Crimmitschau (German pronunciation: [ˈkʁɪmɪtʃaʊ]) is a town in the district of Zwickau in Saxony, Germany.

Crimmitschau
June 2004 aerial photograph of Mannichswalde, which is part of Crimmitschau,
June 2004 aerial photograph of Mannichswalde, which is part of Crimmitschau,
Coat of arms of Crimmitschau
Location of Crimmitschau within Zwickau district
BernsdorfCallenbergCrimmitschauCrinitzbergDennheritzFraureuthGersdorfGlauchauHartensteinHartmannsdorfHirschfeldHohenstein-ErnstthalKirchbergLangenbernsdorfLangenweißbachLichtensteinLichtentanneLimbach-OberfrohnaMeeraneMülsenNeukirchenNiederfrohnaOberlungwitzOberwieraReinsdorfRemseSchönbergSankt EgidienWaldenburgWerdauWildenfelsWilkau-HaßlauZwickauSaxonyThuringiaVogtlandkreisErzgebirgskreisChemnitzMittelsachsen
Crimmitschau is located in Germany
Crimmitschau
Crimmitschau
Crimmitschau is located in Saxony
Crimmitschau
Crimmitschau
Coordinates: 50°49′5″N 12°23′15″E / 50.81806°N 12.38750°E / 50.81806; 12.38750
CountryGermany
StateSaxony
DistrictZwickau
Subdivisions13
Government
 • Mayor (2017–24) André Raphael[1] (CDU)
Area
 • Total61.04 km2 (23.57 sq mi)
Elevation
273 m (896 ft)
Population
 (2021-12-31)[2]
 • Total18,227
 • Density300/km2 (770/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
08451
Dialling codes03762
Vehicle registrationZ
Websitewww.crimmitschau.de

Geography edit

Crimmitschau lies on the river Pleiße in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains.

Neighboring municipalities edit

Adjacent communities include: Zwickau, Dennheritz, Neukirchen, Meerane, and Langenbernsdorf in Landkreis of Zwickau; Heyersdorf, Jonaswalde, Ponitz and Thonhausen in Thuringian Landkreis of Altenburger Land; as well as Braunichswalde, Rückersdorf, and Seelingstädt in Thuringia in Landkreis of Greiz.

Municipality subdivisions edit

The town Crimmitschau consists of Crimmitschau proper and the following five Ortschaften (localities), each containing several Ortsteile or divisions:[3]

  • Blankenhain (incl. Großpillingsdorf)
  • Frankenhausen (incl. Gösau and Gosel)
  • Langenreinsdorf
  • Lauenhain
  • Mannichswalde

The Ortsteile Rudelswalde and Gablenz are not part of an Ortschaft.

History edit

In the course of German eastward expansion, the city of Crimmitschau and a castle of the same name (now called the Schweinsburg) were established from around 1170 to 1200 as an organized German colony. The settlement's existence is first documented in 1212. In 1414 Crimmitschau received town privileges from Markgraf Wilhelm II.

On 15 March 1844, Crimmitschau was connected to the German rail network (on the Leipzig–Hof railway, which was later extended to Bavaria). Its current station was opened in 1873

Around the turn of the century, Crimmitschau was the site of a large concentrated textile industry, and was called "The City of 100 chimneys" (Stadt der 100 Schornsteine).

From August 22, 1903, to January 18, 1904, it was the site of one of the largest and longest strikes in the German Empire, which affected the entire nation.

In 1944, some Crimmitschau property was bombed by Allied Forces.

At the end of the 1980s, a great part of the old and inner cities were torn down and replaced with prefabricated concrete buildings. Similar plans existed for the southern suburb, but were not put in place after the regime change in 1990.

Population edit

 
Population of Crimmitschau
Year Population
1834 03,767
1875 17,649
1880 18,925
1890 19,300
1933 27,938
1939 27,247
1946 30,504
1950 34,541
1960 31,279
1981 26,229
1984 25,086
Year Population
1995 23,888
1997 23,420
1999 23,570
2000 23,305
2002 22,874
2004 22,528
2006 21,953
2008 21.080
2009 20.833
2010 20.901

Religion edit

Even though a majority of the people in Crimmitschau are not affiliated with any religion,[citation needed] there are some Protestant parishes and even a Catholic parish, belonging to the Diocese of Dresden-Meissen. The most important churches are: St. Laurentius-Kirche, Johanniskirche, and the Lutherkirche.

Twin towns – sister cities edit

Crimmitschau is twinned with:[4]

Sights edit

 
Blankenhain Castle

Landmarks include the town hall, the late Gothic parish church of Saint Laurentius (Saint Lawrence)(1513), with its star and cross ribbed arches, the former Cistercian nunnery of Frankenhausen Abbey (founded around 1290) in the district of Frankenhausen and the open-air museum of Blankenhain Castle located at the castle of the same name.

Museums edit

  • Western Saxon Textile Museum, which is located in a fully functional textile factory, former known as "Gebrüder Pfau KG"
  • The Agricultural and Open-Air Museum of Schloss Blankenhain

Parks edit

  • The Zöffelpark, which was built in the pre-war period and named after Emil Oskar Zöffel, an important textile manufacturer and Philanthropist in the history of the city.
  • The Bismarck-Hain, a former cemetery, named after Reichskanzler Otto von Bismarck. This park was known as Friedenspark (Peace-park) during GDR-times.
  • The Sahnpark, located north of the city center, is the largest park in Crimmitschau and harbours an old open-air bath, an animal park and the stadium of ETC Crimmitschau.

Sport edit

Crimmitschau has a well-known ice hockey club, the ETC Crimmitschau, which plays in the second highest German league. The city also has a soccer team, FC Crimmitschau and an American Football Team, the Tornados Crimmitschau.

Business and infrastructure edit

 
Crimmitschau station

Crimmitschau lies directly at the Autobahn A4 and can be reached through the exits Schmölln and Meerane. The Deutsche Bahn AG provides connections from Crimmitschau station to Zwickau, Leipzig, Hof.

Education edit

There are three elementary schools, two secondary schools, a gymnasium, and a special education school in Crimmitschau.

Notable people edit

Honorary citizen edit

References edit

  1. ^ Bürgermeisterwahlen 2017, Freistaat Sachsen, accessed 12 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerung des Freistaates Sachsen nach Gemeinden am 31. Dezember 2021" (XLS) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt des Freistaates Sachsen. 2022.
  3. ^ Hauptsatzung der Großen Kreisstadt Crimmitschau, January 2019.
  4. ^ "Unsere Partnerstädte" (in German). Crimmitschau. Retrieved 2021-12-09.

External links edit