Over 200 years Grömitz Seaside Resort
From a small fishing village to one of the largest seaside resorts
In 2013, Grömitz celebrated its “200th Anniversary as a Seaside Resort.” Records show that the first guests arrived in Grömitz in 1813 to relax and enjoy the healthy, iodine-rich sea air. At that time, Grömitz was still a small fishing village, but a lot has changed since then. Over the past 200 years, Grömitz has grown into one of Germany’s most popular and largest seaside resorts.
It’s not a glamorous place, nor is it a hangout for the super-rich and beautiful, and you won’t find a party and disco scene here like the one at “Ballermann.” No, Grömitz is all about closeness, tranquility, open spaces, and vibrancy—all at once—in its very own unique way. Grömitz is authentic, maritime, and charmingly laid-back. Here, you can enjoy a romantic getaway for two just as easily as a fun-filled family vacation.
Today, Grömitz welcomes over 540,000 overnight guests, who account for 2 million overnight stays, and is home to more than 3,500 second-home owners. In addition, approximately 550,000 day visitors come to this popular Baltic Sea resort every year.
But first, let's go back to the beginning:
“The Baltic Sea Resort on the Sunny Side”—that has been Grömitz’s motto since 1930. What began as the “Family Resort on the Sunny Side” in 1927 became, in 1930, the “Baltic Sea Resort on the Sunny Side” that we know today. And this modern Baltic resort knows how to convey this motto to the world through its very special atmosphere: because in the seaside resort of Grömitz, a vacation simply means joie de vivre and carefree days, the laughter of children, and, last but not least, relaxing rest and recuperation.
Join us on a journey back to the town’s origins and discover the eventful history of this place, which is now one of Germany’s largest and most popular seaside resorts.
It all began in 1813, when the first bathing carts were purchased, and advertisements were already appearing as early as 1836: “Seaside resort near Grömitz. To those who might be inclined to visit the beautiful, pristine seaside resort near Grömitz this year, the undersigned recommends his services starting July 1, offering both well-equipped bathing carriages and his facilities for warm baths.” H. Kröger in Grömitz.
These “warm sea baths,” which were very popular at the time, consisted of wooden tubs into which heated seawater was poured using buckets. By 1862, the announcement read as follows: “The well-known Grömitz Baltic Sea resort will open on July 1 of this year, and in announcing this, I would also like to note that the fee for the bath will be 13 shillings and for a warm bath 51 shillings.”
However, a devastating storm surge in 1872 once again thwarted the early efforts to establish a seaside resort, yet it would ultimately pave the way for the town’s future. For in the following year, the decision was made to build a dike, which brought engineers (and their families) to Grömitz for years to come. At the same time, the first vacationers arrived—relatives were also invited to the beautiful lake with its charming hinterland, and they would soon spread the town’s good reputation. In 1906, the first “Warm-Seebad-Anstalt” (warm seaside resort facility) was built using solid construction methods. The fact that people weren’t yet swimming in the sea didn’t deter the steadily rising number of guests, and more and more attention was paid to the bathers; people left their previous professions, and the first “beach hotel” was built in 1902 (it burned down again in 1969, and the Carat Hotel took its place). Yet in 1906, Grömitz still ranked tenth among seaside resorts in terms of annual visitors by mid-July. There were 676 of them.
But contractor Christian Westphal sparked a boom with his “because that’s how we want it done” impromptu loans; one guesthouse after another was built, and the influx of visitors began.
By 1909, Grömitz already had 3,000 visitors, and by 1912, that number had grown to 9,000 happy guests. Then came World War I. But it was followed by the “Roaring Twenties,” the first public swimming pool, and a bandstand.
The construction of the “Giftbude” (Alcohol = Poison) in 1897 laid the foundation for today’s “Strandhalle,” which, equipped with a dance hall, was already nearly as large as it is today. The “Strandquelle” was built in 1911–1912. Recession was followed once again by war. But the popularity of the Grömitz seaside resort was unstoppable: In the second half of the century, the annual number of overnight stays soon exceeded one million. And in 1984, Grömitz’s “Spaziersteg über See” reached the impressive length of 398 meters. Surely not the only reason Grömitz is a leader in Germany today.
Was Grömitz part of the GDR in the past? You can find out this and more about the history of the seaside resort of Grömitz in the new edition of the book: “Grömitz: Yesterday and Today.” A 168-page reference work with an extensive photo section. Available for €19.00 at the Tourist Information Office on the pier forecourt.
