by Dr. Margret Ott
Translated by Hauke Fehlberg

The county of Schlawe was situated afield in Eastern Pomerania along the Baltic Sea. It was adjacent to the counties of Koslin-Bublitz, Rummelsburg and Stolp.(1)

Being wedge-shaped, it ranged from the Baltic Sea to the hinterland. The county's landscape was divided into two parts: the fertile coastal region of the Rugenwalder Amt and the foothills of the Pomeranian ridge. Both parts were traversed by the old commercial route from Stettin to Danzig.

Short Historical Summary
The people of the area of Schlawe became Christian by the Cistercians and by the order of the Johanniters. It was a possession of the Swenzons for a long time. After they died out, it belonged to the Pomeranian dukes. The royal district of Amt Rugenwalde was provided as an apanage, dispersed in the other parts of the county noble families. Best known were the families of Below, Kleist, Podewils, Puttkamer, Rahmel, Natzmer, and Zitzewitz.

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(1) A detailed map of the county with a location search function can be found at: http://www.ruegenwalde.com/schlawe/karte.htm

This article is a brief excerpt from Die Pommerschen Leute (The Pomeranian People), a quarterly newsletter designed for people who have an interest in Pomeranian ancestry. Click here for more information.