Blievenstorf: Village Church, Remembrance and Carriage Driving

Blievenstorf can be explored through a range of interests: the village, laid out in a circular pattern, with its Neo-Gothic church; the remembrance of the April 1945 death march; and an annual carriage driving tournament. It is also located on the southern edge of the Lewitz European Special Protection Area for birds. If you would like to shape your stay around local history, carriage driving or birdlife, these themes offer concrete pointers for choosing your destination.

Village Centre and Church

At the centre of Blievenstorf stands a single-nave Neo-Gothic brick church, built in 1892 by G. L. Möckel and belonging to the Evangelical Lutheran parish. Its design and central location make it a distinctive feature of the village. Anyone interested in church architecture will find specific features here: the Neo-Gothic style, the single-nave layout and the brick masonry.

The altarpiece is also part of the church’s history. “Christ on the Cross” was created by Bertha Albin and restored a few years ago. The church is open on Saturdays and Sundays; a service is held once a month on Sunday afternoon. This information can help you plan if the church is one of the places you would like to include during your stay.

Memorial Sites in Blievenstorf

A memorial stone dating from 1976 stands in the village square, commemorating the victims of the April 1945 death march. They include 60 women who were driven by the SS from a subcamp of Ravensbrück concentration camp in the direction of Wöbbelin. The memorial stone connects local history with a specific event of Nazi persecution; the date, the women’s place of origin and their intended destination are all part of its history.

Another historical point of reference is the church cemetery, where 20 war dead are buried in individual graves. The graves and the memorial stone represent different forms of remembrance in Blievenstorf. If you are exploring the history of the village, you can consider these topics separately, without automatically associating the war dead in the cemetery with the death march.

Carriage Driving Tournament and Local Tradition

A carriage driving tournament is held in Blievenstorf every May and is considered the largest such tournament in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Single, pair and four-in-hand teams compete in dressage, cross-country and obstacle driving. The tournament therefore includes several carriage driving disciplines; the different teams and types of competition shape the event. Competitors from the international carriage driving scene also take part.

The subject is also supported by local club activities: the Blievenstorf Carriage Driving and Riding Club is committed to preserving the carriage driving tradition. For travellers interested in carriage driving, Blievenstorf is shaped not only by its annual competition but also by this local commitment. The May date is a useful guide if you would like to plan your trip around the tournament.

Birdlife of the Lewitz

Blievenstorf lies on the southern edge of the Lewitz European Special Protection Area for birds. The protected area is nearby and is home to more than 250 bird species, including white-tailed eagles, ospreys, owls, cranes, bitterns and kingfishers. The range of species mentioned offers nature lovers another way to explore the destination. The Lewitz and its birdlife thus complement the local themes of the village church, remembrance and carriage driving, without needing to be combined with these sights into a single route.

Another destination to discover is Brenz.

For the wider travel overview: Amt Neustadt-Glewe.