Parchim

Parchim was a former Kreis, or rural district, in the southwestern part of the German federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. It was an administrative territory rather than a commercial brand, and its name is associated with the town of Parchim and the surrounding municipalities, agricultural areas, and lake landscapes. The district existed in its final administrative form from 1994 until September 2011. The modern district was created in 1994 through the merger of the districts of Parchim, Sternberg, and Lübz. Its boundaries were described as being broadly comparable to those of the medieval principality of Parchim-Riechenberg, which existed from 1238 to 1316, although the medieval principality and the modern district were different political and administrative entities. The 1994 reorganization established an enlarged Parchim district within the post-reunification administrative structure of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Geographically, the district was characterized by predominantly agricultural land. Its eastern portion included a number of lakes and formed part of the wider Mecklenburg lake region. Plauer See, with an area of approximately 39 square kilometres, was the largest lake identified in descriptions of the former district and marked the western end of the Müritz lakeland. Neighboring administrative areas included Nordwestmecklenburg to the north, Güstrow to the northeast, Müritz to the east, Prignitz in Brandenburg to the southeast, Ludwigslust to the southwest, and the independent city of Schwerin to the west or northwest. Parchim ceased to exist as an independent district as part of the Mecklenburg-Western Pomeranian district reform in September 2011. Its territory was merged with the former Ludwigslust district to form the new Ludwigslust-Parchim district. Consequently, Parchim is now principally a historical and geographic administrative designation rather than a current district-level governmental entity. The former district's legacy remains visible in regional place names, archival material, municipal geography, and references to the pre-2011 administrative structure.

Parchim was a former rural district, or Kreis, in southwestern Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The territory belonged to the administrative geography of northeastern Germany and included a largely agricultural landscape with a notable concentration of lakes in its eastern area. The name has historical roots extending beyond the modern German district system. The medieval principality of Parchim-Riechenberg existed from 1238 to 1316. The later district created in the twentieth century did not constitute a continuation of that medieval polity, but the boundaries of the enlarged district established in 1994 were described as broadly corresponding to the area of the former principality. In 1994, an administrative reorganization merged the districts of Parchim, Sternberg, and Lübz. The resulting enlarged district retained the name Parchim and became one of the rural districts of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Its neighboring districts and areas included Nordwestmecklenburg, Güstrow, Müritz, Prignitz in Brandenburg, Ludwigslust, and the district-free city of Schwerin. The district's physical geography was dominated by farmland and lake country. Most of the territory was used agriculturally, while the easternmost area included several lakes associated with the Mecklenburg lakeland. Plauer See was the largest lake mentioned in descriptions of the district, covering about 39 square kilometres and forming the western end of the Müritz lakeland. Parchim remained an independent rural district until the district reform of September 2011. In that reform, it was combined with the neighboring Ludwigslust district. The merger created Ludwigslust-Parchim, a current district of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Parchim therefore no longer exists as a separate district-level administrative unit, although the name remains relevant to local history, regional geography, and the identity of the town and former district area.

• 2011

  Merger into Ludwigslust-Parchim

  [1]Parchim (district)en.wikipedia.org

  The district was dissolved during the September 2011 district reform and merged with Ludwigslust to form Ludwigslust-Parchim.

• 1994

  Creation of the enlarged Parchim district

  [1]Parchim (district)en.wikipedia.org

  Parchim, Sternberg, and Lübz were merged into a larger rural district named Parchim.

• Establishment of the medieval principality of Parchim-Riechenberg

  [1]Parchim (district)en.wikipedia.org

  The medieval principality of Parchim-Riechenberg is dated to this period. It was a historical polity distinct from the later rural district but provides important regional context for the Parchim name.

• End of the medieval principality

  [1]Parchim (district)en.wikipedia.org

  The principality of Parchim-Riechenberg ceased to exist by this date.

A historical administrative designation for a former rural district of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, not a consumer or commercial brand.

• 2011

  Administrative merger with LudwigslustStrategy

  Background

  Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania carried out a district reform in September 2011 that reorganized the state's rural administrative units.

  Action taken

  Parchim was dissolved as an independent district and combined with the district of Ludwigslust.

  Aftermath

  The merger created the new Ludwigslust-Parchim district, within which the former Parchim territory is administered.

  Source

• 2011

  Parchim district dissolved in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania reform[1]Parchim (district)en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The former Parchim district was merged with the Ludwigslust district during the September 2011 district reform, creating the Ludwigslust-Parchim district.

• 1994

  Parchim district created through the merger of three districts[1]Parchim (district)en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The districts of Parchim, Sternberg, and Lübz were consolidated to create the enlarged Parchim district in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

1. 1Parchim (district)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official website of Landkreis Parchimlandkreis-parchim.de