Wolgast

Wolgast is a city within the district of Vorpommern-Greifswald, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is located at the financial institution of the river Peenestrom, vis-a-vis the island of Usedom on the Baltic coast that may be accessed via street and railway thru a movable bascule bridge. In December 2004, the city had a populace of 12,725. The precursor of present-day Wolgast became a Slavic Wendish stronghold placed on an island within the Peenestrom sound.159 Contemporary resources called it Hologost, Ologost, Woligost, Woligast, Wologost, Wolegast, Wolegust, Walagost, Walogost, Walgost, Waloguslum, Walagust, Walegusth, Waaegust, Walgust, Wolgast, Valagust, Wologoszcz or Valegust.

Wilhelm Ferdinand Gadebusch traces the name thru Wendish to mean a "massive grove". It is uncertain which of the tribes documented within the place the population belonged to, the Veleti/Lutici or Rani. In 1123/24, prince Henry of the Obodrites used the stronghold as a stepping stone in his marketing campaign in opposition to the Rani. In 1128, after the Pomeranian duke Wartislaw I had subdued the area, the Wends were baptized via Otto of Bamberg on his second Pomeranian mission, whilst Wartislaw was additionally present within the stronghold.