The noble house of Maltzahn

The house of Maltzahn is one of the first noble houses in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Records mention it for the first time in 1194. Bernhard de Mulsan is noted to be their forebear. Tradition holds that he was one of the knights who, after the conquest of the Slavonic territory, endorsed in the colonisation and Germanisation of the East. In the middle of the 12th century, de Mulsan moved from the Duchy of Luneburg to County Ratzeburg, which still is the noble house's domicile. Up until the beginning of the 16th century, different spellings of the name were used, from then on, the present-day "Maltzahn" is common usage.

In the centuries that followed, the Maltzahns made an important contribution to landscape gardening in the Mecklenburg lake district. They did so by managing different fiefs all over Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and consequently turned the untouched nature into fertile grounds. Since the prince got into financial difficulties, he had to pawn his land which led to completely changed conditions in the feudal relationships. Now the noble houses were indeed still obligated to pay a part of their revenue, but the lien remained with the family in the event of death. The house of Maltzahn benefited largely from this fact and thus became the most powerful and wealthy noble house in Pomerania.