Gräfenhainichen
Encyclopedia
is a town in Wittenberg
district in Saxony-Anhalt
, Germany
.
(Verwaltungsgemeinschaft) of Tor zur Dübener Heide
until it was disbanded in January 2011. It lies about 25 km southwest of Lutherstadt Wittenberg, southeast of Dessau
and northeast of Bitterfeld
on the edge of the Dübener Heide (heath).
Nearby lies the Gremminer See, a lake created as a result of the redevelopment of the former brown coal strip mine
of Golpa-Nord, and on whose shore is found the Ferropolis ("Iron Town") industrial memorial, actually a museum
dedicated to "industrial culture".
, the town was almost utterly destroyed by the Swedes
. The year 1859 saw the dedication of the new railway line between Wittenberg and Bitterfeld. The town's advantageous location allowed industry to move into town. The first printing
shop was set up in 1874; until 1990, there were still as many as four printing shops in Gräfenhainichen. As of 1890, brown coal was being mined in Gräfenhainichen, first underground, and then in strip mines. In 1954, at which time the town was in East Germany, Gräfenhainichen became a district seat (Kreisstadt) for three towns and 27 communities. This lasted until 1994, four years after Reunification
.
were granted on 17 December 1993. The town's oldest known seal dates from 1477, and the current arms are based on this. The tower stands for the old fortified city and the inescutcheon with the lion rampant, being Meißen's arms, recalls that in 1377 the Counts of Meißen became the local overlords. Until 1993, Gräfenhainichen's coat of arms was of a similar design, but with the heraldic elements arranged slightly differently, and with different colours. The old arms were predominantly red.http://www.ngw.nl/int/dld/g/grafenhai.htm
, Hesse
, since 1992 Élancourt
, France
, since 2003 Zoersel
, Belgium
, since August 2005
federal highway, B 107, running from Bad Düben
to Coswig
, on the B 100 from Wittenberg
to Bitterfeld
, and on the Landesstraße
(state road) L136 to Zschornewitz
.
The Dessau-Ost interchange with the A9 autobahn (Munich
- Berlin
) is about 17 km away.
Gräfenhainichen's railway station lies on the Deutsche Bahn
line between Wittenberg and Bitterfeld.
Wittenberg (district)
Wittenberg is a district in the east of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Neighboring districts are Anhalt-Bitterfeld, the district-free city of Dessau-Roßlau, the districts of Potsdam-Mittelmark, Teltow-Fläming and Elbe-Elster in Brandenburg, and the district of Nordsachsen in the Free State of Saxony.-...
district in Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Location
The town was the seat of the offices of the administrative communityAmt (subnational entity)
Amt is a type of administrative division governing a group of municipalities, today only found in Germany, but formerly also common in northern European countries. Its size and functions differ by country and the term is roughly equivalent to a U.S...
(Verwaltungsgemeinschaft) of Tor zur Dübener Heide
Tor zur Dübener Heide
Tor zur Dübener Heide was a Verwaltungsgemeinschaft in the district of Wittenberg, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It was situated southwest of Wittenberg. The seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft was in Gräfenhainichen...
until it was disbanded in January 2011. It lies about 25 km southwest of Lutherstadt Wittenberg, southeast of Dessau
Dessau
Dessau is a town in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it is part of the merged town Dessau-Roßlau. Population of Dessau proper: 77,973 .-Geography:...
and northeast of Bitterfeld
Bitterfeld
Bitterfeld is a town in the district Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 July 2007 it has been part of the town Bitterfeld-Wolfen. It is situated approx. 25 km south of Dessau, and 30 km northeast of Halle...
on the edge of the Dübener Heide (heath).
Nearby lies the Gremminer See, a lake created as a result of the redevelopment of the former brown coal strip mine
Surface mining
Surface mining , is a type of mining in which soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit are removed...
of Golpa-Nord, and on whose shore is found the Ferropolis ("Iron Town") industrial memorial, actually a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
dedicated to "industrial culture".
History
Gräfenhainichen had its first documentary mention in 1254. In 1454, Gräfenhainichen had its town rights reconfirmed after the old documents by which these were granted had been destroyed in a fire. In 1637, during the Thirty Years' WarThirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, the town was almost utterly destroyed by the Swedes
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The year 1859 saw the dedication of the new railway line between Wittenberg and Bitterfeld. The town's advantageous location allowed industry to move into town. The first printing
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
shop was set up in 1874; until 1990, there were still as many as four printing shops in Gräfenhainichen. As of 1890, brown coal was being mined in Gräfenhainichen, first underground, and then in strip mines. In 1954, at which time the town was in East Germany, Gräfenhainichen became a district seat (Kreisstadt) for three towns and 27 communities. This lasted until 1994, four years after Reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
.
Coat of arms
The town's current civic armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
were granted on 17 December 1993. The town's oldest known seal dates from 1477, and the current arms are based on this. The tower stands for the old fortified city and the inescutcheon with the lion rampant, being Meißen's arms, recalls that in 1377 the Counts of Meißen became the local overlords. Until 1993, Gräfenhainichen's coat of arms was of a similar design, but with the heraldic elements arranged slightly differently, and with different colours. The old arms were predominantly red.http://www.ngw.nl/int/dld/g/grafenhai.htm
Town partnerships
Gräfenhainichen maintains partnerships with the following towns: LaubachLaubach
' is a town of approximately 10,000 people in the region of Hesse, Germany. Laubach is known as a , a climatic health resort. It is situated east of Gießen. Surrounding are the towns of , , and .-Points of interest:...
, Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, since 1992 Élancourt
Élancourt
Élancourt is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris 30.6 km from the center, in the "new town" of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.-Transport:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, since 2003 Zoersel
Zoersel
Zoersel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the towns of Halle, St. Antonius and Zoersel proper. On January 1, 2010 Zoersel had a total population of 21,308...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, since August 2005
Transportation
Gräfenhainichen lies on the BundesstraßeBundesstraße
Bundesstraße , abbreviated B, is the denotation for German and Austrian national highways.-Germany:...
federal highway, B 107, running from Bad Düben
Bad Düben
Bad Düben is a town in the district of Nordsachsen in the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated at the southern end of the national park Dübener Heide , between the rivers Elbe and Mulde, which runs through the city center.-History:...
to Coswig
Coswig, Anhalt
Coswig is a town in the district of Wittenberg of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Elbe, approx. 12 km west of Wittenberg, and 15 km east of Dessau.- History :...
, on the B 100 from Wittenberg
Wittenberg
Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is a city in Germany in the Bundesland Saxony-Anhalt, on the river Elbe. It has a population of about 50,000....
to Bitterfeld
Bitterfeld
Bitterfeld is a town in the district Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 July 2007 it has been part of the town Bitterfeld-Wolfen. It is situated approx. 25 km south of Dessau, and 30 km northeast of Halle...
, and on the Landesstraße
Landesstraße
Landesstraßen are roads in Germany and Austria that are, as a rule, the responsibility of the respective German or Austrian federal state. The term may therefore be translated as "state road". They are roads that cross the boundary of a rural or urban district...
(state road) L136 to Zschornewitz
Zschornewitz
Zschornewitz is a village and a former municipality on the southwestern edge of the Wittenberg district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Gräfenhainichen. It was part of the administrative community of Tor zur Dübener Heide...
.
The Dessau-Ost interchange with the A9 autobahn (Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
- Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
) is about 17 km away.
Gräfenhainichen's railway station lies on the Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
line between Wittenberg and Bitterfeld.
Personalities
- Joachim Gottlob Am Ende, Theologian and teacher
- Paul GerhardtPaul GerhardtPaul Gerhardt was a German hymn writer.-Biography:Gerhardt was born into a middle-class family at Gräfenhainichen, a small town between Halle and Wittenberg. At the age of fifteen, he entered the Fürstenschule in Grimma. The school was known for its pious atmosphere and stern discipline...
, Hymn writer - Hugo WincklerHugo WincklerHugo Winckler was a German archaeologist and historian who uncovered the capital of the Hittite Empire at Boğazkale, Turkey....
, Archaeologist and linguist - Johann Gottfried GalleJohann Gottfried GalleJohann Gottfried Galle was a German astronomer at the Berlin Observatory who, on 23 September 1846, with the assistance of student Heinrich Louis d'Arrest, was the first person to view the planet Neptune, and know what he was looking at...
, Astronomer - Paul PleigerPaul PleigerPaul Pleiger was a German state adviser and corporate general director....
(1899-1985), Industrialist
Clubs
- Anglerverein Gräfenhainichen e.V. von 1959 (anglingAnglingAngling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
club) - dashrecords e.V.
- Deutscher Amateur-Radio-Club e.V.
- Ferropolis Bergbau- u. Erlebnisbahn e.V Gräfenhainichen (Ferropolis MiningMiningMining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
and Adventure Railway) - Ferropolis-Schule Gräfenhainichen Förderverein e.V. (Ferropolis School of Gräfenhainichen Development Club)
- Gräfenhainicher Carneval Club e.V. von 1973