Blog 13 Wismar former East Germany

I found Wismar fascinating, in part because I wanted to see the former East Germany and also because of the surprises it kept offering. The harbour area did not disappoint my preconceptions - four vast railed cranes groaned and screeched as they fed a creeping goods train with mountains of pulversised scrap metal, forests of pungent timber destined for wood chip and nameless commodities which were either grey or brown and hissed as it fell into the trucks. Desolate and heartless brick buildings towering at the dock edge where production was once all that mattered and acres of concrete ground stretching away into the distance where now wild flowers have returned. Yet a yacht marina has sprung up, tourists are flocking to the colourful smoked fish boats along the old haven - smoked fish like you have never tasted before - and dock building reborn with stainless steel and smoked glass turned from derelict to desirable properties for those who can afford it.

I wanted to know how it was for those who were in the city at reunification - The Harbour Master was of that age and gave me my next surprise - for him, "there was not so much difference afterwards, but for others," he said, "then, there was work and things were cheap - but now..." and he left it there with a resigned voice, and so there went my idea that they all lived happily ever after.

Wismar, by some quirk of history, was run by Sweden until just after 1900 when Germany took it back and so there are bits of Sweden still to be found - most intriguingly when sailing into the narrow approach channel - here there are two painted figure heads of moustachioed gentlemen with what appears to be furry animals on their heads - these mark the port and starboard limits of channel instead of the usual red and green can buoys - a tad more fun though and it was before GPS had been invented.

Lubeck had prepared the ground for me architecturally but notwithstanding that, I was knocked out by the sense that here was a city sized version of The Lost Gardens of Helligan. There was a distinct feeling of being in a town which had barely moved on with time. I came across buildings which would be gems were they not derelict and elsewhere, the hand of neglect had penetrated deeper than just flaking paint and rotting window frames. Yet at every turn the past grandeur and unique appeal was sleeping there under the veil of past deeds as with Miss Haverham's dining room.

Let me not mislead. There are roses everywhere, whole streets are being torn up and re-cobbled in an attractive and smoother way - some of the old cobbles cause one to walk as on a pebble beach after the tide has gone out - work is being done on some buildings and a select few religious and historic buildings are terrific but you wouldn't want to start from here as the saying goes - there is an incredible photograph of the huge St Georges Church taken in 1990 - it had absolutely no roof at all and plants were growing out of the structure. It has now been restored.

As with Lubeck, there is a wealth of beautiful buildings and the ancient 12th C hospital has a breathtaking baroque wooden beam ceiling which would cure any ill. If you go, do search out the bridge over the small canal and admire the four bronze pigs who frolic for you pleasure taking up different piggy poses. one at each corner.