Niemegk ( German: [ˈniː.mɛk] ) is a town in the Potsdam-Mittelmark district, in Brandenburg , in eastern Germany . It is the administrative seat of the Amt ("collective municipality") Niemegk .
63-660: The municipal area is situated on the northeastern slopes of the Fläming Heath , east of the Plane river. The surrounding region comprises farmland and extended forests adjoining the High Fläming Nature Park . The town centre is located about 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Bad Belzig , and 23 km (14 mi) north of Wittenberg . The town has access to the Bundesautobahn 9 highway at
126-543: A "place of pilgrimage for the Reformation". With the Luther Decade starting in 2008, the city began preparing for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, which took place in 2017. Numerous buildings have been restored, the infrastructure has been partially renewed and numerous new attractions have been created in the city (e.g. the new Lutherstadt Wittenberg Hauptbahnhof , Arsenal shopping centre, Luthergarden or
189-542: A large black round overprint covering his face. At the end of the war, Soviet forces occupied Wittenberg; it became part of East Germany in 1949. During the East German period, it formed part of Halle District . By means of the peaceful revolution in 1989, the communist régime dissolved and the town has been governed democratically since 1990. Wittenberg is currently characterized by renovation and new construction work, an economic recovery and tourism development as
252-522: A long tradition of cultural events. The Central German State Theatre ( Mitteldeutsches Landestheater ) reached great importance in GDR times. Since 1996, the town has staged open-air theatre shows based on the Lutheran history still alive in many historical places of the ancient town. As highlights, in 2001 and 2005, Fernando Scarpa became the artistic director of the "Bühne Wittenberg" (Stage Wittenberg),
315-527: A project for theatre, art and culture in the whole of Germany which attracts many visitors to the town and whose success is known European-wide. On 2002 and 2003 Stefano Vagnini , Italian composer and organist created the music for Thesys and Luther Stories . Prince Hamlet is said to have studied in Wittenberg and it was the supposed home of Dr. Faustus . Wittenberg is the seat of the Leucorea which
378-473: A theologian and professor of Greek starting a decade later in 1518. On 31 October 1517, according to legend, Luther nailed his "95 Theses" against the selling of indulgences to the huge wooden double-doors front entrance (which longtime served as an informal bulletin board for the parish and local academic community) of the All Saints' Church / Castle Church – an event taken as marking the beginning of
441-639: Is Flaeming-Skate, which is one of the longest inline-skating tracks in Europe (190 km). The towns Ziesar , Bad Belzig , Niemegk , Treuenbrietzen , Jüterbog , Baruth/Mark , Dahme/Mark , Wittenberg , Loburg , Möckern , and Zerbst , as well as the municipalities Wiesenburg (Mark) and Rabenstein/Fläming , are situated in or at the border of the Fläming Heath. 52°00′N 12°45′E / 52.000°N 12.750°E / 52.000; 12.750 This Brandenburg location article
504-576: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Saxony-Anhalt location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Wittenberg Wittenberg , officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg , is the fourth-largest town in the state of Saxony-Anhalt , in the Federal Republic of Germany . It is situated on the River Elbe , 60 kilometers (37 mi) north of Leipzig and 90 kilometers (56 mi) south-west of
567-559: Is also the headquarters of the eco-friendly web search engine Ecosia . Tourism plays a major role. Wittenberg is one of the top destinations in Saxony-Anhalt. Lutherstadt Wittenberg station is the main railway station. It connects Wittenberg hourly with Berlin to the north and Leipzig and Halle (Saale) to the south. The station was rebuilt to be more environmentally friendly and re-opened in December 2016. Wittenberg has
630-418: Is believed to be the town's oldest town seal, which the council used, and which dated from the first half of the 14th century, set the pattern with its elements for various civic coats of arms down to the present day. The coat of arms symbolizes, with its crenelated wall and the towers within and each side, a town that was already strongly fortified by 1409. The two shields in the centre form the coat of arms of
693-697: Is home to numerous historical sites, as well as portraits and other paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder and Younger . On the doors of All Saints' Church, the Schlosskirche ("castle church", built in 1496–1506) Martin Luther is said to have nailed his 95 theses in 1517. It was seriously damaged by fire in 1760 during a bombardment by the French during the Seven Years' War , was practically rebuilt, and
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#1732800828610756-577: Is part of the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg , the largest university in Saxony-Anhalt. Not only the men of the Reformation era Martin Luther , Philipp Melanchthon and Lucas Cranach left their mark on Wittenberg. Much more than in its role as the capital of Kursachsen and as the residential town of Saxony-Wittenberg , the city was shaped by what was probably the most important university in Central Europe at
819-593: The 95 Theses , the first part of the Luther Bible, Luther's Table Talks, and numerous woodcuts were printed here. After the reconstruction of the Cranach courtyards, a historic print shop was re-established in Schlossstrasse, where texts (e.g. Luther's table speeches) and illustrations (in linocut) are now produced as privately printed matter using the letterpress process. The historical Gutenberg press in
882-590: The Congress of Vienna , in the capital of Vienna , Austria, Wittenberg and Saxony was transferred to became part of the Kingdom of Prussia mostly further to the north and east, and administered within the Province of Saxony . Wittenberg continued to be a fortress and military post of the third class during the rest of the 19th century with the reorganisation of German defences until later dismantled two years after
945-665: The Cranachhof at Markt 4 demonstrates how printing was done in the Middle Ages. Wittenberg Castle is the former residence of the Saxon Electors . After being destroyed in 1760 and 1814, it was used as a barracks as part of the defensive fortifications. Since the First World War , the castle has served civilian purposes. Wittenberg's civic coat of arms conveys with its various heraldic elements something of
1008-610: The Elbe River was built between 1487 and 1490 and the castle church (the Schlosskirche in German) was erected between 1496 and 1506. The Elector's palace was rebuilt at the same time. In 1502 , Elector Frederick founded the University of Wittenberg , which attracted some writers such as Dr. Martin Luther (1483–1546), —a professor of theology beginning in 1508—and Philip Melanchthon (1497–1560)—a friend and disciple along with
1071-667: The Evangelical Lutheran seminal theological document of the Augsburg Confession of 1530. The buildings associated with those two figures were added to the UNESCO ( United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization ) designated World Heritage list in 1996, along with other sites in nearby Eisleben , because of their religious significance and testimony to one of the most influential religious, political and social movements of world history from
1134-709: The Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871. That important Central Europe conflict resulting in the organization and proclamation of the German Empire in 1871, which endured under the rule of the German Emperor from the House of Hohenzollern in Berlin until the First World War A prisoner-of-war camp outside of town from 1914 to 1918 was built and set up. A 10 + 1 ⁄ 2 -acre (4.2 ha) camp
1197-653: The Habsburg monarchy of the Austrian Empire bombarded the Kingdom of Prussia 's Royal Prussian Army , which occupied the town. Warfare again touched Wittenberg by the First French Empire of neighboring France far to the west, took control in 1806, during the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) and Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821), (Emperor Napoleon I commanded the refortification of around
1260-593: The Holy Scriptures in Luther's Bible in their own tongue. The Capitulation of Wittenberg (1547) is the name given to the treaty by which John Frederick the Magnanimous was compelled to resign the electoral dignity and most of his territory to the Albertine branch of the noble House of Wettin . During the 18th century in 1760, during the Seven Years' War (1753 / 1756–1763, the military forces of
1323-597: The Iron Cross for his part in the epidemic. The award however was controversial and later questioned by the Allies, who won the conflict. The use of dogs to attack P.O.W.'s was mentioned and described in the manuscript text and criticised by the United States Ambassador to Germany in 1913 to 1917, of Ambassador James W. Gerard (1867–1951), in his famous published book of the era and later produced by
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#17328008286101386-758: The Luftwaffe . This war factory was worked by Jews, Russians, Poles, political prisoners and even a few Americans—all prisoners engaging in forced labour , including POW's who were supposed to be exempt from this sort of labor. American and British planes bombed the factory near the end of the war, and in destroying it killed over one thousand of the prisoners and POW's placed by the Germans in this war plant. The 1995 publication of "...und morgen war Krieg!" by Renate Gruber-Lieblich attempts to document this tragic bombing outside Wittenberg. In 1945, Wittenberg issued 19 of its own postage stamps, each depicting Hitler but with
1449-780: The Medieval / Middle Ages era in the History of Europe . [REDACTED] Duchy of Saxony 1180–1296 [REDACTED] Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg 1296–1356 [REDACTED] Electorate of Saxony 1356–1806 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Saxony 1806–1815 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Prussia 1815–1871 [REDACTED] German Empire 1871–1918 [REDACTED] Weimar Republic 1918–1933 [REDACTED] Nazi Germany 1933–1945 [REDACTED] Soviet occupation zone 1945–1949 [REDACTED] East Germany 1949–1990 [REDACTED] Germany 1990– present Historical documents first mention
1512-634: The Protestant Reformation and the start of a major branch of Western Christianity of Evangelical Ltheranism (followed by over 70 million believers in the world today). The more radical later Protestant group of the Anabaptist movement also had one of its earliest homes in Wittenberg, when the Zwickau prophets moved there in late 1521 only to be suppressed by upset and angry Luther when he returned from temporary hiding and exile at
1575-689: The Red Army and therefore inaccessible. On the site of the former Franciscan monastery, the city's Central Visitors' Reception was opened in 2014/2015. It includes the event centre Stadthaus, the Historical City Information , the Council Archive and the Tourist and City Information Centre. In the centre of the old town is the generously proportioned market square, where a harmonious ensemble of town houses has grown up over
1638-404: The Seven Years' War , the building was severely damaged and rebuilt with a lower building height. Several building activities in the following period have greatly changed the appearance of the building. At the end of the 19th century, for example, one storey was added and large window openings were broken in on the south side. Between 1945 and 1992, Arsenal Square with the town house was occupied by
1701-641: The reformer Philipp Melanchthon lived and died. It houses an exhibition. In 2013, the house received an extension according to plans by the architects Dietsch & Weber from Halle made of grey brick. Founded in 1502, the University of Leucorea in Collegienstraße was and is not only a teaching institution. For example, the famous personalities of the Reformation Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon spent time here. Over
1764-522: The "cradle of the Reformation" and "cradle of Protestantism ". Several of Wittenberg's buildings are associated with the historical / religious events, including a preserved part of the Augustinian monastery of the local community of the world-wide Roman Catholic Order of St. Augustine in which Luther lived, first as a celibate monk and later as property owner with his later wife Katharina von Bora (c. 1499–1552), and family, considered to be
1827-516: The 12th century, when Flemish colonists came to settle in the region from the overcrowded cities of Flanders . The Fläming Heath is a rural area, which benefits from its proximity to the Berlin metropolitan area. Tourism became an important economic sector. With its three nature parks ( High Fläming Nature Park , Fläming Nature Park , and Nuthe-Nieplitz Nature Park), the focus is on walking, cycling and recreation in nature. Another tourist attraction
1890-530: The 13th century. The town house contains significant remains of the medieval building fabric of the former monastery church of the Franciscans , which in turn was used as the burial place of the Ascanians . As early as 1536, the building was converted into a granary by Conrad Theiß and heavily remodelled by adding several levels. The medieval windows were closed and pouring openings were installed. During
1953-726: The Duke of Saxony-Wittenberg the honour of Elector. Wittenberg became an Electoral residence. The shield with its crossed swords stands for the office of "Arch-Marshal of the Holy Roman Empire" inextricably joined by the Electorate, brought to Wittenberg by Rudolf I . Both coats of arms continued to be used by the Wettins after the Ascanians died out. The flowing water at the foot of the shield symbolizes Wittenberg's location on
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2016-652: The Electorate of Saxony with the Saxon arms on the right, whose gold and black stripes recall the Ascanian rulers' house colours with the Rautenkranz or crancelin (literally " rue wreath"; see the Saxony article for more) across them symbolizing the town's founder Duke Albrecht II since 1262, when it appeared in his arms. The shield on the left is the Wittenberg district's arms. In 1356, Emperor Charles IV bestowed upon
2079-763: The Niemegk junction. A Burgward at the former site of a Slavic fortress ( gord ) was first mentioned in an 1161 deed, at the time when the Ascanian margrave Albert the Bear conquered the Hevelli lands in the north. The name Nymik or Niemeke is possibly derived from the town of Nijmegen in the Low Countries , the place of origin of German settlers . The estates were held by the Teutonic Order and
2142-535: The Panometer). In 2014 Lutherstadt Wittenberg was awarded the honorary title European City of the Reformation by the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe . The figures are given for the metropolitan district at the point in time. Up to 1791 the figures are generally estimated, later figures are from census or local authorities. Source: 2012 census. The town Wittenberg consists of Wittenberg proper and
2205-640: The River Elbe. The fish is a salmon , which as once abundant in the Elbe. The fishermen , like all professions in town, got their own order in 1422, and the fish found its way onto their coat of arms. The town is an important centre of chemical industry with the SKW Stickstoffwerke Piesteritz GmbH [ de ] . The whole area of the industrial park covers more than 220 hectares with more than 1,500 workers. Wittenberg
2268-774: The Saxon defeat at the 1547 Battle of Mühlberg , and was devastated in the Thirty Years' War . After the Napoleonic Wars and the 1815 Congress of Vienna , the town fell to Prussia and was incorporated into the Province of Brandenburg . From 1868, young Robert Koch worked in Niemegk as a country doctor. During World War II , Niemegk was the location of a subcamp of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp for prisoners of various nationalities, especially Norwegians, but also Dutch, Poles (including kidnapped children , which were to be Germanized and adopted by German families), French, Czechs, Russians, Britons, Germans. After
2331-568: The Younger, who is also buried in the church. St. Mary's Church, the parish church in which Luther often preached, was built in the 14th century, but has been much altered since Luther's time. It contains a painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder, representing the Last Supper (with the faces of Luther and other reformers), Baptism and Confession, also a font by Hermann Vischer the Elder (1457). In addition, there are numerous historic paintings in
2394-469: The beginning Hollywood motion pictures industry as a documentary silent film " My Four Years in Germany ", in 1918. Unlike many other historic German cities during World War II , Wittenberg's town centre was spared destruction during the conflict. The Allies agreed not to bomb Wittenberg, though fighting took place in the town, with bullet pock-marks visible on the statues of Luther and Melanchthon in
2457-735: The building houses the Reformation History Museum with its collections of pictures, writings and contemporary exhibits from the Reformation era. During the renovation of the Luther House, its medieval charm was partially lost. The architectural style of the Melanchthon House in Collegienstraße, which expresses the self-confident modernity of the Renaissance , is an architectural sight. In this house
2520-460: The centuries. On it are the Renaissance town hall, the monuments to Martin Luther (designed by Schadow ) and Philipp Melanchthon (by Drake ), as well as the Marktbrunnen . Since the town administration has been located in the former Tauentzien barracks in Lutherstraße beginning in 2000 (New Town Hall), the town hall on the market square has been called the Old Town Hall and has since served more representative purposes. The Cranach Courts attest to
2583-469: The church. The ancient electoral palace is another of the buildings that suffered severely in 1760; it now contains archives. Martin Luther's home, the Lutherhaus , where he studied and lived both before and after the Reformation, is now a museum containing many artifacts from his life. Melanchthon's house and the house of Lucas Cranach the Elder, mayor of Wittenberg, can also be found here. Statues of Luther (by Schadow), Melanchthon and Bugenhagen embellish
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2646-436: The church. The church on Mauerstraße was consecrated in 1872 by Bishop Konrad Martin . It was renovated in 1999/2000. Christ Church was built as another church in 1907/1908 in the suburb of Kleinwittenberg in historicist forms. The representative showcase building Augusteum was once an extension of the University of Wittenberg "Leucorea". In the inner courtyard of the Augusteum is the former home of Martin Luther . Today,
2709-424: The edges of town in 1813. The following year in 1814, the Royal Prussian Army under Bogislav Friedrich Emanuel von Tauentzien had returned now a half-century later, this time storming the outskirts of Wittenberg; he received the title of "von Wittenberg" as a battle reward. Following the fall and exile of Napoleon in 1814 and 1815, and as a result of the negotiations at the ensuing major European peace conference at
2772-446: The following Ortschaften or municipal divisions: Wittenberg has a typical oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ; Trewartha : Dobk ) with cool winters and warm summers. The average temperature in Wittenberg ranges from 1 °C (34 °F) in winter to 19 °C (66 °F) in summer, with the average temperature from May to September being above 10 °C (50 °F). Winter begins in early October and spring begins in mid-April of
2835-425: The following year. There are 14.1 days of daytime high temperatures exceeding 30 °C (86 °F) each year, and about 18 days of daytime maximum temperatures below freezing each winter. The Wittenberg weather station has recorded the following extreme values: Lutherstadt Wittenberg has a wide range of cultural sites. Most are located within the historic old town along the Wittenberg Culture Mile . Wittenberg
2898-430: The former village was vested with town privileges in 1228. Since the mid 13th century, the area was part of the Ascanian Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg and, from 1356, of the Saxon electorate . Located on its northeastern border, it was the scene of numerous conflicts with Brandenburg knights and the forces of the Magdeburg archbishops . The town again suffered from Hussite raids in 1429, marauding Imperial troops after
2961-408: The history of the university, which is rich in tradition, developments took place that had an impact not only on Germany but also on large parts of the world. The Hamlethaus in Collegienstraße blends into the ensemble of the town. The Bugenhagen House next to the town church is the oldest Protestant vicarage in the world and is one of the most significant memorials to the Reformation. Until 1997, it
3024-416: The local branch of the Ascanians died out in 1422, control of Saxe-Wittenberg passed to the House of Wettin . The town became an important regional political and cultural centre at the end of the 15th century when Frederick III "the Wise", the Elector of Saxony from 1486 to 1525, made his residence in Wittenberg. Several parts of the boundaries of the town were extended soon afterwards. The second bridge over
3087-497: The market square – or so the popular version of the town's history goes. In actual fact the Luther statue was not even present in the town square during much of the war but in storage at Luther Brunnen, a roadhouse a few kilometres north of the town. Wittenberg's reputation as a town protected from Allied bombing is largely accurate. However, just outside Wittenberg the government had built the Arado Flugzeugwerke (the Arado Aircraft Factory), which produced components of airplanes for
3150-402: The official residence of the Wittenberg superintendents. The artistic decoration is well preserved and includes works by Lucas Cranach the Elder and Lucas Cranach the Younger . Epitaphs on the interior and exterior walls refer to the work of many important personalities. The cemetery chapel of the Holy Corpse stands to the south of the town church and once belonged to the walled cemetery area of
3213-430: The remote hilltop Wartburg Castle in the spring of 1522. There he had spent months of time, effort and research into translating the two to four thousand years old texts of ancient languages of ancient Hebrew , Ancient Greek and Latin texts and manuscripts of the Old Testament and New Testament in the Bible into then common 16th century version of their German language so that the Christian lay people could read
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#17328008286103276-452: The reunified German federal capital city of Berlin , and has a population of 46,008 (2018). Wittenberg is famous for its close connection with Dr. Martin Luther (1483–1546) and the 16th century religious / theological movement of Protestantism begun here in the Reformation and the large branch of Western Christianity started here of Evangelical Lutheranism , for which it received the honorific title Lutherstadt and has been called
3339-401: The settlement in 1180 as a small village founded by Flemish colonists under the rule of the House of Ascania . In 1260 this village became the residence of the dukes of Saxe-Wittenberg , and in 1293 the settlement was granted its town charter as a free-standing town. Wittenberg developed into an important trade centre during the following few centuries because of its central location. When
3402-424: The town's history. On 27 June 1293, Wittenberg was granted town rights by Duke Albert II. There then arose a mediaeval town whose highest governing body was its council. This council, known to have existed as early as 1317, was given the job of administering the town in its care through law and legislation, and of handling the town's revenue. For documentation, the administration used its own seal. One version of what
3465-444: The town. The spot outside the Elster Gate where Luther publicly burned the papal bull in 1520 is marked by an oak tree. The original Wittenberg University quadrangle also lies in the city centre. One of the town's main attractions is the Schlosskirche (Castle Church), most notably associated with the publication of Martin Luther 's 95 Theses , a bold attack on the Roman Catholic Church's practice of indulgences. The castle church
3528-426: The war, the town was part of East Germany . Seats in the town's assembly ( Stadtverordnetenversammlung ) as of 2014 local elections: Fl%C3%A4ming Heath The Fläming Heath is a region and hill chain that reaches over 100 km from the Elbe river to the Dahme River in the German states Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg . Its highest elevation is the Hagelberg (201 m). The name Fläming originates from
3591-404: The work of Lucas Cranach the Elder , Lucas Cranach the Younger , Hans Cranach , Augustin Cranach , and Lucas Cranach III in Wittenberg. The building at Markt 4 and the pharmacy with the courtyard at Schlossstraße 1 show points of contact with Lucas Cranach and his descendants. Lucas Cranach the Elder set up his own print shop in the once-famous printing town of Wittenberg. Among other things,
3654-617: The world's premier museum dedicated to Luther and the Reformation era. Wittenberg was also the seat of the prince Elector of Saxony , a dignity held by the dukes of the Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg , making it one of the most powerful cities in the thousand years old of the Holy Roman Empire (A.D. c.800 / 962–1806) in Central Europe. Today Wittenberg is an industrial centre and popular tourist destination, best known for its intact historic centre and various additional memorial sites dedicated to Martin Luther and his friend and fellow theologian / reformer Philip Melanchthon (1497–1560), major author of
3717-404: Was extensively renovated. St. Mary's Town Church and Parish Church is the mother church of the Reformation. The first Protestant service was held in it in 1521 by Justus Jonas the Elder and Andreas Bodenstein of Karlstadt. As Martin Luther's preaching church, it was the Reformation official church of the general superintendents of the Saxon Kurkreis . After the Congress of Vienna it became
3780-426: Was later (1885–1892) restored. The wooden doors, burnt in 1760, were replaced in 1858 by bronze doors, bearing the Latin text of the theses. Inside the church are the tombs of Martin Luther , Philipp Melanchthon , Johannes Bugenhagen , Paul Eber and of the electors Frederick the Wise (by Peter Vischer the Younger , 1527) and John the Constant (by Hans Vischer ), and portraits of the reformers by Lucas Cranach
3843-405: Was remodelled between 1883 and 1892. According to the intentions of the builders, the world-historical significance of the castle church was to be expressed. In the spirit of the historicism period, the statement was related to the precursors and bearers of the Reformation, thus creating a Reformation memorial. On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the posting of the theses in 2017, the church
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#17328008286103906-408: Was set up at Klein Wittenberg, 2 miles (3.2 km) from the city. Eight compounds held 13,000 men of soldiers, sailors and pilots captured from the Allied armies of several opposing enemy nations. During the typhus epidemic of 1914–1915, conditions were harsh. The camp medical officer, Dr. Aschenbach who supposedly did the best he could, was later awarded the Imperial German military decoration of
3969-445: Was the residence and place of work of the Wittenberg superintendents without interruption since the Reformation. Johannes Bugenhagen was the first pastor to live here until his death in 1558. Between 2004 and 2007, the building was thoroughly renovated and now serves as a spiritual community and meeting centre. The Stadthaus is a modern building complex on Arsenalplatz that includes several historic buildings. Their origins date back to
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