Müggenburg Castle

Müggenburg Water Castle, also known as Müggenburg Castle, is located about 10 km south of the district town of Anklam (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) in the district of Neuenkirchen.

The lowland castle was first mentioned in a document in 1355 as "castro Mügghenborg". The word "Mügge" stands for a headland in a wet lowland. At that time, the water castle was the ancestral seat of the Pomeranian noble family von Nienkerken (Neuenkirchen). In 1434, part of the complex was destroyed during a conflict with the city of Anklam; only the 28-meter-high Fangelturm (prison tower) remained. Around it, the present castle was built in Neo-Gothic style between 1889 and 1891. Together with the associated manor, it remained in the possession of the Holtz family until its expropriation in 1945.

In the course of the land reform, the castle was transferred to the municipality of Neuenkirchen, which initially used it as refugee accommodation, then as a cultural center, and later handed it over to the LPG (agricultural production cooperative). When the latter no longer found any use for the building from 1980 onwards, it was abandoned and left to decay and, for example, the extensive wooden paneling was wantonly destroyed and plundered. In 1986 and 1987, filming for the DEFA film Einer trage des anderen Last... (Let one carry the other's burden...) took place here.

In 1994, the owner of a woodworking business acquired the castle and largely restored it with his own funds to the extent that he can modestly entertain day-trippers. The old castle tower can also be climbed again, offering a wide view over the Vorpommern landscape from Anklam to the Helpter Berge. On the ascent, one passes the former entrance hall, which is vaulted with cross ribs and displays the biblical verse "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" as an inscription from old times.