Koserow

Koserow is a municipality on Usedom Island, in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. A small coastal bathing resort, Koserow lies on an isthmus on the island of Usedom on the Baltic Sea, near the border with Poland. It is located within the Usedom Nature Park and is one of the four so-called Amber Spas on the island, connected by a 12 km long fine sandy beach called Amber Beach. The other three amber spas are Loddin, Ückeritz and Zempin. As of 2013, Koserow had a population of 1,656. Koserow was first mentioned in the records in 1347 as Cuzerowe (Slavic for "goat" or "blackbird") and is one of the oldest settlements of Wendish origin on the island of Usedom. Koserow church is even older - already in existence by the end of the 13th century; it was built of field stones, has many treasures and is reportedly the oldest church on Usedom's Baltic Sea coast. The history of the village is steeped in legend and even the dreaded pirate, Klaus Störtebeker, reputedly found a secret hiding place in the caves of Streckelsberg. The village was sacked during the Thirty Years War and the church bell taken. After the Treaty of Stockholm on 1 February 1720, the island of Usedom and Koserow fell into Prussian possession. After the administrative reform in 1815, Koserow became part to the Prussian province of Pomerania and from 1818 to 1945 was part of the district of Usedom-Wollin. In 1820, the first salt huts were built to preserve the fish caught. Koserow at that time was one of the poorest communities on Usedom. Seaside tourists first began to arrive on foot, by coach or by sailing boat in 1846. Several storm floods hit the area in 1872 and 1874, worsening the economic situation. For centuries, the economy of the village had been based on fishing and agriculture. Its growth as a resort was slow due to its poor communications, but it took off once the railway reached the island of Usedom in the early 1900s and a network of metal roads was built. Lidos were established for men, women and families and a pier was built.