Market (Elsterwerda)

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The Elsterwerda market square at Christmas 2015.
City center of Elsterwerda

The market square of the small town of Elsterwerda in southern Brandenburg is located directly in the city center. The historic part in the east of the area, which had existed for centuries, had a floor area of ​​around 40 × 40 meters. After 1945, further areas to the west were added after the development here fell victim to an arson and was not rebuilt.

It received its current shape through redesign measures between 2007 and 2015.

location and size

The Elsterwerda market square is located in the historic city center. Today's market square consists of two areas separated by the main street. The almost square part on the right has a base area of ​​around 40 × 40 meters. It forms the original marketplace that has existed for centuries. Another slightly larger area is located between Hauptstrasse and Lange Strasse. This was added after 1945.

The surrounding streets are the main street , which crosses the market in the area of ​​the Elsterbrunnen, which was implemented in 2007, the Lange Straße , the Böttcherstraße and the street Am Markt . The streets opening into the market area are the mayors Wilde-Straße , Marktstraße , Rosenstraße , Wiesenstraße and Friedrich Engels-Straße .

History and Development

Early history

Identification of the remains of the foundations of the former development in the subsoil
Identification of the location of a well found on the northern market square
Commissioning of the mayor Wilde-Fountain in 1906. The former central hotel can be seen in the background.

Already between 1991 and 1994 archaeological excavations on a 3.8 hectare area on the site of the industrial area East discovered about 1500 year old settlement remains, which are presumably assigned to the Germanic tribe of the Semnones . The exposure was made during excavations of a Verhüttungsfeldes with nearly 200 iron-melting furnace , so-called Rennfeueröfen and coal piles and working pits, point out that these Germans to the iron smelting had specialized and occurring in the area bog iron processed.

With the archaeological investigations that went along with extensive redevelopment measures in the inner city of Elsterwerda after the fall of the Wall, there were also finds in this area which also point to the processing or smelting of lawn iron stone. Above all, there was a high medieval iron slag layer up to 0.2 meters thick, which, as far as is known, stretched between Hauptstrasse and Friedrich-Engels-Strasse from the church across the market to Rathausstrasse on an area of ​​around 16,500 m² . This is probably a former slag dump, which was expanded after the abandonment of a previously unlocated smelting site. A large part of the structures found in the form of remains of fences or post houses were found in the area of ​​today's market and on the main street opposite today's Hotel Weißes Ross , so it is assumed that this part was once the most frequented.

Initially, a village with loose but closed buildings developed in a north-south direction west of today's main road. The area covered by the slag east of this line possibly served as a village green. Influenced by the close proximity to the castle, a town developed in the late Middle Ages, whereupon Elsterwerda was granted town charter in 1364.

Among other things, due to numerous city fires, only a few written records and meaningful documents on the older history of the city and the market square have survived. One of the oldest documents mentions the presence of a well on the market around 1413.

The Elsterwerda town hall has been located a little south of the market in Hauptstrasse since 1879. Originally, however, there was a correspondingly used building on the market. In the town register dating from 1711, the 77th living and fireplace that was on the north side of the market is given as its location. However, this town hall was completely destroyed and not rebuilt in a city fire caused by the arson of a maid on the night of All Saints Day in 1621, as were 44 houses, so that by 1711 only the foundations were left.

The almost square historical market square is located on the right or east of the main street. There were likely to have been structural changes due to the numerous city fires. In 1905, on the occasion of the commissioning of the new municipal water pipeline, a commemorative fountain was erected in the middle of the market with the help of voluntary donations from Elsterwerda citizens, which were then electrically illuminated by four, at the time, ultra-modern Nernst lamps. In September of the same year, it was decided to build sidewalks on the market.

Expansion and remodeling measures after the Second World War

For a long time, the ruin of the Selkmann bakery, which has since been demolished, and the subsequent fallow land of the demolished Runge bookbindery shaped the market.
Green area on the market before the renovation work started in 2007

After the Second World War, a business district on the left side of the main street and the market to the west fell victim to a major fire caused by arson. While a residential and commercial building with a hairdressing salon was later built on the rubble site in the east of the Café Vaterland, which was also destroyed , the rubble field of the business district was cleared from 1951 with the participation of the population. The request of the former owners to rebuild the building was not approved by the city administration and a green area with ornamental shrubs was created in 1967 in the course of a further redesign of the entire market area. The Bürgermeister-Wilde-Brunnen was dismantled during this construction work. From then on, an ensemble of four large street lamps surrounded by flowers shaped the center of the market square, with parking bays marked in the cobblestone pavement.

The Elsterbrunnen on the market, which was demolished in April 2007.

First, in 1967, a concrete fountain was built in the form of a rectangular pool on the green area. Inside there were five fountain-shaped water features. During the term of office of Mayor Wolf-Dieter Schwarz (1975–1991), bronze figures were later integrated. These were designed by the Hohenleipischer sculptor Hans Eickworth, who died in 1995, based on the model of the Elsterwerda city coat of arms, which was used until 1994. The main character of the fountain is a bronze magpie. Two other bronze figures represent lilies. The lilies originally come from the coat of arms of the von Köckeritz family , who were the landlords of Elsterwerda from 1367 to 1512. They were later also included in the Elsterwerda city arms.

Historic market square before the 2008 redesign
Historic buildings in the market area that have now disappeared
address designation Location, fate
Hauptstrasse 15 Master shoemaker Dieckmann Western market area, burned down in 1945
Hauptstrasse 16 Wollhaus Galle Western market area, burned down in 1945
Hauptstrasse 17 Mampe restaurant (owner Hempel) Western market area, burned down in 1945
Hauptstrasse 18 Linge green goods store Western market area, burned down in 1945
Corner of Hauptstrasse / Böttcherstrasse Trandorf grocery store Western market area, burned down in 1945
Corner of Böttcherstraße / Lange Straße Basketry / flower and green goods shop Grödel Western market area, burned down in 1945
Long street Grocery store Müller Western market area, burned down in 1945
Wiesenstrasse 1 Residential house knees Eastern market area, burned down by arson in 1945
Hauptstrasse 34 Selkmann bakery Southern market area, demolished in 2012, now open space
Hauptstrasse 35 Former Heinrich Runge bookbindery Southern market area, demolished after 1990, now open space

Remodeling after the turn

First to third construction phase

The redesigned Elsterbrunnen in April 2015.

Accompanied by archaeological excavations, the entire market square has been redesigned in four construction phases since February 2007; the fountain erected there was demolished on April 19. After the redesign of the green area was initially tackled together with the demolition of the Elsterbrunnen, the market has had a new fountain in the center of the area since November 2007. The figures of the old fountain were integrated into it. In this area, the main street leads through the area of ​​the fountain and on the left there is another water feature. The street in this area is closed to motor vehicles and can only be used by pedestrians and cyclists in everyday life. The area of ​​the former lawn was removed in the course of the first construction phase and covered with concrete slabs. Raised beds were created on the edge of Böttcherstrasse. Only in the southern area was an area graveled for the time being, the so-called southern tip, as its future design was still open. In December 2007 the first construction phase could then be handed over. In the following year, the area of ​​the old market was redesigned in the course of the construction work on the second construction phase, in a third construction phase, then the Lange Straße between the main street and the intersection of Lange Straße / Böttcherstraße / Bürgermeister-Wilde-Straße .

Fourth construction phase

The construction work on the southern tip in April 2015

Since the redesign of the market square in 2007, the use of the so-called southern tip at the confluence of Langen Strasse and Hauptstrasse has repeatedly caused discussions . The complex on the opposite side of the Selkmann bakery has been stirring people's hearts for years. Various projects and ideas have since been presented to the public. One of the highlights was the proposal to erect a 40-meter-high, twelve-storey high-rise in August 2008. In addition to a multifunctional event room, a publicly accessible toilet facility and shops in the basement, a restaurant, apartments and office space were to be built here. Initially presented by Mayor Dieter Herrchen during the parliamentary summer break to the tradespeople and later to the city council, this project provided plenty of material for discussion.

The “high-rise” project ultimately failed. In February of the following year it became known that the potential investors who wanted to invest around 4.5 million euros in this project had jumped out. One of the reasons given was “city-internal imponderables in the implementation of the project”. Already in the spring of the following year, alternatives were sought. However, it should take a few more years to make a decision on how to design it. In the meantime, the area has been used as a parking lot and partly as an event area. The Lausitzer Rundschau headline on the subject of the southern tip on October 21, 2013: “Politics as once from the shield citizens”.

The Elsterwerda city council was only able to reach an agreement on this in November 2013. In the end, two design variants were offered for election and discussed in public. In the fall of 2014, the structural redesign finally began. In addition to an event area, an arcade , play equipment and pergolas were created. The city invested around 300,000 euros in the section, which was largely released in November 2015.

Today's surrounding buildings

South side of the market with Elsterbrunnen

According to the list of monuments published by the Brandenburg State Office for the Preservation of Monuments and the State Archaeological Museum , the entire area of ​​the market is under preservation order . As a monument designated buildings are in the immediate area of the market, building on the property in Long Street 3, which one received up to the present typical Ackerbuergerhof represent 19th century. The former Selkmann bakery in Hauptstrasse 34, which was originally also listed as a monument, was demolished in 2012.

Today's development in the market area (selection)

address Remarks
At market 2 The facade of the commercial building on the south side of the market, in which the Fuchs craft business has been located for several generations, is characterized by a balcony on the first floor. This was often used to hold speeches on various occasions, including during the turning point.
At market 3 The building, which currently houses the Kahle leather and toy store in the basement, housed the city's first post office from 1879 to 1885.
At market 4 This is where the Zentral-Hotel, which opened in 1902, was originally located, and from 1910 the Café Vaterland dance hall , which was burned down in 1945 by arson. The building was rebuilt from 1954 and replaced by a residential and commercial building, in the basement of which there has since been a hairdressing salon.
At market 9 Erected around 1901 by Georg Hutschenreuter (master butcher), later Bruns department store, consumer department store in GDR times, Schlecker branch after the fall of the Berlin Wall, today Intersport store.
Long street 3 The ensemble of a typical agricultural bourgeois farm from the 19th century, which is now a listed building, comprises a two-storey house with a gable roof and half-timbered, a two-storey farm workers' house that closes the courtyard, also with a gable roof and half-timbered, and a single-storey stable building with a gable roof.
Lange Strasse 5 The original corner house, in the basement of which there was a radio shop until the fall of the Wall, was demolished shortly after the fall of the Wall and replaced in 1996 by a new building, which today houses residential, office and business premises.

Events

Historic shopping night 2011
Stage and multifunctional building on the southern tip

A marketplace has traditionally been an urban center of public life and commerce. And so in the course of history a wide variety of markets were held in Elsterwerda, even if the markets in Liebenwerda, Großenhain and Mühlberg were probably larger and more frequent. So also in the middle of the 16th century. After the city had suffered severe fire damage in 1562 and it was almost completely cremated, another city fire followed seven years later. Therefore, in 1569, a request was made for the approval of a fair , which the elector finally approved for the Tuesday before Easter. In 1606 another market was approved on the Monday before Pentecost and in 1643 a cattle and fair for the Saturday and Monday after the day of Gallus (October 16) . In 1848 the town was given permission to hold a market on Saturdays and around 1902 a pig market was held on Thursdays.

The space was also used for other public events, exercises, or it served as a parade ground for pageants. At the beginning of the 20th century, the rifle guild and other associations marched thousands of people to the Elsterwerda market square. After the Second World War, it was mainly political rallies, such as the annual May demonstrations, that touched the square. For example, on November 7, 1957, a rally with around 2000 people took place on the market square on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the October Revolution. In addition, the National People's Army was sworn in here. Ultimately, in the fall of 1989, there were rallies and demonstrations by the local citizens' initiative.

But it was and still is the cultural center. From April 2nd to 4th, 1955, there was an Easter market on the market, which ended with fireworks. During the week of the 750th anniversary, various events took place here from June 24th to 1961. Numerous of these are also known from recent history. The focus was on the market during the 800th anniversary celebrations in 2011, when a festival weekend with a medieval market, concerts, circus tent, carousels, historical night, laser show and closing fireworks was held on it and in the adjacent streets with lively participation of the population.

At the moment there is a weekly market on the market square every Thursday, where mainly regional products are offered. Until April 2003 this was also available every Monday. The Green Market , which has been taking place once a month on Saturdays from April to November in Elsterwerda since 1998, is slightly larger . Furthermore, the market square is the center of activities for the Historic Shopping Night taking place in the city center at the beginning of September . Other events also take place here sporadically. The annual Christmas market is also traditionally concentrated on and around the market square.

Trivia

Giant cap on the southern tip 2013
  • January 4, 1880 - When the dam on the Black Elster, which had been regulated a few years earlier, flooded, the market square and the adjacent streets, which were 1.5 meters under water, were flooded along with other adjacent streets.
  • March 27, 1930 - Strychnine caused poisoning on the market at the Tettau cattle dealer Lesche by the cattle dealer Weber from Lindenau . The killer later committed suicide.
  • September 6, 2013 - In September 2013, as part of the historic shopping night, a giant hat made by the Elsterwerda knitting and crocheting women was an attempt to get into the Guinness Book of Records . The item of clothing on the southern tip, consisting of 1051 individual parts, was 159.45 square meters and weighed 222 kilograms. The bobble alone, with a diameter of 1.40 meters, weighed 92 kilograms. Although the record was set according to their own statements, the hat ultimately did not find its way into the record collection.

Web links

Commons : Market  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 51 ° 27 ′ 28.7 ″  N , 13 ° 31 ′ 24 ″  E

Footnotes and individual references

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Werner Galle, Werner Horn: Elsterwerdas places in the course of time In: Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Heimatkunde e. V. Bad Liebenwerda (ed.): Home calendar - For the country between the Elbe and Elster. No. 56, Gräser Verlag, Grossenhain 2004, ISBN 3-932913-47-7 , pp. 99-116.
  2. ↑ Luise Grundmann, Dietrich Hanspach: Der Schraden . Böhlau, September 2001, ISBN 978-3-412-10900-4 , pp. 82/83
  3. ↑ City of Elsterwerda (ed.): Where Teutons once settled - excavations in the industrial area east in Elsterwerda . (Flyer).
  4. ↑ a b Bruno Mezéc: On the emergence of Elsterwerda in the Middle Ages from the perspective of archeology . In: City of Elsterwerda (Ed.): Elsterwerdaer Geschichtsblätter . No. 6 , 2010.
  5. ↑ Flyer: Town Hall Chronicle
  6. ↑ Manfred Reuschel: The water supply of Biehla and Elsterwerda in past centuries. In: Home calendar for the old district of Bad Liebenwerda, the Mückenberger Ländchen, outskirts on Schraden and Uebigau-Falkenberg. Vol. 53, 2000, ZDB -ID 920368-0 , pp. 248-258.
  7. ↑ Margarete Noack: Elsterwerda - When the chimneys were still smoking. Photo documents from 1945–1989 . 1st edition. Leipziger Verlagsgesellschaft, Leipzig 2004, ISBN 3-910143-14-8 , p. 7 .
  8. ^ Lexicon of cities and coats of arms of the GDR, 1985
  9. ↑ a b c d e f g h Margarete Noack: Elsterwerda - When the chimneys were still smoking. Photo documents from 1945–1989 . 1st edition. Leipziger Verlagsgesellschaft, Leipzig 2004, ISBN 3-910143-14-8 , p. 7 .
  10. ↑ Frank Claus: "Demolition excavator or further ruins" in Lausitzer Rundschau , Elsterwerda regional section, March 27, 2010
  11. ^ "Demolition of the former Selkmann bakery has begun" in Lausitzer Rundschau, September 15, 2012
  12. ↑ Mona Claus: “Market: Mild weather allows construction to begin” in Lausitzer Rundschau, February 22, 2008
  13. ^ "Third construction phase on the market: everything on schedule" in Lausitzer Rundschau, May 19, 2009
  14. ↑ Gabi Böttcher: “A high-rise for Elsterwerda” in Lausitzer Rundschau, August 8, 2008
  15. ↑ Gabi Böttcher: "Elsterwerda mayor sticks to high-rise project" in Lausitzer Rundschau, August 22, 2014
  16. ↑ Gabi Böttcher: “Dream of the skyscraper in Elsterwerda burst” in Lausitzer Rundschau, February 12, 2009
  17. ↑ Ines Klut: "Elsterwerda says goodbye to the high-rise project" in Lausitzer Rundschau, January 31, 2009
  18. ↑ Susanne Thams "What should become of the market square in Elsterwerda?" In Lausitzer Rundschau, March 6, 2009
  19. ^ "Politics as once from the Schildbürgern" in Lausitzer Rundschau, October 21, 2013
  20. ↑ Frank Claus: “It's finally clear: This is how the southern tip will be built” in Lausitzer Rundschau, November 23, 2013
  21. ↑ Frank Claus: "Südspitze Elsterwerda: Citizens have a say in" in Lausitzer Rundschau, October 5, 2013
  22. ↑ “Allocation for the southern tip is being prepared” in Lausitzer Rundschau, July 16, 2014
  23. ↑ Frank Claus: “Elsterwerda's major projects are picking up speed” in Lausitzer Rundschau, May 8, 2014
  24. ↑ Frank Claus: “Three more pieces of jewelery for Elsterwerda's city center” in Lausitzer Rundschau, November 28, 2015
  25. ↑ Database of the Brandenburg State Office for the Preservation of Monuments and the State Archaeological Museum ( Memento of the original from March 30, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed June 9, 2014.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.bldam-brandenburg.de
  26. ↑ Matthäus Karl Fitzkow : On the older history of the city of Liebenwerda and its district area . Ed .: District Museum Bad Liebenwerda. Bad Liebenwerda 1961, p. 34 .
  27. ↑ Lorenz: Something about the Mühlberger market in "Die Schwarze Elster." (Local history series), No. 513, page 28, 1936
  28. ^ Corinna Carl: "New Lust in the Lausitz" in Lausitzer Rundschau, September 16, 2013
  29. ↑ "world record with a giant hat" in Torgau, September 11, 2013 Newspaper
  30. ↑ Mona Claus: “Final spurt: Elsterwerda residents want to be in the Guinness Book of Records with a giant bobble hat - the official weighing” in Lausitzer Rundschau, September 6, 2013
  31. ↑ Internet presence of the Guinness Book of Records , accessed on December 23, 2015