Gadebusch celebrates 800 years: A festival full of history and celebrities!

Gadebusch celebrates 800 years: A festival full of history and celebrities!

Gadebusch, the charming town with a rich history, celebrated its impressive 800th anniversary on July 4, 2025 with a celebratory ceremony in the town church. Over 200 invited guests came together to give this historic moment a fitting setting. Among the visitors were not only representatives from Gadebusch's partner municipalities such as Trittau, St. Germain du Puy, Czarnkow and Åmål, but also prominent guests such as the former Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein, Björn Engholm, whose roots lie in Gadebusch.

The celebratory start was made by Pastor Christian Schnepf, who emphasized the importance of anniversaries for understanding the city's history and its development. In 1225, Gadebusch was awarded the coveted Lübeck city charter by Heinrich Borwin I, which gave the city economic freedom and orderly structures. In his speech, Wolfgang Schmülling, State Secretary in the Ministry of the Interior, Construction and Digitalization, discussed the relevance of the anniversary for the topics of democracy and self-determination. According to that Northern Courier The evening was also a musical delight, as the Parforce horn brass group Maurinetal and regional artists framed the ceremony.

A look into history

The Gadebusch city seal, which dates back to around 1225, reflects the historical development of the city. The original design of the seal shows a simple, uncrowned bull's head and is one of the oldest Mecklenburg city seals. Over the years, the appearance of the coat of arms has changed; it has carried many stories that are closely linked to the city and have also been handed down unbroken through the constant changes in the coat of arms during fascism. Citizens of Gadebusch have successfully defended themselves against these falsifications, which underlines the awareness and respect for their own history ( City of Gadebusch ).

In the speech by historian Dr. Wolf Karge also discussed the Battle of Sweden in 1712 and the dark time of the witch hunts in Gadebusch, in which 37 people were accused and convicted in the 17th and 18th centuries. Interestingly, it was only in 2015 that the city council rehabilitated the victims of these cruel trials.

A celebration for everyone

To properly celebrate the anniversary, a variety of events will take place from June 27th to July 6th, 2025. This includes music nights, explorations in the city church and a parade in the old town. The highlight is the Gadebusch Mint Festival, which is celebrated at various locations from Friday, July 4th to Sunday, July 6th. The planned activities include, among other things, a celebratory service at the market and a “fabulous” family day in the museum complex ( Gadebusch.de ).

Mayor Arne Schlien calls on everyone from Gadebusch to take an active part in the celebrations and to keep stories and memories of the last 800 years alive together. In this way, Gadebusch will not only look back into the past, but also lay the foundation for the years to come.