Chronicle of the most important events in the history of Szczecin Mid 8th century A Slavic settlement is established on the grounds of what is now the Castle Hill (Wzgórze Zamkowe). Mid 9th century The settlement is enclosed with a wooden and earth embankment. 10th century Development of the craft and trade borough between the Castle Hill and the Oder River. around 1005 For a short period Pomerania belongs to Poland. 1121 Prince Boleslaw the Wry-Mouthed conquers Pomerania. Prince Warcisław pays homage to the Polish ruler. 1124 Beginnings of christianisation in Szczecin and Pomerania, led by Otto, the Bishop of Bamberg on the initiative of Boleslaw the Wry-Mouthed. 1184-1227 Dependance of Szczecin and Pomerania on Denmark. 1187 Consecration of St. Jacob's Church founded by Merchant Beringer and serving the German settlers. 1237 Prince Barnim I extends German commune legislation all over the city. 1243 Barnim I founds Szczecin on the basis of the Magdeburg Law. 1278 Szczecin joins Hanse. 1295 Prince Otto I grants a crest to Szczecin - a griffin's head. The city obtains a small city seal with a red griffin's head against a blue background. 1345 Barnim III starts the construction of a brick residence on Castle Hill. about 1450 Construction of the gothic Town Hall. 1478-1532 Szczecin becomes the capital of the Pomeranian Duchy, unified by Bogusław X. 1491 Wedding of Prince Bogusław X with Anna, the daughter of Kazimierz Jagiellończyk. 1529 Treaty in Grzmiąca concerning the succession of the Hohenzollerns of Brandenburg in Pomerania. 1534 Introduction of Lutheranism in Pomerania. 1543 Establishment of the Szczecin Pedagogic Institute. 1570 Szczecin Congress ends the Seven Years' War. 1575 Beginning of the construction of the magnificent Renaissance residence of the Pomeranian Princes. 1613 Publication of the city's historical description, titled Historische Beschreibung der Stadt Alten Stettin in Pommern, written by Paul Friedeborn, a graduate of the Szczecin Pedagogic Institute. 1618 Publication of the Pomeranian Duchy map created by Eilhard Lubinus one of the finest works of cartography. 1630 As a result of the Thirty Years' War Szczecin is taken over by the Swedes. 1637 Death of the last prince of the Gryfici family, Bogusław XIV. 1639-1640 Johannes Micraelius, a graduate of Szczecin Pedagogic Institute, publishes the history of Pomerania (Sechs Bücher vom alten Pommerlande). 1648 The Westphalia Treaty confirms the partition of Pomerania between Brandenburg and Sweden as well as Sweden's ownership of Szczecin. 1667 Decline of the Szczecin Pedagogic Institute and establishment of the Carolinian Gymnasium (Regium Gymnasium Carolinum) in its place. 1678-1679 Brandenburg Elector Frederick William rules Szczecin. 1713 The Prussian army enters Szczecin as a result of the War of the North; Prussia practically takes over the city. 1720 Prussia formally obtains Szczecin as a result of the Stockholm Treaty. 1721 Establishment of the French Huguenot Colony in Szczecin. 1724-1740 Extension of the Szczecin Stronghold with forts Prussia, William and Leopold. 1739 The Port of Szczecin is connected to the Baltic Sea through the Świna River and Świnoujście. 1806-1813 Szczecin is occupied by the French army. 1809 Elections for the Szczecin City Council according to the rules of new Prussian municipal electoral law from 1808. 1821 Reform of the merchants' organisation. Establishment of the Merchants' Corporation in place of the Guild. 1836 Inauguration of the Szczecin Stock Exchange. 1843 Opening ceremony of the Szczecin-Berlin railway line in the presence of the Prussian King Frederick William IV. from 1845 Construction of the so-called New Town around what is now May 3rd Avenue. 1848 Opening of the Municipal Gas-Works. 1849 Establishment of the City Theatre. 1851 Establishment of the Früchtenicht & Brock Shipyard in the Drzetowo district, which was transformed in 1857 into Vulcan Plc. 1865 Start-up of the municipal water supply system. 1873 Liquidation of the stronghold. 1879 Establishment of the horse tram line. 1889 Opening of the first electric power station. 1894 Beginning of the construction of a free port (the western wet dock was opened in 1898, the eastern one in 1910). 1897 Establishment of the electric tram public transport system. 1900 Expansion of the city and inclusion of Drzetowo, Grabowo, and Niemierzyn. 1902-1921 Creation of the impressive building complex on Haken's Terraces (now Wały Chrobrego). 1911 Further expansion of the city borders by inclusion of Niebuszewo, Krzekowo, Pogodno, and Świerczewo, as well as areas neighbouring Arkońska Street. 1923 Establishment of the Szczecin and Prussian Port Community. 1927 Beginning of the economic crisis in the city, evidenced for example by the liquidation of the three shipyards Vulcan, Ostseewerft and Nüscke & Co. 1939 Substantial expansion of the city borders and creation of Great Szczecin. 1940 First allied air raids on Szczecin. 1943 Escalation of the air raids. 1945, April 26th The Soviet army enters Szczecin. Appointment of a Soviet War Commander for the City of Szczecin. 1945, April 30th The Polish administration takes over the city, led by Piotr Zaremba. 1945, May 5th Establishment of the German Municipal Government (firstly for the Niebuszewo district, later for the whole city) with Erich Spiegel, and later the communist Erich Wiesner as leaders. Return of the German population - at the end of May there were 24,500 Germans in the city, while at the beginning of July there were already 84,000 of them. 1945, May 17th-19th As a result of the Provisional Government resolution, the Polish authorities leave the city because of the unresolved issue of the country's western border. 1945, June 9th Return of the Polish Municipal Government to Szczecin. 1945, June 19th The Polish administration leaves the city again as a result of diplomatic intervention on the part of western countries. 1945, July 5th The Poles ultimately take Szczecin over. The Polish army enters the city. 1945, July 12th Start-up of the water supply system. 1945, mid-August Opening of the first tram line. 1946, February Displacement of the German population according to the resolutions of the Potsdam Conference. 1946, October Inauguration of the academic year in the Academy of Commerce. 1946, December Establishment of the Engineering College. 1947, September 17th Polish authorities take over part of the port from the Soviet administration. 1948 Establishment of the Medical Academy, later known as the Pomeranian Medical Academy. 1951 Establishment of the Polish Steamship Co. 1952, December Launching of S/S Czułym, the first ship built after WW II. 1954 Establishment of the Higher School of Agriculture, in 1972 it was renamed the Agricultural Academy. 1955, January 11th The entire port is taken out of Soviet army control. Establishment of Szczecin Technical University. 1957 Establishment of PPDiUR Gryf. 1959 The General Secretary of the Soviet Union Communist Party Nikita Khruschchev visits Szczecin. 1961 Establishment of the Pomorzany electric power station. 1968 Inauguration of the first academic year of the Higher Teacher Education School and the Maritime Academy. 1970, December 17th The beginning of strikes in Szczecin industrial plants; street riots resulting from the announcement of food price rises. 1971, January 22th-25th Repeated strikes in Szczecin's factories, ending with a meeting with Edward Gierek, the 1st secretary of the Central Committee of the Polish United Worker's Party. 1972 Szczecin becomes a seat of bishopric. 1980, August 18th-30th General strike which results in the establishment of the Solidarity Trade Union. 1985 Inauguration of the first academic year of Szczecin University. 1987 Pope John Paul II visits Szczecin. 1990, May 27th First free local elections to the City Council since WW II. 1992 The Szczecin Bishopric becomes an archbishopric. 1993 Celebration of the 750th anniversary of the bestowal of the city charter based on Magdeburg Law. 1995 Celebration of the 50th anniversary of Szczecin's return to Poland; creation of the Pomerania Euro-region. 1999 Establishment of the Western Pomerania Province.