History Gut Pütnitz

The noble family von Dechow was first mentioned as the lords of Puetnitz in 1249.

Puetnitz was held in feudal tenure, typically known as fiefs or fiefdoms, by the von Dechows.

The last male heir of the von Dechows died in 1797. It was then that the property changed hands to the von Zanthier family, following the marriage of Christian Ernst von Zanthier to Caroline von Dechow. The existing manor house that stands today was built in 1836.

In May 1945, the Manor house and the holdings were taken over by the Soviet Red Army. Property and personal belongings of the von Zanthier family as well as of former employees were destroyed and plundered. The von Zanthier family fled to West Germany.

During GDR times, or when the land belonged to the German Democratic Republic, the manor house was used to house up to 150 refugees. Later, a kindergarden and a school were set up inside the house. The caretaker's house, which interestingly was the original manor house before the current one was built, was used as the school kitchen.

After German reunification, the property was held by the state. After a failed attempt by one of the von Zanthier family members to reclaim part of the original property, the many hectares of land which were originally part and package of the holding were sold off by the state as farmland and residential property. The caretaker's house was sold and the manor house was used by the town of Ribnitz-Damgarten for social welfare housing. When it became clear just how expensive the upkeep of the house was, the town considered tearing it down entirely. In a desperate move, a few local residents created the Pommersche Geschichtsverein, a registered association for the preservation of the manor, which was founded in order to historically list the house and therefore save it. Eventually, the town decided to put the manor house up for sale.

In 2010, the Manor house was purchased by the von der Lühe family, which is originally from this part of Germany. They have their ancestral seat in Koelzow, just 20 km south of Puetnitz. The family is related to the former von Dechow and von Zanthier families, completing the circle of heritage.

Today, the house is used for vacation rental purposes and all types of events including family gatherings, weddings, seminars and parties large and small.