Greifswald

Greifswald, a town of Prussia, in the province of Pomerania, is situated 2½ miles from the mouth of the Ryck and 25 miles by rail SE. of Stralsund. The university (founded in 1456) has 83 professors and 750 students, of whom one-half are medicals. The university is well equipped with medical museums, laboratories, &c.; the library contains about 135,000 volumes. There is a considerable shipping trade. The chief industries include the making of machinery, chains, and railway wagons, the curing of herrings, and iron-founding. Pop. (1875) 18,016; (1885) 20,333. Shortly after being made a town (1250) Greifswald joined the Hanseatic League. At the peace of Westphalia (1648) it came into the possession of Sweden; but, together with the whole of Swedish Pomerania, was ceded to Prussia in 1815. See Pyl's Geschichte Greifswaldis (1879).