Western Pomerania

Vorpommern (Polish: Pomorze Przednie) is a region of Western Pomerania west of the River Oder in north-eastern Germany, including the island of Rügen but excluding the city of Szczecin (German: Stettin). The region is sometimes also called Upper Pomerania or Hither Pomerania. Today it forms part of the German federal state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

In the Middle Ages Vorpommern was populated by the Slavic Obodrits people, who were related to the Pomeranians. In the 12th century it was conquered first by Danes and then by Pomeranians. From that time the region shared a common history with Pomerania, except 200 years from 17th century to the 19th century when it was called Swedish Pomerania.

At the end of the Second World War in 1945, Vorpommern became part of the East German state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, later of the Bezirk Rostock and the Bezirk Neubrandenburg. The rest of Pomerania was transferred to Poland.

Towns in Vorpommern include Stralsund, Greifswald, Demmin, Anklam, Wolgast, and Barth.