University of Szczecin, founded 30 years ago, may boast itself on the fact that it is West Pomerania’s largest university. The city and university are located in direct geographical and cultural proximity to Germany (ca. 150 kilometers from Berlin) and within 100-kilometer distance from the Baltic Sea. Szczecin is often referred to as the “Paris of the North” due to its original urban design, i.e. distinctive star-shaped squares and roundabouts. The city is especially valued for its green spaces; there are plenty of parks and lush green squares.
On May 4th, 1945, when Western Pomerania was the scene of last battles and fights of World War II, a group of Poznań University representatives arrived in Szczecin in order to secure property for the future University of Szczecin. Their task was to create administrative structures and secure library collections, university buildings and accommodation for academic teachers and other employees.However, the creation of the University was prevented due to prolonged negotiations between the winning powers concerning Szczecin's national status as well as a repeated evacuation of Polish settlers and newly established municipal and provincial authorities. The question remained open, yet frantically discussed for the forthcoming years.
