Bischofswerda The town and its people Contents 0.1 Bischofswerda ............................................. 1 0.1.1 Geography .......................................... 1 0.1.2 History ............................................ 1 0.1.3 Sights ............................................. 2 0.1.4 Economy and traffic ...................................... 2 0.1.5 Culture and sports ....................................... 3 0.1.6 Partnership .......................................... 3 0.1.7 Personality .......................................... 3 0.1.8 Notes ............................................. 4 0.1.9 External links ......................................... 4 0.2 Großdrebnitz ............................................. 4 0.2.1 History ............................................ 4 0.2.2 People ............................................ 5 0.2.3 Literature ........................................... 6 0.2.4 Footnotes ........................................... 6 0.3 Wesenitz ................................................ 6 0.3.1 Geography .......................................... 6 0.3.2 Touristic Attractions ..................................... 6 0.3.3 Historical Usage ....................................... 7 0.3.4 Fauna ............................................. 7 0.3.5 References .......................................... 7 1 People born in or working for Bischofswerda 8 1.1 Abd-ru-shin .............................................. 8 1.1.1 Life, Publishing, Legacy ................................... 8 1.1.2 Legacy ............................................ 8 1.1.3 References .......................................... 8 1.1.4 External links ......................................... 8 1.2 Karl Friedrich Bahrdt ......................................... 9 1.2.1 Life .............................................. 9 1.2.2 Works ............................................. 10 1.2.3 Notes ............................................. 10 1.2.4 References .......................................... 10 i ii CONTENTS 1.3 Arthur Biram ............................................. 10 1.3.1 Biography .......................................... 10 1.3.2 Awards ............................................ 11 1.3.3 External links ......................................... 11 1.3.4 Further reading ........................................ 11 1.3.5 See also ............................................ 12 1.4 Hanns Georgi ............................................. 12 1.4.1 Early life ........................................... 12 1.4.2 Professional Career ...................................... 12 1.4.3 Later life ........................................... 12 1.4.4 See also ............................................ 12 1.4.5 References .......................................... 12 1.4.6 External links ......................................... 12 1.5 Walther Hesse ............................................. 12 1.5.1 Biography ........................................... 13 1.5.2 References .......................................... 13 1.5.3 External links ......................................... 13 1.6 Christian Adolph Klotz ........................................ 13 1.6.1 Education ........................................... 14 1.6.2 Career ............................................. 14 1.6.3 Works ............................................. 14 1.6.4 Notes ............................................. 14 1.6.5 References .......................................... 14 1.6.6 External links ......................................... 15 1.7 Max Neumeister ............................................ 15 1.7.1 Selected publications ..................................... 15 1.7.2 References .......................................... 15 1.8 Johannes Pache ............................................ 15 1.8.1 Life .............................................. 15 1.8.2 Work ............................................. 16 1.8.3 Notes ............................................. 16 1.8.4 External links ......................................... 16 1.9 Osmar Schindler ............................................ 16 1.9.1 Life .............................................. 17 1.9.2 Works ............................................ 17 1.9.3 Controversy ......................................... 17 1.9.4 References .......................................... 17 1.9.5 External links ......................................... 17 1.10 Gottlob Friedrich Thormeyer ..................................... 17 1.10.1 Life and artwork ....................................... 17 1.10.2 External links ......................................... 18 CONTENTS iii 1.10.3 Further reading ........................................ 18 2 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses 19 2.1 Text .................................................. 19 2.2 Images ................................................. 20 2.3 Content license ............................................ 21 0.1. BISCHOFSWERDA 1 0.1 Bischofswerda Bischofswerda (German pronunciation: [ˌbɪʃɔfsˈveːɐ̯da]; Upper Sorbian: Biskupicy, Polish: Biskupice[2]) is a small town in Germany at the western edge of Upper Lusatia in Saxony. 0.1.1 Geography Historical view, about 1713 Bischofssitz Memorial to Frederick Augustus I of Saxony Paradise Fountain (Paradiesbrunnen) The town is located 33 km to the east of Dresden at the edge of the Upper Lusatian mountain country. The town is known as the “Gateway to Upper Lusatia” – “Tor 0.1.2 History zur Oberlausitz” in German. It is located in the district of Bautzen. The town is 18 km west of Bautzen itself. The first documentary evidence of the existence of Großdrebnitz is among its quarters. The river Wesenitz Bischofswerda dates from 1227.[2] Nominally the town flows through Bischofswerda. was founded by the Bishops of Meissen, though it may 2 CONTENTS when power was transferred to Augustus, Elector of Sax- ony, who introduced Protestantism. The city arms are based on a 14th-century seal and consist of two crossed bishop’s croziers and four stars. The significance of the stars is not known.[3] Like many late medieval towns, Bischofswerda suffered from periodic fires that damaged the town. Fires are recorded in 1429, 1469, 1528, 1583, 1596, 1641, 1671 and 1813. The last fire was the worst.[4] During the War of the Sixth Coalition, Napoleonic forces had occupied Bischofswerda when a fire broke out within the town walls on 12 May 1813, destroying most of the medieval town. However the town was rebuilt on an order of Frederick Augustus I of Saxony in a manner closely following the earlier layout, and this remains to this day. During the increased tensions of the 1980s between the Western democracies and the Eastern Communist Bloc, Bischofswerda became a base for Soviet SS-12 nuclear missiles. A depot for the missiles and their launchers was built just outside town. The missiles were withdrawn in 1988.[5] The following table indicates Bischofwerda’s population at different times: Saxon post milestone Source from 2000: Statistisches Landesamt Sachsen (Saxony Office of Statistics) 0.1.3 Sights Among the most impressive buildings are the town hall and the Christuskirche. Both are examples of neo- classical architecture and were designed by Gottlob Friedrich Thormeyer. The town hall (Rathaus) was con- structed in 1818, just off the Altmarkt, the centre of the town. The entrance to the Christuskirche is decorated by a mosaic by Josef Goller. In the interior one can find a painting by Osmar Schindler, who grew up in the town. The Catholic church is named after Saint Benno of Meis- sen, who is said to have founded Bischofswerda in the 11th century.[6] • Historical Fronfeste (built 1286), entrance at the me- dieval town wall • Christuskirche by Gottlob Friedrich Thormeyer • Mosaic at the entrance of Christuskirche (by Josef Goller and Villeroy & Boch) Modern sculpture on the market place, in front the location of the • Catholic church St. Benno former town hall 0.1.4 Economy and traffic have existed before that point. In 1288 city walls were constructed. The first mention of Bischofswerda as a city Until the German reunification in 1990, Bischofswerda is in a document dating from 1361. The town remained was a significant industrial location.[7] In Bischofswerda, under the authority of the Bishops of Meissen until 1559 the company Fortschritt produced agricultural machines. 0.1. BISCHOFSWERDA 3 This manufacture as well as the glass fabrication had to • 1911: Heinrich Grafe (1857-1917), wine whole- be closed in the meanwhile. The textile industry had a salers, City Council Chairman and antisemitic Re- centuries-long tradition in the town, but also ended in ichstag 1893-1917 2012.[8] New industries began to settle in Bischofswerda in recent Sons and daughters of the town years. Roth Industries, a German enterprise from the en- vironmental technology sector, has a dependency here. • Christian Adolph Klotz (1738–1771), Philologist Also the Canadian producer of solar cells ARISE Tech- nologies came to the town, but had to close meanwhile. • Karl Friedrich Bahrdt (1741–1792), Theologian • Textile industry in the G.D.R. • "Hazel Dormouse" bridge over the bypass road in the south-west of the town The town is situated at the Bundesstraße 6, which con- nects Dresden and Görlitz at the Polish border. The Bundesautobahn 4 takes course 6 km north, enabling easy access to the Dresden Airport. The road traffic bypasses the town in the west. Via railway, direct access is possible to Dresden,