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The island, however, does not entirely belong to Germany: Like Cyprus it is separated between two nations, for its eastern tip including the town of Swinemuende has been Polish territory since the end of the Second World War. The number of islanders is about 75000, 30000 Germans inhabit their western and central part of Usedom, which comprises 83 per cent of the complete island’s area, whereas 45000 Polish people live in the rather small eastern area, mostly in Swinemuende, which is one of the main harbour towns of Poland.

Nearly 40 km of continuous sandy beach are available to holidaymakers. Alongside this beach one seaside resort follows another, among which Ahlbeck, Bansin, Heringsdorf and Zinnowitz are widely known and the most beautiful and biggest ones. Apart from being located on long and broad beaches five places on the island can even boast about having a fine promenade pier projecting far into the sea. The one at Heringsdorf is the longest, the one at Ahlbeck the oldest and most famous one of these piers.

The small village of Peenemuende situated in the north-western tip of the island is also a widely, maybe globally known place of Usedom because it was the site of a huge missile research centre between 1936 and 1944 which was finally destroyed by air attacks during World War 2. The V2 missile, main product of this research centre, eventually formed the basis of modern rocket technology. Today the village has been rebuilt into a site of museums, among which the Historical Technical Information Centre and its exhibitions refer to the history and development of missiles at the Nazi research centre.

Another interesting museum on the island of Usedom is the former residence and studio of the painter Otto Niemeyer-Holstein at Luettenort, which can be found near the seaside resort of Koserow. The residence comprises two residential houses, a studio, a recently built exhibition hall showing a lot of Niemeyer-Holstein´s paintings, and a large garden, in which visitors can admire more than 30 sculptures. Both former residential buildings and the studio look as if the famous painter who died in 1984 could return in a few minutes: They have been left in their original state.

In the second half of the 18th century two other celebrated painters were born on the neighbouring mainland. At Wolgast you can visit a museum dedicated to the Romantic painter Philipp Otto Runge who first saw the light of day in 1777 in this town. 3 years earlier Caspar David Friedrich was born at Greifswald. The former workshop of Friedrich´s father at Greifswald (opposite St. Nicholas´ Church) today houses the Caspar David Friedrich Centre which presents many aspects of the famous painter’s life and work. Original paintings by Friedrich are exhibited at the Pomeranian State Museum, which is located at Greifswald, too.

The Cultural Historical Museum at Stralsund is also proud to have a painting by Friedrich. Like the Pomeranian State Museum, it is also a regional museum, but it focuses only on exhibitions about Western Pomerania´s history, art and culture. The German Oceanographic Museum situated as well at Stralsund is the region´s most popular museum. Staying at Stralsund, do not fail to have a look at the huge gothic churches, the medieval town hall and all the other beautiful ancient buildings. If you like to see more architecture of past times, there is another medieval town hall and three impressing gothic gates at the town of Grimmen. Maybe you are not interested in buildings, paintings and art, but in technical matters, what about visiting the Otto Lilienthal Museum at Anklam, which deals with the early history of aviation? No doubt, this one is also worth a journey.