp, Stalag Luft I, for captured Allied airmen. The presence of the prison camp is said to have shielded the town from Allied bombing. Barth tries to attract tourists with the Vineta legend. There is now a Vineta museum and a Vineta festival in the town.

Famous Persons

Anna de Croÿ, daughter of Bogislas XIII, Duke of Pomerania, who married into the Imperial House of Croÿ, was born in Barth in 1590.

External links

• • e

Towns and municipalities in Nordvorpommern