Hinrichshagen Between Cycle Route and Local History

Fields, meadows, and an agricultural landscape give Hinrichshagen its rural character. The village lies just outside Greifswald and has a peaceful, natural setting. When choosing your destination, you can therefore consider whether the village’s rural character and local cycle route should shape your stay, or whether Greifswald should take center stage. Hinrichshagen’s history offers another perspective: the settlement’s development spans the medieval colonization of the region through to changes in the 20th century.

Cycle Route Between Dersekow and Hinrichshagen

A paved cycle route runs along the L 261 between Dersekow and Hinrichshagen. The route is 3.4 kilometers long and 2.50 meters wide. In Dersekow and at Hinrichshagen Hof 1, it connects to existing cycling infrastructure. It ends south of the Hinrichshagen Hof 1 settlement, at the junction of Greifswalder Straße and the L 261. The cycle route was completed in 2021 and offers a safe route by bike, especially for schoolchildren. Check the current conditions on site before setting off.

Traces of the Settlement’s History

Hinrichshagen was first mentioned in a document in 1248; the village was then called “Henrikeshaghen.” The settlement was established by clearing and draining forests and wetlands north and south of the Ryck. At the beginning of the 13th century, these areas belonged to Eldena Abbey. Changes to the landscape and the early documentary mention offer different ways to explore the village’s history.

In 1668, Hinrichshagen became the property of the University of Greifswald. In 1932, the Freischulzenhof estate was divided into 32 leasehold farms. These formed the basis for the Chausseesiedlung, Heimsiedlung, and Feldsiedlung settlements. Hinrichshagen’s settlement structure has remained almost unchanged to this day. The division of the Freischulzenhof estate and the settlement areas that grew out of it therefore sit alongside a settlement structure that has largely been preserved.

The manor house also reflects the area’s historical uses. During the Nazi era, it served as a Reichswerkschule and a Landjahrlager. An Evangelical children’s home opened in the former manor house in 1965. These uses add the building’s institutional history to the story of the landscape, farms, and settlement areas.

Cycling and Culture in the Wider Destination of Vorpommern-Greifswald

The wider destination of Vorpommern-Greifswald also has cycle routes for exploring the district. The Baltic Sea Cycle Route, part of the EuroVelo EV10 route, passes through the district. The Stettiner Haff Circular Route and the Route of North German Romanticism are also regional cycle routes for exploring Vorpommern-Greifswald. You can compare the local cycle route between Dersekow and Hinrichshagen with a regional cycling trip: your route planning can focus on the specific connection between the two villages or on routes that take in the district as a whole.

For a cultural focus, the wider destination offers other distinct attractions. The Pomeranian State Museum in Greifswald displays the Croy Tapestry from 1554, a unique cultural and historical artifact from the Reformation era. The Otto Lilienthal Museum in Anklam is a technical biographical museum dedicated to aviation pioneer, mechanical engineer, and humanist Otto Lilienthal in his hometown. Cycling and museum visits offer different emphases for planning a trip, without equating Hinrichshagen’s rural character with these regional attractions.

Discover More Destinations

Diedrichshagen, Weitenhagen, Dersekow, Mesekenhagen, Dargelin, Neuenkirchen, Wackerow, Levenhagen

To the overview of the wider destination: Amt Landhagen.