Wehrsdorf
Encyclopedia
Wehrsdorf is a small village in a valley of the "Lausitzer Bergland
" in the region of Upper Lusatia
(Oberlausitz) in Saxony
, Germany
. It has about 1,776 inhabitants and belongs to an administrative community of three different villages, with Sohland an der Spree
and Taubenheim. This community is offícially called Sohland because it is the largest of these villages. All together, the community has about 7,700 inhabitants. The village is near the border of the Czech Republic
.
style. The tower is more than 40 meters high and sends its greetings over the valleys of the region. Near the church is an old cemetery with its typical flowered graves. The most important architectural heritage of the southern part of Upper Lusatia is the so-called "Umgebindehäuser", special, half-timbered houses which unite the differences of the Slavic
and the Franconian
styles of wooden houses. Most of the present houses were built between 1850-1890.
, but there is also a Lutheran tradition and most people are linked to this religion, as well as a strong Catholic minority. Upper Lusatia is typically a religious mixed region.
in 1990, the village was still a typical " Saxon industrial village" with four big and several small enterprises, all state-owned. They produced furniture, clothing, metal instruments and more. After the reunification, most of the firms were not able to survive; only the firm that produced furnitures still exists. The high rate of unemployment today is also the most important reason why so many people have left the region. But in comparison with other villages of Upper Lusatia, Wehrsdorf is still well off.
Before 1990, Upper Lusatia also was one of the most important tourist areas inoflast 15 years, and tourism is still important. There are four restaurants, a hotel (****) and several private bed-and-breakfasts.
Lausitzer Bergland
The Lusatian Highlands is a hilly and low mountainous region in Germany and the Czech Republic. A western extension of the Sudetes range, it is located on the border of the German state of Saxony with the Czech Bohemian region...
" in the region of Upper Lusatia
Upper Lusatia
Upper Lusatia is a region a biggest part of which belongs to Saxony, a small eastern part belongs to Poland, the northern part to Brandenburg. In Saxony, Upper Lusatia comprises roughly the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz , in Brandenburg the southern part of district Oberspreewald-Lausitz...
(Oberlausitz) in Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, 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 has about 1,776 inhabitants and belongs to an administrative community of three different villages, with Sohland an der Spree
Sohland an der Spree
Sohland an der Spree is a municipality in the district of Bautzen in Saxony in Germany near the border to the Czech Republic in a region called Lusatia. The river Spree flows right through the village. Together with some smaller villages it constitutes one of the biggest villages or communities...
and Taubenheim. This community is offícially called Sohland because it is the largest of these villages. All together, the community has about 7,700 inhabitants. The village is near the border of the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
.
Monuments
The most important building in the village is a Lutheran church, built in 1725 in the BaroqueBaroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
style. The tower is more than 40 meters high and sends its greetings over the valleys of the region. Near the church is an old cemetery with its typical flowered graves. The most important architectural heritage of the southern part of Upper Lusatia is the so-called "Umgebindehäuser", special, half-timbered houses which unite the differences of the Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
and the Franconian
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
styles of wooden houses. Most of the present houses were built between 1850-1890.
Religion
Most people are still atheists, as in the time of official SocialismSocialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, but there is also a Lutheran tradition and most people are linked to this religion, as well as a strong Catholic minority. Upper Lusatia is typically a religious mixed region.
Economy
In the time before reunificationGerman reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
in 1990, the village was still a typical " Saxon industrial village" with four big and several small enterprises, all state-owned. They produced furniture, clothing, metal instruments and more. After the reunification, most of the firms were not able to survive; only the firm that produced furnitures still exists. The high rate of unemployment today is also the most important reason why so many people have left the region. But in comparison with other villages of Upper Lusatia, Wehrsdorf is still well off.
Before 1990, Upper Lusatia also was one of the most important tourist areas inoflast 15 years, and tourism is still important. There are four restaurants, a hotel (****) and several private bed-and-breakfasts.