It again became Germanized when Henry the Lion's forces prevailed over the Slavs. The religious wars of the 17th century saw the Swedes occupying Wismar. After the Napoleonic wars, the Mecklenburg principality was dominated by the French. The final foreign incursion was the Russian occupation from 1945 to 1949. Since reunification in 1990, Wismar has slowly regained its popularity as a vacation site as more western Germans are discovering its charms.
Thatched roofs are typical here.
Like the sea hawk and the sand dunes they are a trademark. The roofs last a half century or more, provide excellent insulation, and cost about four times slate or tiles. Blending in with the landscape formed by sweet and salt-water marshes, even the largest house appears coy and comforting. As the soil is mostly sand, few buildings rise above two stories, including Zingst's newly opened Visitor's Center where lectures, concerts and receptions are given in what once was the town baths. The concept sounds almost as strange as the name Zingst itself.