Town chronicle

1600–600 B.C.

A Bronze Age gravesite in today´s city quarter Am Waldrand indicates the former settlement.

6th–7th/12th–13th centuries

Slavic settlement is proven. There was a fortified castle rampart at the Oder River.

11th–12th centuries

The castle of the Pomeranian dukes stood where today´s Uckermark Stages are.

1230

The castle and settlement come under the ownership of the Brandenburg margraves John I and Otto III.

1265

The first documentary reference is made to the town of Schwedt.

1284

Together with other towns, the town Schwedt stands bail for the peace concluded in Vierraden between Brandenburg and Pomerania.

1287

Schwedt is mentioned as a minting place.

1313

First documentary mention of the part of Schwedt today called "Heinersdorf".

1323–1334

Schwedt comes under Pomeranian ownership.

1334–1354

Brandenburg margraves take possession of Schwedt.

1340

Schwedt is a customs place.

1354–1468

Pomeranian dukes take possession of Schwedt again.

1468

Schwedt at last comes under Brandenburg ownership.

1481–1609

Schwedt is purchased by the Counts of Hohenstein.

1540

A town school is established. The Reformation is introduced in Schwedt.

1580

The town hall is built at the market place.

1582

A dam is built at the Oder valley.

1609–1660

As a so-called "open fiefdom", the Schwedt-Vierraden dominion falls to the electors of Brandenburg.

1610

Schwedt has about 850 inhabitants.

1618–1648

During the Thirty Years´ War, Schwedt is devastated and pillaged 32 times.

1631/32

King Gustavus Adolphus goes into a fortified camp at Kuhheide.

1637

Schwedt is fired upon with fire balls and destroyed almost completely.

1656

Schwedt´s marketplace has a Roland monument.

1670–1689

Dorothy, second wife of Elector Frederic William of Brandenburg, purchases the town and dominion of Schwedt. She has a castle erected and the town newly laid out according to plans by Dutch architects.

1680

A pile bridge is erected across the Oder River.

1681

A fire incinerates large parts of the town.

1685

Along with the immigration of Huguenots, the first tobacco planters from France settle in Schwedt.

1689–1711

After the death of Dorothy, her eldest son, margrave Philipp William, obtains the dominion of Schwedt-Wildenbruch and establishes the margravate Schwedt, whereupon the town of Schwedt is enlarged into a baroque residency.

towards 1700

Schwedt becomes a garrison town.

1711–1719

König Friedrich Wilhelm I. übernimmt die Vormundschaft über den noch nicht volljährigen Friedrich Wilhelm, Sohn des verstorbenen Markgrafen Philipp Wilhelm.

1719–1771

King Frederic William Lassumes guardianship over Frederic William, the underaged son of the late margrave Philipp William.

1730

Schwedt has 1,722 inhabitants.

1747

Gatow, today a part of Schwedt, changes hands from Pomerania to Brandenburg.

1748

David Gilly, classicist architect is born in Schwedt.

1764

Schwedt is assigned the 1st Brandenburg Dragoon Regiment No. 2 as a garrison.

1771–1788

Frederic Henry, brother of Frederic William, becomes margrave and has an operetta theatre for 400 spectators built in the orangery of the castle. Schwedt becomes one of the first theatre towns in Germany.

1772

George William Berlishky becomes the regional architect of the Schwedt dominion.

1777

The French round church (today Berlishky Pavilion) is built.

1787

The Harlan brothers build the first tobacco manufactory in Schwedt.
The philosopher Karl Wilhelm Solger is born in Schwedt.

1788

After the death of the last margrave, the Schwedt dominion falls to the Prussian royal dynasty.

1800

The composer Johann Abraham Peter Schulz dies in Schwedt.

1806

The bridge across the Oder River burns down.

1807–1813

Napoleonic troops take the town.

1809

The first elections of town councillors establishes the beginning of democracy resulting from the Stein-Hardenberg reforms.

1815

In an expedition against Napoleon, the Schwedt dragoon regiment gains the "Schwedt eagle" as a traditional emblem.

1817

Schwedt belongs to the newly-founded Angermünde district.

1828

The Berlin–Stettin causeway via Schwedt is finished.

1838–1911

A wooden bridge leads across the Oder River.

1840

Foundation of a steam-ship line.

1843

A hospital with 43 beds is opened (today the building of the Uckermark Clinic in the Bahnhofstraße).

1849–1866

The military riding school of the Prussian army moves from Berlin to Schwedt.

1850

Schwedt has 6,725 inhabitants.

1855

The entire town is flooded during the biggest flood up to that time.

1858

The first official tobacco market takes place.

1860

There are 13 tobacco manufactories in Schwedt.

1862

The synagogue of the Jewish parish is consecrated.

1864

A municipal hospital is built in front of the Augustiner Gate (today 32 Lindenallee).

1865

A gasworks is built.

1872

The Hohenzollern become owners of the Schwedt dominion.

1873

Start of train service between Angermünde and Schwedt.

1879

Schwedt gets an Inferior Court.

1888

The St. Catherine Town Church – existing since the 13th century – is rebuilt after a fire.

1893

Schwedt is integrated into the telephone network.

1895

Schwedt has 10,114 inhabitants.

1898

The Catholic church is consecrated.

1906–1926

The Hohensaaten-Friedrichsthaler-Wasserstraße Canal is built.

1907

The Arnim Palace at the Schlossfreiheit Avenue becomes the new town hall.

1908

The sewer system and water main are finished.

1911

A fire destroys the wooden bridge across the Oder River.

1914–1918

240 inhabitants of Schwedt die during World War I.

1920

The Schwedt dragoons are made a part of the Cavalry Regiment No. 6.
Schwedt gets electric street lighting.

1926

The bridge across the Oder River burns down.

1928

In place of the burned wooden bridge, a concrete arched bridge is built.

1930

A regional museum opens in the castle.

1937

Prussian Cavalry Regiment No. 6 abandons Schwedt and goes to Darmstadt.

1938

During the night of the pogrom of November 9, the synagogue of Schwedt is destroyed.

1945

For the purpose of defence a bridge-head is built at Schwedt. Offers for surrender meet refusal. The bridge across the canal is blown up. The approaching Red Army destroys 85% of the town.

1948

Opening of a vocational school and the girls´ school (today´s "HIT" cultural youth centre). After the currency reform the town has no more financial resources.

1953

Flood after the breaking of a dike. Foundation of the publicly-owned enterprise (VEB) Rohtabak (raw tobacco).

1955

The first day-nursery opens.

1959

The town bridge across the canal is opened to traffic. Laying of the foundation-stone for the paper mill (today LEIPA Georg Leinfelder GmbH).

1960

Laying of the foundation-stone for the mineral oil processing plant (today PCK Refinery Schwedt GmbH).

1960–1969

To the west and to the north of the old part of town, the Julian-Marchlewski-Ring street is built.

1961

Schwedt becomes a town with county status.

1963

The oil pipeline "Freundschaft" ("Friendship") goes into operation.

1964–1966

To the northwest of the Berliner Straße, the residential quarter "Neue Zeit" ("New Time") is built.

1965

Schwedt celebrates its 700th anniversary.

1966

Laying of the foundation-stone for the large-scale bakery (today´s Schwedter Backwaren GmbH).

1967–1971

The residential quarter "Talsand" comes into being.

1969

With one 50 m swimming pool so far, the Waldbad ("Forest Pool") opens its first season.

1971–1978

The residential quarter "Am Waldrand ("On the Edge of the Forest") is built.

1972

The "Centrum" department store opens its doors.

1973

The "Dr. Salvador Allende" district hospital (today Uckermark Clinic) opens with 600 beds. Since 1961 13,897 flats, 12 schools, 19 nurseries, 9 supermarkets, 8 gyms and 4 medical practices have come into being.
Heinersdorf becomes part of Schwedt.

1975

The Schwedt shoe factory goes into production.

1978

The cultural centre is opened (today Uckermark Stages).

1980

With the "intimate theatre" the Schwedt Theatre gets another performance space. The polder area near Schwedt becomes a bird sanctuary and is declared a wetland area of international importance (FIB).

1981

Schwedt has 52,284 inhabitants.

1982–1990

The residential quarter "Kastanienallee" ("Chestnut Avenue") is built.

1984

The Berlishky Pavilion becomes part of the town´s cultural life.

1986

The PCK company clinic (today Schwedt Outpatients´ Health Centre GmbH) opens.

1989

Leverkusen becomes a twin town of Schwedt.

1990

First local election after the Wall came down. Schwedt celebrates its 725th anniversary.

1991

The Petrochemical Combine is privatized.

1992

Laying of the foundation-stone for the Haindl Papier GmbH Schwedt Plant.

1993

The City of Schwedt/Oder becomes a city within the newly-established Uckermark rural district. Gatow, Kunow and Blumenhagen become parts of Schwedt.

1994

With the opening of a supra-regional shopping centre and several shopping arcades, Schwedt becomes the shopping town of the region.
Laying of the foundation-stone for the sports hall "Neue Zeit".

1995

The 1st Schwedt Town Festival takes place under the motto "Historical Expedition". An act regarding the establishment of the Unteres Odertal National Park is passed.
The public library has its 50th birthday.

1996

The biggest cinema of the Uckermark – named "Cinestar" – opens its doors.

1997

The new "bucket elevator" bridge is opened.
The flood of the century threatens to reach Schwedt and stops just before its gates.

1998

Kummerow becomes the fifth part of the city.
The Uckermark Stages Schwedt celebrate their 20th anniversary.
BMX European Championship is held in Schwedt/Oder. 

1999

Schwedt/Oder celebrates the 10th anniversary of its partnership with the city of Leverkusen. Opening of the "AquariUM" recreational pool.

2000

In the presence of Manfred Stolpe, Prime Minister of Brandenburg, the first ramming impact for the Schwedt harbour takes place. Under the headline "Travel through the Millennium" the townsfolk celebrate the 2nd Schwedt Town Festival.
The municipal museum is 70 years old.
The foot and cycle path bridge at the sluice is opened.

2001

Sanitation, demolition and residential quarter surroundings are the central themes of Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder´s visit to Schwedt/Oder.
Criewen and Zützen become parts of Schwedt.
The Schwedt port is opened to traffic.

2002

For its integrated urban development conception, Schwedt/Oder is awarded 1st prize in the federal competition "Stadtumbau Ost" (reconstruction of Eastern towns).

2003

Urban regeneration in the area of Talsand is completed.
Hohenfelde and Vierraden become districts of Schwedt/Oder. 

2004

Papiermaschine IV (a paper-making machine) producing high quality magazine paper starts operating.
A Bioethanol factory starts operating on the PCK-site.

2005

The town hall in the Vierraden district is given a historical facelift following a comprehensive renovation programme.
The trade fair INKONTAKT is held for the first time.
With the 3rd Schwedt Town Festival under the slogan “Zeitenwandel” (changing times), the people of Schwedt celebrate the first documentary recording of the town 740 yeas ago.
A referendum is held on 13th November 2005 on the possible privatisation of the Uckermark clinic.

2006

The School of Music and Art celebrates its 35th anniversary staging the inspirational show “In 80 Minuten um die Welt" (Around the world in 80 minutes).
The town of Schwedt/Oder celebrates midsummer night on 23rd June 2006.

2007

The German President Horst Köhler makes a stopover in the town and watches the film “Der letzte Zug” (The Last Train) at the FilmforUM with school pupils from Schwedt.
The western bulwark is completed and inaugurated for the traditional midsummer night festival. The "Johann Abraham Schulz" School of Music and Art celebrates its move into the renovated building complex of the former leisure haunt HIT by holding a court festival.
The masters world championships in bench-presses is held at the leisure and adventure pool AquariUM.
The European motocross championships start at Blumenhagen in the Schlangenberge.
Border controls at the German-Polish border cease on 21st December bringing the Schengen agreement into effect.