Szczecinek [] (Neustettin; ) is a town in Middle Pomerania, northwestern Poland with some 39,777 inhabitants (2007). Previously in Koszalin Voivodeship (1950-1998), it has been the capital of Szczecinek County in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999. It is an important railroad junction, located along the main Poznan - Kolobrzeg line, which crosses there with the less important lines to Chojnice, Slupsk and Runowo Pomorskie.

History and Etymology

In 1310, the castle and town was founded under Lübeck law by Duke Warcislaw IV of Pomerania-Wolgast and modelled after Szczecin (Stettin) which is situated about 150km to the west. The initial name was "Neustettin" (Nowy Szczecin, Neustettin, Stetin Nova). It was also known as "Klein Stettin" (Mały Szczecin, Klein Stettin). In 1707 the town was known in Polish as Nowoszczecin, while the Mały Szczecin name gradually developed into the modern name Szczecinek.

The town was fortified to face the Brandenburgers, with a wall and palisades. In 1356 Neustettin was hit by the plague. Thankful for their survival, the Dukes Bogislaw V, Barnim IV and Wartislaw V founded the Augustine monastery Marienthron, on the Mönchsberg on the southern bank of lake Streizigsee. Under Duke Wartislaw VII Neustettin was from 1376 to 1395 seat of his Duchy. Afterwards, it was ruled by pommeranian Duchy Rügenwalde (- 1418), Wolgast (- 1474) and Stettin (until 1618).

On 15 September 1423, the „great day of Neustettin“, the pommeranian dukes, the Hochmeister of the Teutonic Order and Nordic king Eric VII of Denmark met to discuss defense against the union of Brandenburg and Poland. In 1461 Neustettin was sacked, looted and burned by Polish troops and Tatars because King Casimir IV wanted to take revenge on Eric II of Pomerania-Wolgast who supported the Teutonic Knights.

At the end of the Thirty Years War Neustettin became part of Brandenburg, and in 1701 under the crown of Prussia. In 1945, the Red Army occupied the town and put it under Polish administration.

Education

• Wyższa Szkoła Kupiecka in Łódź, branch in Szczecinek
• Duchess Elizabeth High School
• Vocational Economy Schools in Szczecinek
• Vocational Mechanic Schools in Szczecinek
• Vocational Agriculture Schools in Świątki.

Major corporations

• Grupa Kronospan SA
• KPPD Szczecinek SA
• Elmilk Sp. z o.o.
• Elpro B.T.
• Emet - the producer of metal boxes and elements

Historical population

Notable residents

• Hans Krüger (1902-1971), politician
• Ewa Minge, fashion designer
• Małgorzata Ostrowska (born 1958), singer
• Lothar Bucher (1817-1892), publicist
• Artur Bugaj (b. 1970), footballer
• Aleksander Wolszczan (b. 1946), astronomer

Twin towns

External links

• Szczecinek Regional Portal