WWII History from Warnemunde

[KJMommy04]

We have a 14 hour stop in Warnemunde next summer. Rather than spend so much time traveling to/from Berlin, I am trying to figure out what we might see closer to the port. My kids are particularly interested in WWII history. Any suggestions as to what we might visit? I'm very open to hiring a private tour to drive us around...just want to know where to start looking. 

[edinburgher]

50 minutes ago, KJMommy04 said:

just want to know where to start looking. 

i suggest you start by internet searching the somewhat obvious "Warnemunde and Rostock in WW11" as Warnemunde is a suburb of the larger Rostock therefore unlikely only Warnemunde alone would have any WW11 history.

 

Should you find little to interest you all and you decide to spend the day in Warnemunde and are looking for ideas.there are a number of past threads you could browse for ideas.choose from these.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=warnemunde&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=116

 

this is quite a good one. See post #4

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2981680-baltic-ports-diy/#comment-66662219

 

 

Edited June 30 by edinburgher

[KforKitty]

We took an independent tour from Warnemunde to Rostock which was heavily focussed on life in East Germany following WW2, the Cold War and reunification.  I found it very interesting.

 

Warnemunde really was much better than I had anticipated and the surprise highlight of our Baltic trip.

 

Catherine

 

[Scottishclover]

Rostock was very heavily bombed during WW2 due to it being a major shipbuilding centre. You can find some ( but not much) information on it in the Kulturhistorisches Museum in Rostock, which is tucked away in a delightful courtyard behind the main University building on Universitaetsplatz ( university square.) The museum charts Rostock’s history from the very beginning and has been recently renovated. It’s an interesting visit on a wet day. 
 

As the previous poster said you are more likely to find a tour about Rostock in GDR times and what life was like. I’m sorry I can’t recommend any as I have friends in the area who give me their own personal insights. I lived there just after reunification before the area had been “westernised”.

[AnhaltER1960]

The Heinkel aircraft works had been in Rostock, pioneers in technical innovations like jet engines. But all the factories had been dismantled by the Soviets, so not nuch left, no museum either. The air raid on Rostock has already been mentioned, but also not much reflected in town.
In Germany the WWII-story of Rostock is often combined with the autobiographic novel "Tadellöser und Wolff" by Walter Kempowski, then pupil, which was also filmed and televised. But I am not aware if this made it into the English speaking world. And not many to that in town, too.
Since you will be in port for quite a while, it might be an alternative to visit the Peenemünde missile site, where the Nasties (you know, who I mean...) developed the V1 and V2-missiles (senior engineer was Wernher von Braun, later NASA). Big museum, also English spoken tours offered on site, see https://museum-peenemuende.de/?lang=en
Two / two and a half hours drive, probably renting a car and diy would be easiest. I am not aware that tours from Rostock are offered (too far away), but the tourist information should know.