Hinrichshagen – a rural village with a cycle path and a history

Hinrichshagen has a rural character and lies amid fields and meadows, just outside Greifswald. A cycle path along the L 261 and a multifaceted settlement history give the village a distinct identity. Those considering Hinrichshagen as a travel destination can therefore focus on two different aspects: its landscape and cycling, as well as the historical changes the village has undergone.

Cycle Path Between Dersekow and Hinrichshagen

An asphalt cycle path runs along the L 261 between Dersekow and Hinrichshagen. It is 3.4 kilometres long and 2.50 metres wide. In Dersekow and at Hinrichshagen Hof 1, it connects to existing cycling infrastructure. The route, surface and dimensions of the connection are clearly specified; its length can be taken into account when planning a day’s journey.

The cycle path provides a safe route by bicycle, particularly for schoolchildren. It ends south of the Hinrichshagen Hof 1 settlement, where Greifswalder Straße joins the L 261. The location of the endpoint helps clarify the route described: the path does not end in the village centre, but at this specific junction.

Rural Surroundings and Settlement History

The area around Hinrichshagen is shaped by agriculture, with fields and meadows defining the landscape. Hinrichshagen is also quiet and close to nature. This rural character complements the cycle path with another way to experience the destination: the surroundings, as well as the route itself, are part of Hinrichshagen’s character.

The settlement’s history dates back to the Middle Ages. Hinrichshagen was first mentioned in a document in 1248, under the name “Henrikeshaghen”. The settlement developed through the clearing and drainage of forests and marshland to the north and south of the Ryck. At the beginning of the 13th century, these areas belonged to Eldena Abbey.

Another milestone in the village’s history came in 1668, when Hinrichshagen became the property of the University of Greifswald. The village’s development can thus be viewed through different points in time—from the landscape changes associated with the settlement’s founding and its first documented mention to the subsequent change of ownership.

From the Freischulzenhof Estate to Three Settlements

In 1932, the Freischulzenhof estate in Hinrichshagen was divided into 32 leasehold farms. These leasehold farms formed the basis for the Chaussee settlement, the Heimsiedlung settlement and the Feldsiedlung settlement.

Hinrichshagen’s settlement structure has remained almost unchanged to this day. This detail connects the historical facts to the present: the changes described are part of the village’s history, while its inherited settlement structure remains almost unchanged.

Historical Uses of the Manor House

The manor house is also one of Hinrichshagen’s historical landmarks. During the Nazi era, it served as a Reichswerkschule (state vocational school) and a Landjahrlager (rural labour camp for young people). In 1965, an Evangelical children’s home opened in the former manor house.

Different aspects can help visitors orient themselves in the area: the agriculturally shaped surroundings, the cycle path between Dersekow and Hinrichshagen, and the village’s history from the early 13th to the 20th century. Anyone looking for a hotel in Hinrichshagen can take the village’s rural character and these historical connections into account when choosing a destination.

Other places in the same higher-level selection include Behrenhoff, Diedrichshagen, Dersekow, Dargelin, Levenhagen, Mesekenhagen, Weitenhagen and Wackerow.

For the higher-level travel overview: Amt Landhagen.