Mügeln
Encyclopedia
Mügeln is a town in the district Nordsachsen
, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany
. It is located 9 km southwest of Oschatz
and 14 km northwest of Döbeln
. The town has a population of approximately 4700 people.
and Dresden
at a distance of approximately 50 km from each town. Mügeln is not directly situated on any main traffic routes, but 10 km south of Mügeln one encounters the A14 motorway, and 10 km to the north one encounters the B6 federal highway, close to Oschatz. In addition, there is a tourist narrow gauge railway, the Wild Robert
(Wilder Robert) which is operated by the Döllnitzbahn company
as one of its attractions. The nearest railway station is in Oschatz.
The comparatively flat countryside around Mügeln is mostly used for agriculture, and comprises moderately large fields for the growing of crops. A number of man-made lakes are an occasional feature, the largest of which is situated in and around a forested area of some 30 km/sq, less than 7.0 km to the north-west. The forested area effectively surrounds the neighbouring village of Wermsdorf
on all sides except the south which faces towards Mügeln. Wermsdorf has a quarry to the north-east of its boundary, and well maintained historical buildings to visit.
at that time. In 1064, Mügeln came into the possession of the Bishop of Meissen, and in 1256 Mügeln was awarded the right to hold a market.
The incident occurred during a town celebration in Mügeln, and although the motives are still unclear, racism is thought to be at the root of the trouble. Furthermore, one of the victims has accused the police of brutality. A preliminary investigation has been launched against two of those believed to be responsible for the assault, and the German Federal Government has vowed to increase its efforts to thwart right-wing extremism.
Nordsachsen
Nordsachsen is a district in the Free State of Saxony, Germany.- History :The district was established by merging the former districts of Delitzsch and Torgau-Oschatz as part of the district reform of August 2008....
, in the Free State of Saxony, 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...
. It is located 9 km southwest of Oschatz
Oschatz
Oschatz is a town in the district Nordsachsen, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is located 60 km east of Leipzig and 60 km west of Dresden.- Site and Climate :...
and 14 km northwest of Döbeln
Döbeln
Döbeln is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, part of the Mittelsachsen district, located at both banks of the river Freiberger Mulde.-History:It was founded in the 10th century, the first written proof of its existence dates back to the year 981....
. The town has a population of approximately 4700 people.
Geography
Mügeln lies almost equidistant between LeipzigLeipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
and Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
at a distance of approximately 50 km from each town. Mügeln is not directly situated on any main traffic routes, but 10 km south of Mügeln one encounters the A14 motorway, and 10 km to the north one encounters the B6 federal highway, close to Oschatz. In addition, there is a tourist narrow gauge railway, the Wild Robert
Mügeln railway network
The gauge Mügeln railway network was a network of narrow gauge lines in Saxony, eastern Germany, running between Oschatz, Döbeln, Neichen, Strehla and Lommatzsch, whose operational hub was at Mügeln. The routes were built primarily to reach the rural hill country of central Saxony...
(Wilder Robert) which is operated by the Döllnitzbahn company
Döllnitzbahn
The Döllnitzbahn GmbH is a private railway company in Saxony in eastern Germany. It is the operator of the Oschatz–Mügeln–Kemmlitz/Glossen narrow gauge line in central Saxony.-History:...
as one of its attractions. The nearest railway station is in Oschatz.
The comparatively flat countryside around Mügeln is mostly used for agriculture, and comprises moderately large fields for the growing of crops. A number of man-made lakes are an occasional feature, the largest of which is situated in and around a forested area of some 30 km/sq, less than 7.0 km to the north-west. The forested area effectively surrounds the neighbouring village of Wermsdorf
Wermsdorf
-Landscape:Wermsdorf is situated within Wermsdorf Forest a wooded area of some 30 km/sq, less than 7.0 km to the north-west of Mugeln. The south side of Wermsdorf is deforested and looks out over a fairly flat landscape of agricultural land set out in crops...
on all sides except the south which faces towards Mügeln. Wermsdorf has a quarry to the north-east of its boundary, and well maintained historical buildings to visit.
History
The first historical record of Mügeln is in a document of 984 AD. The population was predominantly SorbianSorbs
Sorbs are a Western Slavic people of Central Europe living predominantly in Lusatia, a region on the territory of Germany and Poland. In Germany they live in the states of Brandenburg and Saxony. They speak the Sorbian languages - closely related to Polish and Czech - officially recognized and...
at that time. In 1064, Mügeln came into the possession of the Bishop of Meissen, and in 1256 Mügeln was awarded the right to hold a market.
- 1261: The Castle of Ruhethal (Schloss Ruhethal) was built
- 1325: The Sorbian language was outlawed
- 1429: Destruction of Mügeln by the HussiteHussiteThe Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus , who became one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation...
s - 1542: The first Lutheran serviceDeutsche MesseDeutsche Messe, or The German Mass, was published by Martin Luther in 1526. It followed his Latin mass, Formula missae . Both of these masses were meant only as a suggestion made on request and were not expected to be used exactly as they were, but could be altered...
was held in Mügeln - 1561: Bishop Johann IX of Meissen and of Haugwitz granted the town an escort and a bridge right
- 1581: Bishop Johann IX, the last Catholic bishop of Meissen converted to the Lutheran ProtestantismLutheranismLutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
. He lived in Mügeln and got the Castle of Ruhethal and the former cloister of Marienthal in Sornzig, as a “life annuity” for use. - 1618-1648: During the Thirty Years' War, Mügeln was plundered by Swedish troops and most of its inhabitants fell victim to a plague epidemic. Only 67 inhabitants of the approximately 700 inhabitants survived.
- 1735: the town privileges were expanded, it got the upper and hereditary courts (Ober- und Erbgerichte) by decree of the Electoral office (kurfürstliches Amt).
- 1834: The last town-gate was removed.
- 1875: Mügeln was assigned to the administrative district Oschatz (Amtshauptmannschaft Oschatz)
- 1884: The narrow-gauge railway connecting Mügeln with Döbeln, Oschatz and Wermsdorf was opened
- 1945: In April the town was occupied by Soviet troops
- 1968 - 1975: The narrow gauge railway was gradually shut down. First of all, the section between Mügeln and Döbeln, then the section between Mügeln and Wermsdorf. (From 1975 to 1995 the remaining section was only used for the transport of goods.)
- 1994: During the reordering of the district, Mügeln was assigned to the Torgau Oschatz district, in spite of the fact that the most citizens elected for the district Döbeln.
- 1995: Passenger traffic on the narrow-gauge railway: the Mügeln-Oschatz section was resumed
Mügeln mob attack
On August 19, 2007, eight Indian citizens were chased through the town and beaten. The assailants were a large group of predominantly German youths and the motives behind this attack are still to be ascertained. The incident received worldwide media attention, which was particularly disturbing and unwelcome because of the participation of some of the public in what could be rightly compared to little better than spectators seeking entertainment by encouraging the assailants to continue their assault.The incident occurred during a town celebration in Mügeln, and although the motives are still unclear, racism is thought to be at the root of the trouble. Furthermore, one of the victims has accused the police of brutality. A preliminary investigation has been launched against two of those believed to be responsible for the assault, and the German Federal Government has vowed to increase its efforts to thwart right-wing extremism.
Personalities
- Heinrich von Mügeln (approx. 1319-1380), author of Middle High German Minneliedern, poems, fables, chronicles and sayings; his name is derived from the town but he lived elsewhere in Saxony
Sites of interest
- The Castle of Ruhethal (Schloss Ruhethal)
- Narrow gauge railway of Wild RobertMügeln railway networkThe gauge Mügeln railway network was a network of narrow gauge lines in Saxony, eastern Germany, running between Oschatz, Döbeln, Neichen, Strehla and Lommatzsch, whose operational hub was at Mügeln. The routes were built primarily to reach the rural hill country of central Saxony...
(Wilder Robert) - Monument to Heinrich von Mügeln in the old market of Joachim Zehme (2005)