Zwickauer Land
Encyclopedia
Zwickauer Land is a former Kreis (district) in the south-west of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Neighboring districts were (from north-east clockwise) Chemnitzer Land
, Stollberg
, Aue-Schwarzenberg
, Vogtlandkreis
, and the districts Greiz
and Altenburger Land
in Thuringia
. The district-free city of Zwickau
was located in the center of the district and nearly completely surrounded by it.
With the division of the Saxon country the administrative structures became unclear in Leipzig in 1485. The borderline between albertinian and ernestinian possession was tangent to the Zwickauer city boundary. With the development of the Saxon state uniformed administrative structures began gradually to develop. In the Middle Ages the Saxon area was divided into governor’s residence, apart from the central administration. Out of this new jobs developed in the 15th century. The “administrators” (Amtsmann) practised the jurisdiction, and were responsible for the military quantity and public security.
The administrators came from the rural aristocracy. The noble administrator was promoted to the “chief administrator” (Amtshauptmann) during the following century, who usually supervised two to four offices. At the same time the “Kursaxon” territory was divided into districts for a better administration. The district was headed by a “county administrator” (Kreishauptmann or Oberhauptmann).
During the whole Middle Ages and afterwards – even until our century - the city Zwickau with their surrounding area was regarded as a unit, concerning administrative matters.
Ongoing conflicts, for example the Thirty Years' War
and the Seven Years' War
, influenced the administration negatively.
Zwickau was the seat of the chief administrator. Since 1828, additionally the county administrators ruled from there the Southwest and the middle “Erzgebirge” and the suburbs.
Only in 1835, became the regional administration a new structure. The county administrators were replaced by “district directions” (Kreisdirektion) in Dresden, Leipzig, Bautzen and Zwickau. The chief administrators in Zwickau, Chemnitz, Wolkenstein, Plauen and in the territory of the sovereign of Schönburg belonged to the district direction Zwickau.
The following offices were headed by the chief administrator in Zwickau: Kirchberg, Werdau, Schwarzenberg, Eibenstock and of course Zwickau. Hartenstein, Lichtenstein, Stein, Waldenburg and Glauchau were controlled by the sovereign of Schönburg.
In 1856 an important step toward modern administration was done with the establishment of new administration offices, the “offices of court” (Gerichtsamt). Thereby the old office organization could be overcome.
In 1873 justice and administration were separated. Now the offices of court were only responsible for the law. The “administration crews” (Amtshauptmannschaft) were responsible for the administration. There were four “county administration crews” (Kreishauptmannschaften), which were created as organs of the Saxon government. The county administration crew of Zwickau consisted of the administration crews in Annaberg, Auerbach, Chemnitz, Flöha, Marienberg, Oelsnitz, Plauen, Schwarzenberg and Zwickau.
In 1919 a branch office of Zwickau was opened in Werdau. It became an independent office in 1920, but in 1933 it was affiliated to Zwickau again.
The rural constitution of 1946 as well as the Saxon constitution of 1947 established democratic values in Saxony again, like they had existed before the beginning of the Third Reich.
Now part of the German Democratic Republic
(East Germany), the federal state of Saxony was liquidated as part of the administration reforms implemented from July 23, 1952. At the same time the former district Zwickau was divided into the districts Werdau and Zwickau. The area of the district Zwickau received a strong reduction. A considerable part turned into the district Werdau; furthermore, parts of the Zwickauer area were added to the district of Reichenbach. On the other hand the "Mülsengrund" was extracted from the district Glauchau and was affiliated to the district Zwickau.
With the dramatic events in autumn 1989, the Berlin Wall
came down. The German Democratic Republic ceased to exist as Germany was re-united. With Saxon parliamentary elections on October 14, 1990, the federal state of Saxony was re-established. On May 6, 1990 local elections took place. At the constituent meeting of district assembly Christian Otto was elected head of the administration of the district Zwickau. In the district Werdau the citizens elected Georg Hamburg to head of the administration.
With the district reform on August 1, 1994, the rural district “Zwickauer Land” was created, seated in Werdau. With the termination of the municipality regional reorganization on January 1, 1999, the district changed its geographical face again. The places Cainsdorf, Mosel, Oberrothenbach and Schlunzig were affiliated to Zwickau against the will of the people living there.
In August 2008, as a part of the district reform in Saxony, the districts of Zwickauer Land, Chemnitzer Land and the urban district Zwickau were merged into the new district Zwickau
.
Chemnitzer Land
Chemnitzer Land is a former district in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It was bounded by the district of Mittweida, the city of Chemnitz, the districts of Stollberg and Zwickauer Land and the state of Thuringia .- History :The history of the region is largely influenced by the neighbouring...
, Stollberg
Stollberg (district)
Stollberg is a former district in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It was bounded by the district-free city Chemnitz, and the districts Mittlerer Erzgebirgskreis, Annaberg, Aue-Schwarzenberg, Zwickauer Land and Chemnitzer Land....
, Aue-Schwarzenberg
Aue-Schwarzenberg
Aue-Schwarzenberg is a former district in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It was bounded by the Czech Republic and the districts of Vogtlandkreis, Zwickauer Land, Stollberg and Annaberg.- History :...
, Vogtlandkreis
Vogtlandkreis
The Vogtlandkreis is a Landkreis in the southwest of the Free State of Saxony, Germany, at the borders to Thuringia, Bavaria, and the Czech Republic. Neighboring districts are Hof, Saale-Orla, Greiz, Zwickau and Erzgebirgskreis...
, and the districts Greiz
Greiz (district)
Greiz is a Kreis in the east of Thuringia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Saale-Holzland, Saale-Orla,district-free city Gera, the Burgenlandkreis in Saxony-Anhalt, Altenburger Land, and the two Saxon districts Zwickauer Land and Vogtlandkreis.- History :Historically the area of the district...
and Altenburger Land
Altenburger Land
Altenburger Land is a district in Thuringia, Germany. It is bounded by the district of Greiz, the Burgenlandkreis , and the districts Leipziger Land, Mittweida, Chemnitzer Land, Zwickauer Land in Saxony.- History :...
in Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
. The district-free city of Zwickau
Zwickau
Zwickau in Germany, former seat of the government of the south-western region of the Free State of Saxony, belongs to an industrial and economical core region. Nowadays it is the capital city of the district of Zwickau...
was located in the center of the district and nearly completely surrounded by it.
History
In early days Zwickau was the starting point for the settlement of a whole region. The first official document of the ”territorim zwickaw” dates from May 1, 1118. The settlement by German farmers took mainly place in the second half of the 12th century. At the same time castles were built. A special area was administered by a bailiff, as a representative of the governor. The Wettiners were the most powerful rulers in Saxony in the 13th century. In the region of Zwickau the sovereign of Schönburg and Wildenfels were given the rule over their comparatively small territories.With the division of the Saxon country the administrative structures became unclear in Leipzig in 1485. The borderline between albertinian and ernestinian possession was tangent to the Zwickauer city boundary. With the development of the Saxon state uniformed administrative structures began gradually to develop. In the Middle Ages the Saxon area was divided into governor’s residence, apart from the central administration. Out of this new jobs developed in the 15th century. The “administrators” (Amtsmann) practised the jurisdiction, and were responsible for the military quantity and public security.
The administrators came from the rural aristocracy. The noble administrator was promoted to the “chief administrator” (Amtshauptmann) during the following century, who usually supervised two to four offices. At the same time the “Kursaxon” territory was divided into districts for a better administration. The district was headed by a “county administrator” (Kreishauptmann or Oberhauptmann).
During the whole Middle Ages and afterwards – even until our century - the city Zwickau with their surrounding area was regarded as a unit, concerning administrative matters.
Ongoing conflicts, for example the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
and the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, influenced the administration negatively.
Zwickau was the seat of the chief administrator. Since 1828, additionally the county administrators ruled from there the Southwest and the middle “Erzgebirge” and the suburbs.
Only in 1835, became the regional administration a new structure. The county administrators were replaced by “district directions” (Kreisdirektion) in Dresden, Leipzig, Bautzen and Zwickau. The chief administrators in Zwickau, Chemnitz, Wolkenstein, Plauen and in the territory of the sovereign of Schönburg belonged to the district direction Zwickau.
The following offices were headed by the chief administrator in Zwickau: Kirchberg, Werdau, Schwarzenberg, Eibenstock and of course Zwickau. Hartenstein, Lichtenstein, Stein, Waldenburg and Glauchau were controlled by the sovereign of Schönburg.
In 1856 an important step toward modern administration was done with the establishment of new administration offices, the “offices of court” (Gerichtsamt). Thereby the old office organization could be overcome.
In 1873 justice and administration were separated. Now the offices of court were only responsible for the law. The “administration crews” (Amtshauptmannschaft) were responsible for the administration. There were four “county administration crews” (Kreishauptmannschaften), which were created as organs of the Saxon government. The county administration crew of Zwickau consisted of the administration crews in Annaberg, Auerbach, Chemnitz, Flöha, Marienberg, Oelsnitz, Plauen, Schwarzenberg and Zwickau.
In 1919 a branch office of Zwickau was opened in Werdau. It became an independent office in 1920, but in 1933 it was affiliated to Zwickau again.
The rural constitution of 1946 as well as the Saxon constitution of 1947 established democratic values in Saxony again, like they had existed before the beginning of the Third Reich.
Now part of the German Democratic Republic
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
(East Germany), the federal state of Saxony was liquidated as part of the administration reforms implemented from July 23, 1952. At the same time the former district Zwickau was divided into the districts Werdau and Zwickau. The area of the district Zwickau received a strong reduction. A considerable part turned into the district Werdau; furthermore, parts of the Zwickauer area were added to the district of Reichenbach. On the other hand the "Mülsengrund" was extracted from the district Glauchau and was affiliated to the district Zwickau.
With the dramatic events in autumn 1989, the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
came down. The German Democratic Republic ceased to exist as Germany was re-united. With Saxon parliamentary elections on October 14, 1990, the federal state of Saxony was re-established. On May 6, 1990 local elections took place. At the constituent meeting of district assembly Christian Otto was elected head of the administration of the district Zwickau. In the district Werdau the citizens elected Georg Hamburg to head of the administration.
With the district reform on August 1, 1994, the rural district “Zwickauer Land” was created, seated in Werdau. With the termination of the municipality regional reorganization on January 1, 1999, the district changed its geographical face again. The places Cainsdorf, Mosel, Oberrothenbach and Schlunzig were affiliated to Zwickau against the will of the people living there.
In August 2008, as a part of the district reform in Saxony, the districts of Zwickauer Land, Chemnitzer Land and the urban district Zwickau were merged into the new district Zwickau
Zwickau (district)
Zwickau is a district in the Free State of Saxony, Germany.- History :The district was established by merging the former districts Zwickauer Land, Chemnitzer Land and the urban district Zwickau as part of the district reform of August 2008....
.
Geography
The district is located in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge), with the main river s being the Zwickauer Mulde and the Pleiße.Towns and municipalities
| Cities | Municipalities |
|---|---|
|
Crinitzberg Crinitzberg is a municipality in the district of Zwickau, in Saxony, Germany.... Dennheritz Dennheritz is a municipality in the district Zwickau, in Saxony, Germany.... Fraureuth Fraureuth, located in the district of Zwickau, is a small town in Saxony, Germany. It has a population of around 5,834 inhabitants on a surface of 22,59 km². Fraureuth was a component of Thuringia until 1952.-External links:*... Hartmannsdorf bei Kirchberg Hartmannsdorf bei Kirchberg is a municipality in the district Zwickau, in Saxony, Germany.... Hirschfeld, Saxony Hirschfeld is a municipality in the district Zwickau, in Saxony, Germany.... Langenbernsdorf Langenbernsdorf is a village in the district of Zwickau in the Free State of Saxony.-Neighboring municipalities:Adjacent municipalities in the district of Zwickau include:*Zwickau*Neukirchen*Werdau*Crimmitschau*Seelingstädt... Langenweißbach Langenweißbach is a municipality in the district Zwickau in the state of Saxony in eastern Germany.- References :... Lichtentanne Lichtentanne is a municipality in the district Zwickau, in Saxony, Germany.-Famous people:*Ludwig Greiner, identified Gerlachovský Peak as the summit of the Carpathians... Mülsen Mülsen is a municipality in Germany, Landkreis Zwickau in the administrative region of Chemnitz, the Free State of Saxony. It is situated 6 km northeast of Zwickau.... Neukirchen, Zwickauer Land Neukirchen is a municipality in the district Zwickau, in Saxony, Germany.... Reinsdorf, Saxony Reinsdorf is a municipality in the district Zwickau, in Saxony, Germany.... |
External links
- Official website (German, English)