What Rackwitz has in common with a crab…
The Rackwitz region was formerly populated by Slavs. The Sorbian prefix "rak" means "cancer" and explains the depiction of the animal in the municipality's coat of arms. Rackwitz was first mentioned in documents around 1349. At the beginning of the 15th century, the inhabitants of the town suffered from the plague and from looting during the Thirty Years' War. In 1815, Rackwitz and other districts were ceded to Prussia by the Electorate of Saxony's Delitzsch office during the Congress of Vienna. The district of Podelwitz, which belonged to the Electorate of Saxony's Leipzig district office, remained part of Saxony. In 1939, the communities of Rackwitz and Güntheritz were formed into the joint municipality of Rackwitz. In the years following the Second World War, all crashed aircraft were dumped and dismantled on the site of the Rackwitz light metal works in order to obtain spare parts and valuable aluminum. In 2004, the communities of Zschortau and Rackwitz and their districts merged to form the greater municipality of Rackwitz.
Walk to Rackwitz's sights
Anyone strolling south along the main street through Rackwitz will soon notice the white building that resembles a small castle. This is the town hall that characterizes the townscape and was created from a former farmhouse. The high-quality design of the two-storey plastered building with hipped roof, central projection and dormer is framed by two side towers with bell roofs. The staircase and doors are largely in their original condition, the windows have been restored. If you continue along the main street and turn left into Leipziger Straße after a few hundred meters, you will reach Straße der Jugend. The winding road leads to the former manor house of the Güntheritz manor. The former Art Nouveau manor house was converted into a school in 1965. The foyer extension with mosaic interior design has since been located in the former barn. Visitors can continue to follow the path to Podelwitz over a small bridge in a forest-like park. The 40-meter-high tower of the church in Podelwitz can be seen from afar. It was first mentioned in documents in 1250, when Henry the Illustrious of Wettin donated the church building to the Teutonic Order. The church has remained almost unchanged to this day, with only the spire being renewed at the beginning of the 17th century. The winged altar inside the church is considered to be one of the last altars by the sculptor Stefan Hermsdorf and was restored in 2001/02.
Another tip for a day trip is the Protestant village church in the Zschortau district, around six kilometers north of Rackwitz. The church contains the only surviving organ made by Johann Scheibe, the Leipzig University organ maker who died in 1748. The small baroque organ was personally tested by Johann Sebastian Bach and classified as "efficient, hard-working and well-built." The late Gothic hall church probably dates from the 12th/13th century.
Unique Inns and Entertainment
The Landgasthof Podelwitz is very popular. Whether in summer on the spacious terrace or in the winter garden, hungry visitors get their money's worth here. The beer garden has space for up to 250 guests, as does the large Art Nouveau hall, which is often rented for all kinds of celebrations. The varied menu offers Mediterranean food, homemade pasta specialties, wild lamb and poultry from our own farm.
The Levante restaurant, located directly on Lake Schladitzer, is a popular place to relax after hours of action on the water. On the outdoor terrace, you can end the day with sunsets behind the stunning backdrop of the lake and a large selection of food and drinks.
Rackwitz and its personalities
A well-known daughter from the Rackwitz district of Zschortau is Clara Fechner. The author, who was born there in 1809, published the fairy tale book “The Black Aunt” in 1848. It was illustrated by the important German painter Ludwig Richter. A separate edition of the fairy tale book appeared in 1854 under the title “Nutcracker and Sugar Doll”.
Immo Rittmeyer, a well-known cyclist, comes from the Kreuma district. One of his greatest successes was his participation in the 1964 Summer Olympics. He qualified for this primarily by winning the German-German elimination race in Giessen.
“Testival” for water lovers at Schladitzer Bay
The "Testival" takes place every year at the beginning of the water sports season at Schladitzer Bay. It is organized by the ALL-on-SEA leisure and water sports center. Here, water sports enthusiasts and anyone who wants to become one can test the equipment of various manufacturers and sports such as windsurfing, kiting, SUP to their heart's content, free of charge. The testival is complemented by a sports flea market, free use of the bathing and sauna barrels, and hearty grilled specialties.
From nature experiences to cultural scenes
The question before a trip often divides people: city trip or nature? With its location not far from the vibrant city of Leipzig, Rackwitz offers the perfect opportunity for both. If you are looking for some relaxation from the hustle and bustle of the city, a trip to Schladitzer Lake is worthwhile. The flooded open-cast mining pit offers a variety of water and beach sports. With Schladitzer Bay on your doorstep, Rackwitz is in the best position. Windsurfing and sailing courses as well as fishing spots and a beach volleyball court promise plenty of variety. Schladitzer Bay was opened in 2014. A bathing bay with paths, raised seats and sports fields was created from around 7.000 cubic meters of gravel and sand. A special highlight is the water fun park, a large fun island with various obstacles.
The Werbeliner See, located a little further north, also has its own charm. The 450 hectare lake is named after the former village of Werbelin, which, together with Kattersnaundorf and Grabschütz, had to make way for brown coal mining in 1975. Nature lovers can observe the unique landscape with its diverse flora and fauna here. This also applies to the neighboring Grabschützer See. Here, nature is reclaiming the former open-cast mining area in its own way. This created a varied landscape that provides a habitat for many protected animal and plant species and is part of the European bird sanctuary (SPA). The circular path, which can be reached via three entrances, offers many opportunities to observe nature over a length of seven kilometers. In addition, a nature trail provides information at 17 stations about the landscape history, ecology and flora and fauna of the nature reserve. In addition, the Werbeliner See was even declared a nature reserve in 2019. There are a number of rules and requirements that must be observed before and when entering the area. You should find out more before traveling, e.g. at: www.nsgwerbelinersee.de/schutzgebiets
Important facts at one glance
Rackwitz is home to around 5.100 residents in its seven districts and is located around ten kilometers north of Leipzig city center. With a direct connection to the S-Bahn line 2, Rackwitz can be reached by public transport from Leipzig city center in just eleven minutes. By car, you can reach the town via the B184.