In the Middle Ages Greifswald had about 5000 inhabitants. Their number reached an all-time low in 1632 at the beginning of modern times: After Greifswald had been set free from the troops of the Catholic League during the Thirty Years´ War, there were only 2000 citizens left. When Pomerania was part of the Swedish empire from 1648 to 1815, the population of Greifswald once again reached the medieval level of about 5000 inhabitants.

In the 19th century suburbs had to be built when the population grew rapidly at the beginning of the industrial age. In 1880 there were already about 20000 inhabitants, in 1930 30000 inhabitants. During the second half of the 20th century the population increased rapidly once again: The workers of Lubmin´s nuclear power station were settled in Greifswald: There were nearly 70000 residents. Today at the beginning of the 21th century Greifswald has about 55000 inhabitants. The nuclear power station was shut down in 1990. A lot of people lost their job and had to leave Greifswald.

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© Andreas Reuter