Lübchow, Kolberg-Körlin in July 2019
I decided to visit Lübchow because of its proximity to Klaptow. There were enough family names I had previously seen from this village, and I knew a few people who were also researching families from this area.
The village is only a five-minute drive from Körlin. Coming in from the south, the surroundings are a mixture of grasslands and tree cover. Farm fields account for a generous portion of the land usage en route. However, the road is canopied by leafy trees, creating a passageway to drive through. The cloudy weather loomed overhead, threatening rain.
Lübchow itself is comprised of one main road that leads around the village in a squared-off loop. One can easily determine where he or she is based on the vantage on the church. The structure itself seems to be the basis for most of the village, and everything ripples out from there. While visiting, the building did not seem to be in the best of shape. There was no cemetery or remains of one to be found. For those seeking remnants of headstones, one must look in the nearby village of Bartin for the lapidarium on the outskirts of town. The old door’s handle was a surprise. It was forged in the imagery of a noble’s family crest.
According to the information posted in the village, this parish church was built in the nineteenth century on the site of the former chapel, and it was consecrated on November 29, 1877. It was built of bricks, plastered, Neo-Gothic, positioned with a triangle presbytery. From the west side, there is a three-level tower finished with a polygonal pyramid of bricks. In the church, there are epitaphs of the past owners. Picturesque trees in the graveyard make up the surroundings of the church. The most previous pieces of art inside the church are: a Neo-Gothic pulpit from the nineteenth century, the main altar of an eclectic style, a Neo-Gothic font and paten, and a mass chalice from the early twentieth century.
From the back of the church, the rectangular manor house is visible with its signature octagonal towers, one at each corner. This building is by far the best taken care of in the entire village. The building looks as if it was freshly painted.
A beautiful pond is also situated from the back of the church (on its east side). It is bordered with cattails, and the surface of the water looks like glass, reflecting the green hues of the trees surrounding it.
Smoke rose up from the chimney of one of the houses, keeping its residents warm from the chilly autumn-like weather in July.
Perhaps it was the grey skies that made Lübchow feel a little less welcoming than most of the other places I visited. From the moment I arrived, something just felt off. Maybe it was the children who took interest in my wife and I from the moment we parked the car. They started asking us questions about what language we spoke and then said a few things that sounded like they were cussing at us for fun. Other than that, there were a few awkward stares but a mostly desolate road as we explored. This is definitely a village I would keep my translation app or phrase book handy in. The closest parking to the church is in front of a gated playground, which only increases the anxiety as a foreign person unable to speak the language, especially if approached by a local wondering what the purpose of the visit is. I have to disclaim that this was not my typical experience in the smaller villages, but it did seem to be typical of a small group of places in the area.
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