▁permanent ▁home ▁for ▁lots ▁of ▁refuge es ▁exp elled ▁from ▁former ▁German ▁territ ories ▁seized ▁by ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁and ▁Poland ▁after ▁the ▁war . ▁The ▁S ovi ets ▁changed ▁the ▁name ▁from ▁" Me ck len burg - West ern ▁P omer ania " ▁to ▁" Me ck len burg " ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 2 , ▁the ▁East ▁German ▁government ▁ended ▁the ▁independent ▁existence ▁of ▁Me ck len burg , ▁creating ▁ 3 ▁districts ▁(" Be z ir ke ") ▁out ▁of ▁its ▁territory : ▁Rost ock , ▁Sch wer in ▁and ▁Ne ub r andenburg . ▁ ▁During ▁German ▁reun ification ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Me ck len burg - Vor p omm ern ▁was ▁rev ived , ▁and ▁is ▁now ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 6 ▁states ▁of ▁the ▁Federal ▁Republic ▁of ▁Germany . ▁ ▁Co at ▁of ▁arms ▁of ▁the ▁duch ies ▁of ▁Me ck len burg ▁▁ ▁The ▁House ▁of ▁Me ck len burg ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁Nik lot , ▁prince ▁of ▁the ▁Ob ot rit es , ▁Ch izz ini ▁and ▁Cir cip ani ▁on ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁Sea , ▁who ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 1 6 0 . ▁His ▁Christian ▁pro gen y ▁was ▁recognized ▁as ▁prince ▁of ▁the ▁Holy ▁Roman ▁Empire ▁ 1 1 7 0 ▁and ▁Duke ▁of ▁Me ck len burg ▁ 8 ▁July ▁ 1 3 4 8 . ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁February ▁ 1