Ostseerennbahn
The Ostseerennbahn is located between Bad Doberan and Heiligendamm . It is the oldest horse racing track on mainland Europe .
history
The first horse races took place here in the open field in 1804. The first horse race with thoroughbred horses was organized in honor of the Hereditary Grand Duchess Alexandrine by the thoroughbred breeders Gottlieb and Wilhelm von Biel and held on August 10, 1822. Shortly afterwards, on August 13, 1822, the Doberaner Rennverein was founded, the first president of which was later Grand Duke Paul Friedrich of Mecklenburg . The first wooden spectator stands in the style of spa architecture were built in 1827. New buildings were built in 1854 and 1890. From 1830 a steeple chase railway was built based on the English model. With the construction of the Doberan-Heiligendammer Railway , the racecourse received its own stopping point.
In the years 1915 to 1921 no races were held due to economic and political crises, the wooden buildings were demolished for fuel. In 1922 an anniversary race took place on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Doberan Racing Club, but in 1923 the onset of hyperinflation and its economic consequences made it impossible to hold a race. The last race before the start of World War II took place in 1939. The grounds of the racetrack then became the Luftwaffe's alternate airfield . In 1946/47 the remaining buildings were demolished and used as fuel and building material. After the war, "peasant races " with half- blooded and warm-blooded horses were held with a few interruptions . This tradition ends in 1962 and the area was used for agriculture until the reunification of Germany .
In 1991 the “Doberaner Rennverein eV von 1822” was re-established and on August 7, 1993, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Heiligendamm, for the first time since the Second World War, a horse race with thoroughbred horses was held. Since then, racing events lasting several days have taken place every year in August.
The Mecklenburgische Bäderbahn Molli runs in the immediate vicinity of the Ostseerennbahn and has an additional station there for event traffic.
Other Events
The Zappanale , a music festival lasting several days , has been taking place on the racetrack grounds since 1999 . In July 2011 the SEAROCK Open Air was planned for the first time , which from now on should take place annually with around 10,000 visitors. However, due to heavy rain and squalls, the first edition was canceled at short notice. A new attempt was planned for 2012.
See also
literature
- 175 years of horse racing in Bad Doberan - thoroughbred breeding in Germany. Edition Temmen, Bremen / Rostock 1997.
Web links
- Literature about the Ostseerennbahn in the state bibliography MV
- Chronicle of the Ostseerennbahn
- Doberaner Rennverein eV
Individual evidence
- ↑ searockfestival.de, accessed on January 28, 2011
Coordinates: 54 ° 7 ′ 22 ″ N , 11 ° 52 ′ 4 ″ E