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95-488: It is sometimes called the "Nice of Saxony" for its pleasant landscape and mild climate. A village Radebeul was first mentioned in 1349. In 1905 it absorbed the neighboring village of Serkowitz. On April 1, 1924 Radebeul became a town. Meanwhile, the neighboring village of Kötzschenbroda had taken over Lindenau in 1920, and Naundorf, Zitzschewig und Niederlößnitz by 1924, when it was made a town as well. In 1934 Wahnsdorf and Oberlößnitz joined Radebeul, and on January 1, 1935

190-510: A district quite worth seeing with shops, bars and cafes, as well as other cultural offerings (including the Tom-Pauls-Theater). The renovation of the old town repeatedly brought historical features to light. During the renovation of a house on the market square, for example, an approx. 500-year-old wall painting was uncovered that shows a "wrong" type of wild animal hunting - animals hunting and devouring humans - and which, according to

285-778: A large hole into which an additional 4,000 prisoners were to be disposed of. During the war, Dresden was the location of several forced labour subcamps of the Stalag IV-A prisoner-of-war camp for Allied POWs, and seven subcamps of the Flossenbürg concentration camp , in which some 3,600 men, women and children were imprisoned, mostly Polish , Jewish and Russian. In April 1945, most surviving prisoners were sent on death marches to various destinations in Saxony and German-occupied Czechoslovakia , whereas some women were probably murdered and some managed to escape. Dresden in

380-597: A major Nazi museum director and art dealer, to hide a large collection of artwork worth tens of millions of dollars that had been stolen during the Nazi era, as he claimed it had been destroyed along with his house which was located in Dresden. The Allies described the operation as the legitimate bombing of a military and industrial target. Several researchers have argued that the February attacks were disproportionate . As

475-522: A major cultural centre of historical memory, owing to the city's destruction in World War II. Each year on 13 February, the anniversary of the British and American fire-bombing raid that destroyed most of the city, tens of thousands of demonstrators gather to commemorate the event. Since reunification, the ceremony has taken on a more neutral and pacifist tone (after being used more politically during

570-493: A number of 64 young members. In 2012 the department raised money to create a flag of honor. The assets cost (including gear) totaled a sum of around 12000 Euro, which were gathered through donations (citizen and companies alike). Every donator was allowed to sign one of the flag nails with his name. Fundraising took place from March to the end of July 2012, and the flag was made in September. The flag consecration took place at

665-660: A part of the large mental asylum within Sonnenstein Castle was converted into a euthanasia killing center: the Sonnenstein Nazi Death Institute . It was a testing ground for initial development of certain methods, later generally adopted and refined for usage associated with the Final Solution . A gas chamber and crematorium were installed in the cellar of the former men's sanitary (building C 16). A high brick-wall on two sides of

760-629: A record calling the place "Civitas Dresdene". After 1270, Dresden became the capital of the margraviate. It was given to Friedrich Clem after the death of Henry the Illustrious in 1288. It was taken by the Margraviate of Brandenburg in 1316 and was restored to the Wettin dynasty after the death of Valdemar the Great in 1319. From 1485, it was the seat of the dukes of Saxony , and from 1547

855-414: A result of inadequate Nazi air raid measures for refugees, mostly women and children died. American author Kurt Vonnegut 's novel Slaughterhouse Five is loosely based on his first-hand experience of the raid as a prisoner of war . In remembrance of the victims, the anniversaries of the bombing of Dresden are marked with peace demonstrations, devotions and marches. Following his military service

950-471: A skeleton previously used as a model for drawing art classes was found in the ruins of the Dresden Art Academy, the photographer Edmund Kesting with the assistance of Peter posed it in a number of different locations to produce a series of haunting photographic images to give the impression that Death was wandering through the city in search of the dead. Kesting subsequently published them in

1045-642: A very large mental hospital in Castle Sonnenstein. But when on September 14, 1813, French troops occupied the Sonnenstein, they forced the evacuation of 275 patients, seized supplies and tore the roof trusses out to remove a fire threat. In September 1813, emperor Napoleon temporarily lived at the Marienhaus, located at the market. Until Dresden 's surrender on November 11 the French defended

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1140-920: A wasteland before it was rebuilt in the socialist style at the beginning of the 1960s. However, the majority of historic buildings were saved or reconstructed. Among them were the Ständehaus (1946), the Augustusbrücke (1949), the Kreuzkirche (until 1955), the Zwinger (until 1963), the Catholic Court Church (until 1965), the Semperoper (until 1985), the Japanese Palace (until 1987) and the two largest train stations. Some of this work dragged on for decades, often interrupted by

1235-1045: Is Südostmeißenisch , which is part of the Upper Saxon German group of regiolects . ⎈ Samo’s Empire 631-658 [REDACTED] Margraviate of Meissen 1233-1293 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Bohemia 1293-1405 [REDACTED]   Electorate of Saxony 1405-1485 [REDACTED] Albertine Duchy of Saxony 1485-1547 [REDACTED]   Electorate of Saxony 1547-1697 [REDACTED] Poland - Saxony 1697-1706 [REDACTED]   Electorate of Saxony 1706-1709 [REDACTED] Poland - Saxony 1709-1763 [REDACTED]   Electorate of Saxony 1763-1806 [REDACTED]   Kingdom of Saxony 1806-1918 [REDACTED]   German Empire 1871-1918 [REDACTED]   Weimar Republic 1918-1933 [REDACTED]   Nazi Germany 1933-1945 [REDACTED]   Allied-occupied Germany 1945-1949 [REDACTED]   East Germany 1949-1990 [REDACTED] 1990-present Tools made of flint from

1330-547: Is a relatively recent city that grew from a Slavic village after Germans came to dominate the area, the area had been settled in the Neolithic era by Linear Pottery culture tribes c. 7500 BC . Dresden's founding and early growth is associated with the eastward expansion of Germanic peoples , mining in the nearby Ore Mountains , and the establishment of the Margraviate of Meissen . Its name comes from Sorbian Drježdźany (current Upper Sorbian form), meaning "people of

1425-541: Is a town in Saxony , Germany and capital of the administrative district Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge . The town's population is over 37,000. Pirna is located near Dresden and is an important district town as well as a Große Kreisstadt . Pirna is located in the vicinity of the Sandstone Mountains in the upper Elbe valley , where two nearby tributaries, Wesenitz from the north and Gottleuba from

1520-532: Is about 150 kilometres (93 miles) to the south and Wrocław (Poland) 200 kilometres (120 miles) to the east. Dresden is one of the greenest cities in all of Europe, with 62% of the city being green areas and forests. The Dresden Heath ( Dresdner Heide ) to the north is a forest 50 km (19 sq mi) in size. There are four nature reserves . The additional Special Conservation Areas cover 18 km (6.9 sq mi). The protected gardens, parkways, parks and old graveyards host 110 natural monuments in

1615-595: Is dominated by high-tech branches , often called " Silicon Saxony ". According to the Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI) and Berenberg Bank in 2019, Dresden had the seventh best prospects for the future of all cities in Germany. Dresden is one of the most visited cities in Germany with 4.7 million overnight stays per year. Its most prominent building is the Frauenkirche located at

1710-618: Is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig . It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth largest by area (after Berlin , Hamburg , and Cologne ), and the third most populous city in the area of former East Germany , after Berlin and Leipzig. Dresden's urban area comprises the towns of Freital , Pirna , Radebeul , Meissen , Coswig , Radeberg and Heidenau and has around 790,000 inhabitants. The Dresden metropolitan area has approximately 1.34 million inhabitants. Dresden

1805-837: Is the second largest city on the River Elbe after Hamburg. Most of the city's population lives in the Elbe Valley , but a large, albeit very sparsely populated, area of the city east of the Elbe lies in the West Lusatian Hill Country and Uplands (the westernmost part of the Sudetes ) and thus in Lusatia . Many boroughs west of the Elbe lie in the Ore Mountain Foreland , as well as in the valleys of

1900-467: The Cold War ). Beginning in 1999, right-wing Neo-Nazi white nationalist groups have organised demonstrations in Dresden that have been among the largest of their type in the post-war history of Germany . Each year around the anniversary of the city's destruction, people convene in the memory of those who died in the fire-bombing. The completion of the reconstructed Dresden Frauenkirche in 2005 marked

1995-670: The Dresden S-Bahn and the Dresden to Prague railway, is located to the west of the town centre, and is the junction point for the line to Neustadt in Sachsen and Sebnitz . Besides the town's main station, it is also served by Obervogelgesang , Pirna-Copitz and Pirna-Copitz Nord stations. Pirna is also a stop for the Sächsische Dampfschiffahrt ships, including historic paddle steamers , operating on

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2090-547: The Elbe to flood 9 metres (30 ft) above its normal height, i.e., even higher than the old record height from 1845, damaging many landmarks (see 2002 European floods ). The destruction from this "millennium flood" is no longer visible, due to the speed of reconstruction. The United Nations' cultural organization UNESCO declared the Dresden Elbe Valley to be a World Heritage Site in 2004. After being placed on

2185-741: The Elbe , mostly in the Dresden Basin , with the further reaches of the eastern Ore Mountains to the south, the steep slope of the Lusatian granitic crust to the north, and the Elbe Sandstone Mountains to the east at an altitude of about 113 metres (371 feet). Triebenberg is the highest point in Dresden at 384 metres (1,260 feet). With a pleasant location and a mild climate on the Elbe, as well as Baroque-style architecture and numerous world-renowned museums and art collections, Dresden has been called "Elbflorenz" ( Florence on

2280-756: The Group of Soviet Forces in Germany after the war. Apart from the German army officers' school ( Offizierschule des Heeres ), there have been no more military units in Dresden since the army merger during German reunification, and the withdrawal of Soviet forces in 1992. Nowadays, the Bundeswehr operates the Military History Museum of the Federal Republic of Germany in the former Albertstadt garrison. Two book burnings were organised in

2375-664: The Grünes Gewölbe and the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon . Strengthening ties with Poland, postal routes to Poznań , Toruń and Warsaw were established under Augustus II the Strong. In 1726 there was a riot for two days after a Protestant clergyman was killed by a soldier who had recently converted from Catholicism. In 1745, the Treaty of Dresden between Prussia, Saxony, and Austria ended

2470-635: The Neumarkt . Built in the 18th century, the church was destroyed during World War II. The remaining ruins were left for 50 years as a war memorial, before being rebuilt between 1994 and 2005. Other famous landmarks include the Zwinger , the Semperoper and Dresden Castle . Furthermore, the city is home to the renowned Dresden State Art Collections , originating from the collections of the Saxon electors in

2565-721: The Perun cult, covered up by a fanciful, German-language notion about the town's name ("pear" is Birne in German , which sounds rather like "Pirna" Latin : "Pyrus" ). With the conquest of the Slavic communities and the founding of the Mark by the Germans ( Henry the Fowler founded the castle of Meissen in 929), settlement in the Pirna area is again verifiable. The castle in Pirna, which

2660-647: The Prussians , who had invaded without declaring war, to the levels between Königstein Fortress and Sonnenstein Castle and capitulated there on October 16, two days after Sonnenstein surrendered . In 1758, Austrian troops and the Imperial Army besieged the fortress. A Kattundruck manufactory for cotton printing opened as the first of its kind in 1774. In 1811 the physician Ernst Gottlob Pienitz opened

2755-671: The Second Silesian War . Only a few years later, Dresden suffered heavy destruction in the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), following its capture by Prussian forces, its subsequent re-capture, and a failed Prussian siege in 1760. Friedrich Schiller completed his Ode to Joy (the literary base of the European anthem ) in Dresden in 1785. In 1793, preparations for the Polish Kościuszko Uprising started in

2850-653: The Semper Opera House and the Zwinger Palace , although the city leaders chose to rebuild large areas of the city in a "socialist modern" style, partly for economic reasons, but also to break away from the city's past as the royal capital of Saxony and a stronghold of the German bourgeoisie. Until the end of the Cold War, the 1st Guards Tank Army of the Soviet Army and the 7th Panzer Division of

2945-428: The electors as well. The Elector and ruler of Saxony Frederick Augustus I became King Augustus II the Strong of Poland in 1697. He gathered many of the best musicians, architects and painters from all over Europe to Dresden. His reign marked the beginning of Dresden's emergence as a leading European city for technology and art. During the reign of Kings Augustus II the Strong and Augustus III of Poland most of

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3040-607: The 08.11.2012. The departments of Meißen, Moritzburg and Coswig were invited to this ceremony. The flag consecration sponsorship was picked up by the county fire fighter organization of Meißen. The president of the parliament of Saxony, Dr. Rößler, was patron. The flag is stored at the city hall in Radebeul. Radebeul is twinned with: Dresden Dresden ( / ˈ d r ɛ z d ən / , German: [ˈdʁeːsdn̩] ; Upper Saxon : Dräsdn ; Upper Sorbian : Drježdźany , pronounced [ˈdʁʲɛʒdʒanɨ] )

3135-1203: The 16th century. Dresden's Striezelmarkt is one of the largest Christmas markets in Germany and is considered the first genuine Christmas market in the world. Nearby sights include the National Park of Saxon Switzerland , the Ore Mountains and the countryside around Elbe Valley , Moritzburg Castle and Meissen , home of Meissen porcelain . [REDACTED] Margravate of Meissen , 1319–1423 [REDACTED] Electorate of Saxony , 1423–1806 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Saxony , 1806–1848 [REDACTED] German Empire , 1848–1849 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Saxony , 1849–1918 [REDACTED] North German Confederation ( Kingdom of Saxony ), 1867–1871 [REDACTED] German Empire ( Kingdom of Saxony ), 1867–1918 [REDACTED] Weimar Republic ( Free State of Saxony ), 1918–1933 [REDACTED] Nazi Germany , 1933–1945 [REDACTED] Soviet occupation zone of Germany , 1945–1949 [REDACTED] East Germany , 1949–1990 [REDACTED]   Germany ( Free State of Saxony ), 1990–present Although Dresden

3230-525: The 20th century was a major communications hub and manufacturing centre with 127 factories and major workshops and was designated by the German military as a defensive strongpoint, with which to hinder the Soviet advance. Being the capital of the German state of Saxony , Dresden not only had garrisons but a whole military borough , the Albertstadt . This military complex, named after Saxon King Albert,

3325-649: The Altmarkt. From 1955 to 1958, a large part of the art treasures looted by the Soviet Union was returned, which meant that from 1960 onwards many state art collections could be opened in reconstructed facilities or interim exhibitions. Important orchestras such as the Staatskapelle performed in alternative venues (for example in the Kulturpalast from 1969). Some cultural institutions were moved out of

3420-468: The Elbe). The incorporation of neighbouring rural communities over the past 60 years has made Dresden the fourth largest urban district by area in Germany after Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne . The nearest German cities are Chemnitz 62 kilometres (39 miles) to the southwest, Leipzig 100 kilometres (62 miles) to the northwest and Berlin 165 kilometres (103 miles) to the north. Prague (Czech Republic)

3515-415: The German average, with a January average temperature of 0.1 °C (32.18 °F). The driest months are February, March and April, with precipitation of around 40 mm (1.6 in). The wettest months are July and August, with more than 80 mm (3.1 in) per month. Pirna Pirna ( German: [ˈpɪʁna] ; Upper Sorbian : Pěrno , pronounced [ˈpʲɪʁnɔ] )

3610-526: The German press photographer and photojournalist Richard Peter returned to Dresden and began to document the ruined city. Among his best known works Blick auf Dresden vom Rathausturm ( View of Dresden from the Rathaus Tower ). It has become one of the best known photographs of a ruined post-war Germany following its appearance in 1949 in his book Dresden, eine Kamera klagt an ("Dresden, a photographic accusation", ISBN   3-930195-03-8 ). When

3705-642: The Germanic tribes in the Elbe Valley, who had lived in the area for a couple of centuries from the 4th century BC on. The name Pirna derives from the Sorbian phrase, na pernem , meaning on the hard (stone) and is also related to the Slavic deity Perun , whose cult was present in all Slavic and Baltic territories. The representation of a pear tree in the coat of arms was a later cryptic representation of

3800-415: The National People's Army were stationed in and around Dresden. Following reunification in 1989, the Soviet / Russian troops were withdrawn from Germany in the early 1990s and the NVA dissolved in accordance with the provisions of the Two-Plus-Four Treaty of 1990 . From 1985 to 1990, the future President of Russia, Vladimir Putin , was stationed in Dresden by the KGB , where he worked for Lazar Matveev ,

3895-412: The Polish uprisings of 1831 , 1848 and 1863 many Poles fled to Dresden, including the artistic and political elite, such as composer Frédéric Chopin , war hero Józef Bem and writer Adam Mickiewicz . Mickiewicz wrote one of his greatest works, Dziady , Part III , there. Dresden itself was a centre of the German Revolutions in 1848–1849 with the May Uprising , which cost human lives and damaged

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3990-414: The Saxon State Office for Monument Protection, is unique in this form in Saxony. In addition, valuable wooden beam ceilings were exposed in numerous houses. In August 2002, the town suffered great damage during the widespread flooding in Europe , reaching its apex on 16 August. Two factors greatly worsened the effect: First, the large earthen structure supporting the railway line acted as a dam, retaining

4085-408: The beginning of the 1990s with intensive funding from the urban development funding programs. In the meantime, over 90% of the 300 buildings in the historic old town have been renovated. The number of inhabitants in the redevelopment area of the old town has doubled since the end of the 1990s, from almost 1,000 to almost 2,000 (as of 2013). The market square and the surrounding alleys have developed into

4180-570: The bombing saved their lives. The Semper Synagogue was destroyed in November 1938 on Kristallnacht . During the German invasion of Poland at the start of World War II , in September 1939, the Gestapo carried out mass arrests of local Polish activists. Other non-Jews were also targeted, and over 1,300 people were executed by the Nazis at the Münchner Platz, a courthouse in Dresden, including labour leaders, undesirables, resistance fighters and anyone caught listening to foreign radio broadcasts. The bombing stopped prisoners who were busy digging

4275-462: The book Dresdner Totentanz ( Dresden's Death Dance ). The damage from the Allied air raids was so extensive that following the end of the Second World War, a narrow gauge light railway system was constructed to remove the debris, though being makeshift there were frequent derailments. This railway system, which had seven lines, employed 5,000 staff and 40 locomotives, all of which bore women's names. The last train remained in service until 1958, though

4370-513: The bridge over the Elbe. Though there were only strategic targets most of the over 200 dead were civilians. During the existence of the GDR and its economic model, a so-called planned economy , people mostly worked in publicly owned enterprises : Among other things, Pirna 014 turbines for the 152 jet aircraft developed in the GDR were built at VEB Strömungsmaschinen. All these businesses did not continue to exist for long after reunification, because they were not competitive. The Elbe river

4465-435: The city by Tadeusz Kościuszko in response to the Second Partition of Poland . In 1806, Dresden became the capital of the Kingdom of Saxony established by Napoleon . During the Napoleonic Wars the French Emperor made it a base of operations , winning there the Battle of Dresden on 27 August 1813. As a result of the Congress of Vienna , the Kingdom of Saxony became part of the German Confederation in 1815. Following

4560-422: The city center (for example the state library in Albertstadt). The Outer Neustadt, which was almost undamaged during the war was threatened with demolition in the 1980s following years of neglect, but was preserved following public protests. To house the homeless large prefabricated housing estates were built on previously undeveloped land In Prohlis and Gorbitz. Damaged housing in the Johannstadt and other areas in

4655-458: The city center were demolished and replaced with large apartment blocks. The villa districts in Blasewitz, Striesen, Kleinzschachwitz, Loschwitz and on the Weißen Hirsch were largely preserved. Dresden became a major industrial centre of East Germany, with a great deal of research infrastructure. It was the centre of Bezirk Dresden (Dresden District) between 1952 and 1990. Many of the city's important historic buildings were reconstructed, including

4750-446: The city in 1933, one by the SA on Wettiner Platz, the second one by German Student Union at the Bismarck Column on Räcknitzhöhe. During the Nazi era from 1933 to 1945, the Jewish community of Dresden was reduced from over 6,000 (7,100 people were persecuted as Jews) to 41, mostly as a result of emigration, but later also deportation and murder. One of the survivors was Victor Klemperer with his non-Jewish wife, who believed that

4845-425: The city's baroque landmarks were built. These include the Zwinger Royal Palace , the Japanese Palace , the Taschenbergpalais , the Pillnitz Castle and the two landmark churches: the Catholic Hofkirche and the Lutheran Frauenkirche . In addition, significant art collections and museums were founded. Notable examples include the Dresden Porcelain Collection , the Collection of Prints, Drawings and Photographs ,

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4940-584: The city. The Dresden Elbe Valley is a former world heritage site which is focused on the conservation of the cultural landscape in Dresden. One important part of that landscape is the Elbe meadows, which cross the city in a 20 kilometre swath. Saxon Switzerland is located south-east of the city. Like most of eastern Germany, Dresden has an oceanic climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfb ), with significant continental influences due to its inland location. The summers are warm, averaging 19.0 °C (66.2 °F) in July. The winters are slightly colder than

5035-458: The complex shielded it from outside view. Four buildings were located inside this brick-wall shielding. They were used as offices, living rooms for the personnel, etc. Sleeping quarters for the men responsible for incinerating the bodies were provided in the attic of building C 16. It is possible that other sections of the buildings were also used by Action T4 . From end of June 1940 until September 1942, approximately 15,000 persons were killed in

5130-456: The district of Meißen . The town can be reached by Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe tram route 4 or by Dresden S-Bahn line S1, which serves four stations in Radebeul ( Radebeul Ost , Radebeul-Weintraube , Radebeul Kötzschenbroda and Radebeul-Zitzschewig) on the Pirna–Coswig railway . Deutsche Bahn 's Regional-Express 50 service also stops at Radebeul Ost. It is also the terminus of the historic Radebeul–Radeburg narrow-gauge steam railway and

5225-423: The end futile, the town was greatly devastated. About 600 people were murdered ( Pirnaisches Elend , lit. "Misery of Pirna"). In around 1670, based upon recent military developments, the Sonnenstein fortress was built. Only the powerful stonework still exists today. In 1707, Pirna had debts that related to the Great Northern War of more than 100,000 Thalers . On August 29, 1756, the small Saxon army fled before

5320-413: The engineer battalions 12 and 5 of the Royal Saxon field artillery regiment No. 64 were billeted on Rottwerndorfer Straße. In 1922/23, the town incorporated several municipalities including Posta , Niedervogelgesang , Obervogelgesang , Copitz , Hinterjessen , Neundorf , Zuschendorf , Rottwerndorf and Zehista . The population totaled about 30,000 inhabitants. From early 1940 until end of June 1942,

5415-411: The fall of the Berlin Wall . The de-industrialization in the course of German reunification , unprecedented in the history of the town, was formative. The immediate transition to a market economy led to the shutdown of a considerable part of the structure-determining industrial companies. In the three largest factories of silk, fluid machinery and cellulose fiber alone, more than 5,000 jobs were lost by

5510-458: The first step in rebuilding the Neumarkt area. The areas around the square were divided into eight "quarters", with each being rebuilt as a separate project, the majority of buildings to be rebuilt either to the original structure or at least with a facade similar to the original. The quarters I, II, IV, V, VI and VIII have since been completed; quarters III and quarter VII were still partly under construction in 2020. In 2002, torrential rains caused

5605-404: The following years, the city became a major centre of economy, including motor car production, food processing, banking and the manufacture of medical equipment . In the early 20th century, Dresden was particularly well known for its camera works and its cigarette factories. During World War I , the city did not suffer any war damage, but lost many of its inhabitants. Between 1918 and 1934, Dresden

5700-562: The forest", from Proto-Slavic *dręzga ("woods, blowdowns"). Dresden later evolved into the capital of Saxony . Around the late 12th century, a Sorbian settlement called Drežďany (meaning either "woods" or "lowland forest-dweller" ) had developed on the southern bank. Another settlement existed on the northern bank, but its Slavic name is unknown. It was known as Antiqua Dresdin by 1350, and later as Altendresden, both literally "old Dresden". Dietrich, Margrave of Meissen , chose Dresden as his interim residence in 1206, as documented in

5795-433: The fortress. Only in February 1814 the hospital for the mentally ill was able to open again. In 1837, steamship travel began on the upper Elbe. A few years later, in 1848, a railway line connecting Dresden and Pirna opened. In 1880, the first section of the Sekundärbahn -type railway line from Pirna to Gottleuba, the Gottleuba Valley railway was opened. The line was closed in 1976. In 1894, another railway line opened

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5890-427: The historic inner city. Since German reunification in 1990, Dresden has once again become a cultural, educational and political centre of Germany. The Dresden University of Technology (TU Dresden) is one of the 10 largest universities in Germany and part of the German Universities Excellence Initiative . The economy of Dresden and its agglomeration is one of the most dynamic in Germany and ranks first in Saxony. It

5985-426: The historic town of Dresden. The uprising forced Frederick Augustus II of Saxony to flee from Dresden, but he soon after regained control over the city with the help of Prussia. In 1852, the population of Dresden grew to 100,000 inhabitants, making it one of the biggest cities within the German Confederation. As the capital of the Kingdom of Saxony, Dresden became part of the newly founded German Empire in 1871. In

6080-428: The last official debris clearance team was only disbanded in 1977. Rather than repair them, German Democratic Republic (East Germany) authorities razed the ruins of many churches, royal buildings and palaces in the 1950s and 1960s, such as the Gothic Sophienkirche , the Alberttheater and the Wackerbarth-Palais as well as many historic residential buildings. The surroundings of the once lively Prager Straße resembled

6175-415: The late Paleolithic (about 12,000-8000 BC), at the end of the last ice age , are evidence for the earliest human settlement in the area. Later on, people belonging to the Linear Pottery culture , who farmed grain and cattle, lived here during the Neolithic (5500-4000 BC) because of a good climate and Loess soil. Around 600 AD a Slavic group called the Sorbs , who were fishermen and farmers, succeeded

6270-431: The list of endangered World Heritage Sites in 2006, the city lost the title in June 2009, due to the construction of the Waldschlößchenbrücke , making it only the second ever World Heritage Site to be removed from the register. UNESCO stated in 2006 that the bridge would destroy the cultural landscape. The city council's legal moves, meant to prevent the bridge from being built, failed. Dresden lies on both banks of

6365-430: The market square and the so-called Kern’sche Haus in the Burgstraße . When in 1989 the Teufelserkerhaus was to be torn down as part of demolition measures in the old town, public demonstrations happened with people shouting “Save Pirna”. From this circle, the Kuratorium Altstadt (literally Old Town Board of Trustees ) was formed, which provided outstanding services during the period of reconstruction which began after

6460-437: The mid-1990s as a result of closure and liquidation by the Treuhandanstalt . It is true that new jobs were created in the service industry; however, these alone could not compensate for such a huge loss. The establishment of new jobs in the manufacturing industry turned out to be difficult, not least because of the lack of a federal highway connection. The reconstruction of the inner town has been advanced considerably since

6555-428: The overall economic situation in the GDR. The ruins of the Frauenkirche were allowed to remain on Neumarkt as a memorial to the war. While the Theater and Schloßplatz were rebuilt in accordance with the historical model in 1990, the Neumarkt remained completely undeveloped. On the other hand buildings of socialist classicism and spatial design and orientation according to socialist ideals (e.g. Kulturpalast) were built at

6650-403: The removal of the communist government. Dresden has experienced dramatic changes since the reunification of Germany in the early 1990s. The city still bears many wounds from the bombing raids of 1945, but it has undergone significant reconstruction. Restoration of the Dresden Frauenkirche, a Lutheran church, began in 1994 and was completed in 2005, a year before Dresden's 800th anniversary; this

6745-403: The rivers rising there and flowing through Dresden, the longest of which are the Weißeritz and the Lockwitzbach . The name of the city as well as the names of most of its boroughs and rivers are of Sorbian origin. Dresden has a long history as the capital and royal residence for the Electors and Kings of Saxony , who for centuries furnished the city with cultural and artistic splendor, and

6840-553: The scope of the mass murder by involuntary euthanasia program and the Sonderbehandlung Action 14f13 . The personnel list consisted of about 100 persons. One third of them were reassigned to the extermination camps in occupied Poland, because of their recent experiences in deception, killing, gassing and incinerating of people. There, they were trained by the detachments responsible for organized killing in camps like Treblinka . These killings ceased after pressure

6935-647: The second round. In 2017, Hanke was re-elected with 60.5% of the vote in the first round. In December 2023, Tim Lochner was elected Mayor of Prina. Lochner is independent of a party, but was nominated as a candidate by the right-wing party AfD . It is the first mayor of a city with more than 20,000 inhabitants to be appointed by the AfD. Villages and other municipalities that were incorporated into Pirna: Change of population (from 1960, all figures for December 31) : 1834 until 1946 1950 until 1997 1998 until 2003 1 October 29 2 August 31 Pirna station , on

7030-546: The senior KGB liaison officer there. On 3 October 1989 (the so-called "battle of Dresden"), a convoy of trains carrying East German refugees from Prague passed through Dresden on its way to the Federal Republic of Germany . Local activists and residents joined in the growing civil disobedience movement spreading across the German Democratic Republic, by staging demonstrations and demanding

7125-669: The south, flow into the Elbe . It is also called the "gate to the Saxon Switzerland " ( Ger: Tor zur Sächsischen Schweiz ). The Saxon wine region ( Ger: Sächsische Weinstraße ), which was established in 1992, stretches from Pirna via Pillnitz , Dresden , and Meissen to Diesbar-Seußlitz . Pirna is located southeast of Dresden . Neighboring municipalities are Bad Gottleuba-Berggießhübel (town), Bahretal , Dohma , Dohna (town), Dürrröhrsdorf-Dittersbach , Heidenau (town), Königstein (town), Lohmen , Stadt Wehlen (town), and Struppen . The regiolect spoken in Pirna

7220-528: The station closest to the Karl May Museum . The volunteer fire department of Radebeul was founded in 1897. While volunteer, it is considered the oldest department of the city government. Today the volunteer fire department of Radebeul consists of four separate quarter departments: Radebeul-Ost, Kötzschenbroda (Naundorf), Lindenau and Wahnsdord. Each of the departments has his own junior firefighter section. The quarter department of Radebeul-Kötzschenbroda

7315-522: The strategically important castle was upgraded to a fortress by Maurice, Elector of Saxony . Three years later, it withstood the siege by elector John Frederick, Elector of Saxony in the Schmalkaldic War . On April 23, 1639, the town was invaded by Swedish troops under the commander in chief of the Swedish army , Johan Banér . During the five-month long siege of the fortress, which was in

7410-415: The towns of Kötzschenbroda and Radebeul were united under the name of Radebeul (As "Kötzschenbroda" had a Slavic root, this name was considered too "ungermanic" at the time). In 1947 Radebeul was made part of the district of Dresden. In 1995 Radebeul was named a major town inside the rural district ( große Kreisstadt ). When the rural district of Dresden (Dresden-Land) was dissolved, Radebeul became part of

7505-464: The water built up height and thus pressure equally on both sides. Whilst international media mainly concentrated on the impact upon Dresden the impact upon Pirna was proportionately much worse. Schöna and Bad Schandau were also affected heavily. In July 2005, Pirna finally received federal highway access via its own connection, when a section from Dresden to Pirna of the Bundesautobahn 17

7600-415: The water. The mayor in Pirna is elected every seven years. Markus Ulbig (CDU) held this position from 2001 to 2009. He was last confirmed in office on June 8, 2008 with 64.87 percent of the vote. Ulbig was appointed Saxon Interior Minister and the post went to the non-party mayor Christian Flörke. In January 2010 there were new elections in which Klaus-Peter Hanke ( Free Voters ) was elected with 60% in

7695-463: The waters both longer and higher on the towns' side. Second, all the shop-fronts which had been renovated post-unification were practically all kind of sealed in terms of water-tightness: the floodwaters rose outside whilst the shops themselves stayed dry inside; but when reaching certain critical points, the weight of the water then suddenly destroyed these shop-fronts when the windows broke. Ironically, older "leaky" shopfronts did not suffer this fate, as

7790-663: Was completed. The extension to the Czech border was opened to traffic in December 2006. The inner town and the areas close to the Elbe in Pirna were again affected by severe flooding by the Elbe in June 2013, while still being severe, it failed to meet the record levels of the 2002 flood: The water level of the Elbe reached a height of 9.66 metres (31.7 ft) (2002: 10.58 metres (34.7 ft)). By June 5, 2013, around 7,700 people had to be evacuated, and about 1000 buildings were affected by

7885-686: Was controversial. On the night of 13–14 February 1945, 773 RAF Lancaster bombers dropped 1,181.6 tons of incendiary bombs and 1,477.7 tons of high explosive bombs, targeting the rail yards at the centre of the city. The inner city of Dresden was largely destroyed. Widely quoted Nazi propaganda reports claimed 200,000 deaths, but the German Dresden Historians' Commission, made up of 13 prominent German historians, in an official 2010 report published after five years of research concluded that casualties numbered between 22,500 and 25,000. The destruction of Dresden allowed Hildebrand Gurlitt ,

7980-602: Was done with the help of privately raised funds. The gold cross on the top of the church was funded officially by "the British people and the House of Windsor". The urban renewal process, which includes the reconstruction of the area around the Neumarkt square on which the Frauenkirche is situated, was expected to take decades, but numerous large projects were under way in the first part of the 21st century. Dresden remains

8075-415: Was exerted on the authorities by the local population. During August and September 1942, the Sonnenstein killing center was closed and incriminating installations such as gas chamber installations and crematorium ovens dismantled. After October 1942, the buildings were used as a military hospital. This part of the town's history was largely unrecognized in Germany until 1989, but after the regime change which

8170-500: Was founded 2008 in the course of the construction of a rescue central station in Radebeul West. In the process the volunteer fire departments of Radebeul-West and Naundorf were consolidated. The rescue central station also houses the "Technisches Hilfswerk Radebeul". In 2011 the departments counted 136 members in total, 99 on active duty and 37 members in the elderly and honor department. The junior firefighter section had overall

8265-588: Was happening during this period, efforts to remember these catastrophic events began. In June 2000 a permanent exhibition opened, and today a small plaque at the base of Sonnenstein Castle together with the Sonnenstein Memorial provide remembrance. At the end of the war several air raids took place mainly targeting the railway station in Pirna and the Děčín–Dresden Railway . The air raid on April 19, 1945, destroyed all railway tracks and also

8360-410: Was heavily polluted by industry wastewater, especially from the cellulose fiber factory; swimming in the river was no longer possible without dangers to health. In the mid-1980s, around 1,700 un-renovated apartments stood empty in Pirna, 400 of them in the old town. Individual particularly badly dilapidated houses were demolished in the period that followed, for example a house on the southeast corner of

8455-415: Was mentioned for the first time in 1269, probably already existed in the 11th century. In the context of the second Eastern German colonization the town was founded by Henry III , Margrave of Meissen . The streets are aligned from east to west and north to south forming a chessboard-like system. Only the streets east of the church are not aligned in this form, caused by the nearby Burgberg . In 1233, Pirna

8550-624: Was mentioned officially for the first time in a document. In 1293, King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia acquired both town and castle from the Bishop of Meissen . Therefore Pirna belonged to Bohemia until 1405. In 1502, the construction of the new church was begun under Meister Peter Ulrich von Pirna. With the introduction of the Reformation into Saxony in 1539, Anton Lauterbach , a friend of Martin Luther , became pastor and superintendent. In 1544

8645-722: Was not specifically targeted in the bombing of Dresden . During the final months of the Second World War, Dresden harboured some 600,000 refugees, with a total population of 1.2 million . Dresden was attacked seven times between 1944 and 1945, and was occupied by the Red Army after the German capitulation . The bombing of Dresden by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) between 13 and 15 February 1945

8740-475: Was once by personal union the family seat of Polish monarchs. The city was known as the Jewel Box, because of its Baroque and Rococo city centre. The controversial American and British bombing of Dresden towards the end of World War II killed approximately 25,000 people, most of whom were civilians, and destroyed the entire city centre. After the war, restoration work has helped to reconstruct parts of

8835-586: Was the Pirna–Großcotta railway , connecting Pirna with the Lohmgrund , a major location of Saxonian sandstone quarries. It closed in 1999. Pirna became an industrial town in 1862 with the building of factories. Mechanical engineering, glass, cellulose and rayon production also expanded. In 1875, the sandstone Elbbrücke was completed. During the First World War Pirna became a garrison and

8930-644: Was the capital of the first Free State of Saxony as well as a cultural and economic centre of the Weimar Republic . The city was also a centre of European modern art until 1933. During the foundation of the German Empire in 1871, a large military facility called Albertstadt was built. It had a capacity of up to 20,000 military personnel at the beginning of the First World War . The garrison saw only limited use between 1918 and 1934, but

9025-606: Was then reactivated in preparation for the Second World War . Its usefulness was limited by attacks on 13–15 February and 17 April 1945, the former of which destroyed large areas of the city. However, the garrison itself was not specifically targeted. Soldiers had been deployed as late as March 1945 in the Albertstadt garrison. The Albertstadt garrison became the headquarters of the Soviet 1st Guards Tank Army in

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