Dassower See
Encyclopedia
The Dassower See is a lake
of the delta
of Trave
bay, northeast of Lübeck
(Schleswig-Holstein
) on the Baltic Sea
.
The town of Dassow
in the district Nordwestmecklenburg
is the only large settlement at the lake bank. The Dassower See (Dassow Lake) is a side bay of the Trave
, adjacent to the Baltic Sea. Despite its name, it is not a conventional lake, but a saltwater bay, which together with the Pötenitzer Wiek
is almost fully cut off from the open sea and the Bay of Lübeck
by the Priwall Peninsula
. The approximately 8 km long Dassower See has a funnel-like form, which narrows itself in the west (delta into the River Trave
) outgoing from the delta of the River Stepenitz
in the east, again on approximately 300 m. The lake belonged to the city of Lübeck
, and forms a part of the western border of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
.
As home to approximately thirty kinds of ducks, the Dassower See is one of the largest bird sanctuaries in Germany. The lake provides refuge and is also an important racing and wintering area for Nordic water birds along with the two islands of grass and reeds. The entire bank range of the Dassower See and the lake stand have been under protection of the European Union
since 1983.
Tourism and land development was not permitted until the German reunification, since the entire lakeshore range was a restricted area. The GDR had erected a several meters high wall on the bank, so the lake could not be seen from the GDR side. Entering the prohibited area was possible only with special permission. The border runs along the flood line, so that during normal water levels a narrow strip along the bank belongs to Schleswig-Holstein which was part of the Federal Republic. Thus, boat traffic near the Trave delta was possible without restrictions.
Schloss Lütgenhof is situated on the banks of the Dassower See. Moritz von Paepcke designed and built this castle in 1839. Mast-Jägermeister AG
converted Schloss Lütgenhof to a restaurant and hotel with twenty-three rooms in 1999.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
of the delta
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
of Trave
Trave
The Trave is a river in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is approximately 124 kilometres long, running from its source near the village of Gießelrade in Ostholstein to Travemünde where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It passes through Bad Segeberg, Bad Oldesloe, and Lübeck, where it is linked to the...
bay, northeast of Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
(Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
) on the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
.
The town of Dassow
Dassow
Dassow is a town in the Nordwestmecklenburg district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on a bay of the Baltic Sea, 20 km east of Lübeck....
in the district Nordwestmecklenburg
Nordwestmecklenburg
Nordwestmecklenburg is a Kreis in the north-western part of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the coast of the Baltic Sea and borders on Schleswig-Holstein to the west...
is the only large settlement at the lake bank. The Dassower See (Dassow Lake) is a side bay of the Trave
Trave
The Trave is a river in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is approximately 124 kilometres long, running from its source near the village of Gießelrade in Ostholstein to Travemünde where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It passes through Bad Segeberg, Bad Oldesloe, and Lübeck, where it is linked to the...
, adjacent to the Baltic Sea. Despite its name, it is not a conventional lake, but a saltwater bay, which together with the Pötenitzer Wiek
Pötenitzer Wiek
The Pötenitzer Wiek is an eastern bay of the lower Trave east of the Priwall Peninsula, Germany. The bank also partly forms the border between Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Until the Second World War, the Pötenitzer Wiek was a take-off and landing location for domestic seaplanes...
is almost fully cut off from the open sea and the Bay of Lübeck
Bay of Lübeck
The Bay of Lübeck is a basin in the southwestern Baltic Sea, off the shores of German lands of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein. It forms the southwestern part of the Bay of Mecklenburg....
by the Priwall Peninsula
Priwall Peninsula
The Priwall Peninsula is a spit located across from the town of Travemünde at the Trave River estuary, on Germany's Baltic Sea coast. Since 1226 it has been administratively part of Travemünde, itself controlled by Lübeck.The southern part has been designated a nature reserve...
. The approximately 8 km long Dassower See has a funnel-like form, which narrows itself in the west (delta into the River Trave
Trave
The Trave is a river in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is approximately 124 kilometres long, running from its source near the village of Gießelrade in Ostholstein to Travemünde where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It passes through Bad Segeberg, Bad Oldesloe, and Lübeck, where it is linked to the...
) outgoing from the delta of the River Stepenitz
Stepenitz (Mecklenburg)
The Stepenitz is a tributary of the Trave in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.The Stepenitz flows from the elongated and narrow Neumühler See, which is in the northwest portion of the city of Schwerin.-External links:*...
in the east, again on approximately 300 m. The lake belonged to the city of Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
, and forms a part of the western border of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a federal state in northern Germany. The capital city is Schwerin...
.
As home to approximately thirty kinds of ducks, the Dassower See is one of the largest bird sanctuaries in Germany. The lake provides refuge and is also an important racing and wintering area for Nordic water birds along with the two islands of grass and reeds. The entire bank range of the Dassower See and the lake stand have been under protection of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
since 1983.
Tourism and land development was not permitted until the German reunification, since the entire lakeshore range was a restricted area. The GDR had erected a several meters high wall on the bank, so the lake could not be seen from the GDR side. Entering the prohibited area was possible only with special permission. The border runs along the flood line, so that during normal water levels a narrow strip along the bank belongs to Schleswig-Holstein which was part of the Federal Republic. Thus, boat traffic near the Trave delta was possible without restrictions.
Schloss Lütgenhof is situated on the banks of the Dassower See. Moritz von Paepcke designed and built this castle in 1839. Mast-Jägermeister AG
Mast-Jägermeister AG
Mast-Jägermeister SE is a privately held corporation whose shares are held by the Findel-Mast family. The corporate offices are located in Wolfenbüttel. Günter Mast was the managing director for many years until his death in 2011.- History :...
converted Schloss Lütgenhof to a restaurant and hotel with twenty-three rooms in 1999.
Literature
- Manfred Diehl, Dorothea Diehl: Naturschutzgebiete an der Ostseeküste Schleswig-Holsteins. In: Berichte des Vereins „Natur und Heimat“ und des Naturhistorischen Museums zu Lübeck. (Protected Areas of the Baltic Sea Coast of Schleswig-Holstein. In: Reports of the Association "Nature and Homeland" and the Nature-Historical Museum to Lübeck.) Heft (Number) 19/20, 1986,