A young community with a great history
The municipality of Wiedemar is comparatively young. The municipality as we know it today was only created in 2013, when it merged with the municipalities of Neukyhna and Zwochau to form the unified municipality of Wiedemar. But the history goes back much further: Historical finds and burial grounds prove that Germanic and Sorbian peoples already settled in the area in the 7th and 5th centuries BC.
Wiedemar was first mentioned in a document in 1272 as "Villa Wedemar". The district of Kölsa, whose name is derived from the Slavic "Colsow", means "clearing place" and appeared in a document as early as 1158. In 1342, Wiesenena was first mentioned as the property of the knight Hermann von Wiesenena. The current district of Klitschmar was recorded under the then name "Gliczene" in 1349. This name also comes from Slavic and means "place at the source". All of the villages in today's Wiedemar once belonged to the Electorate of Saxony's Delitzsch district. Due to the resolutions of the Congress of Vienna, the town became Prussian property. The numerous dramatic changes due to historical events, such as epidemics and the Second World War, made Wiedemar the place it is today.
The sights of the city
One of the most important sights in Wiedemar is the Church of St. Catherine. This late Gothic religious building dates from the period between the 13th and 15th centuries. Its special features are the high hipped roof and the organ by Nicolaus Schrickel.
Also worth seeing is the village church in the Kölsa district, which dates back to the 12th century. The church with its Romanesque tower is characterized by its red brick applications on the facade and has a Rühlmann organ. Another Rühlmann organ can also be found in the village church in Klitschmar, which was built in the 13th century and combines the styles of Romanticism and Renaissance.
Anyone interested in times gone by will find a number of historic manor houses throughout the municipality that once belonged to former knight's estates. For example, in Grebehna you can see the classicist manor house from the 19th century or in Lissa you can admire the stately manor house with its wooden balcony and open porch. In Pohritzsch, too, you can find the manor house in the local park, a remnant of the former knight's estate with a late classicist facade. Today, the knight's estate is mainly used as a fruit farm.
Nature as a Witness to Local History
At the turn of the millennium, a gas pipeline from Halle to Leipzig was to be built through the Wiedemar area. To ensure that this construction could take place, measurements and investigations were carried out beforehand. These investigations revealed something astonishing: in the fields between Kyhna and Peterwitz, not far from the Peterwitz mill, so-called circular ditch systems were discovered. Several such systems have been discovered and uncovered throughout Europe over the past few years. In contrast to the English stone circle Stonehenge, however, these were made of wood, which is why only changes in the soil composition can be used to determine what the systems once looked like. The system around Wiedemar is the only one of its size that has been found so far. The four-meter-deep ditches, four in number, with a diameter of 135 meters, pose some puzzles. One assumption about the purpose of the system is to hold ceremonies in the inner circle or to use it as a protective wall against enemies. What is certain, however, is that they were built around 6.600 years ago.
Another treasure was found during excavations in Zschernitz: the Adonis of Zschernitz. Not far from the present-day district of Wiedemar, archaeologists found a former settlement. A unique clay figure also emerged during the work, which the experts ultimately identified as an image of a naked man. The unusual thing about the figure is the anatomical precision with which it was worked. The find consists of two parts: the buttocks and the upper body. The origin of this figure is estimated to be between 5200 and 5100 BC.
Diversity of the Leipzig Lowland Bay
Wiedemar offers its visitors a variety of leisure activities. Above all, the focus is on the nature of the rural idyll. On the eastern edge of the Zwochau district, for example, you will find a small open-cast mining lake: Zwochauer See. The bathing lake is part of the bird sanctuary and has also been part of the Werbeliner See nature reserve since 2016. The Grabschützer See is not far away. On the former brown coal open-cast mining area, you can learn interesting facts about the surrounding area on an approximately eight-kilometer-long nature trail.
Young visitors who are more interested in technology will get their money's worth at the Rabutz Technical-Ecological Project Center. Since 1996, children and young people have been able to actively expand their knowledge of technology at the "Rabutz Racing Team". A wide variety of projects are worked on in working groups, which can even be presented at international technology fairs.
For those who would rather go on a shopping trip, the Wiedemar industrial estate is the right place. The Röther fashion park is perfect for a leisurely stroll. The family business has been offering a wide range of well-known branded goods on spacious and modern premises since 1972. Wiedemar is also home to the “Harry” bakery. The company built its first large bakery on the “Green Meadow” in 1993 and supplies Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia from there. Depending on the region of the production site, special goods are baked using regional grains. In Wiedemar, for example, “Das besonderen” is produced - a mixed rye bread with a crispy crust and sunflower seeds.
If you want to recharge your batteries during a trip to Wiedemar, "Dorns Rosenstübel" is the perfect place to stop. The family-run house invites its guests to cozy rooms with a homely atmosphere and hearty food. In addition to the restaurant, the house also has a guest house with nine lovingly furnished rooms.
Important sons of the city
The town of Wiedemar has a number of well-known personalities. Christian Friedrich Petzold was born in Wiedemar in 1743, for example. The logician and Protestant theologian was a preacher at the University Church of St. Pauli in Leipzig and later, in the winter semester of 1787, became rector of the Alma Mater. Carl Gottlob Küttner is also one of the town's sons. Born in 1755, he studied at the University of Leipzig and later traveled throughout Switzerland. This resulted in the "Letters from a Saxon from Switzerland to his friend in Leipzig", in which all Swiss literature published up to that point is critically examined. He also wrote letters about Ireland, France and Holland. A memorial stone on the village square from 1964 still commemorates Willi Grübsch today: the communist resistance fighter fell victim to the Nazi dictatorship and was murdered in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp after his time in prison in 1944.
Werner Peters, born in 1918 in the Wiedemar district of Werlitzsch, was a well-known actor. His most popular role was that of Diederich Heßling in the DEFA classic "The Subject". After breaking with the GDR regime, he moved to West Germany and worked at the Schillertheater in Berlin, among other places. He also played in "Hotel Adlon" (1955) and in "Nachts, wenn der Teufel kam" (1957) with Mario Adorf.
Event Highlights
Wiedemar is part of the mill region in northern Saxony. The mill season opens every year in April at the post mill in Zwochau. The mill technology and the history of milling are explained, among other things. The post mill is also a tourist destination on the Whitsun weekend. At the annual German Mill Day, visitors can learn interesting facts about the region's mills.
Carnival is also a popular festival in the region and is often celebrated. The traditional Zwochau Carnival Club has existed since 1982 and invites people to its carnival meetings every year. In addition, there are popular Easter bonfires in several districts of Wiedemar at Easter - for example in Kölsa or Klitschmar. A torchlight procession and fresh stick bread are offered for the younger guests.
But the smaller districts of Wiedemar also like to celebrate, such as the village and pond festival in Zaasch, organized by the bird lovers' association. Zschernitz also invites people to its village festival every year: a lively celebration is organized together with the comrades of the local volunteer fire brigade.
Pure nature
The numerous parks, extensive fields, wild and orchard meadows and the many biotopes are the perfect starting point for a hike. As part of the European bird sanctuary and the Werbeliner See nature reserve, attention is also drawn to the issue of species and nature conservation. Exceptional, protected bird species can be observed, especially in the disused Delitzsch Südwest open-cast mine. On guided excursions, such as bicycle excursions, interested parties can get to know the area around Wiedemar in a unique way. Those who prefer to travel on foot can go on a circular hike around Zwochauer See. The approximately seven-kilometer-long route offers the perfect balance to stressful everyday life.
Useful information at a glance
Due to its convenient location not far from Leipzig, Halle and Delitzsch, the town is a good starting point for numerous day trips and hikes. With around 5.300 inhabitants, Wiedemar is characterized by its idyllic village atmosphere. Nevertheless, as part of the Leipzig lowland bay, the town is very well connected to the transport network: the motorways 14 and 9 run through the municipality. Wiedemar can also be reached from Leipzig, via Delitzsch, with the S-Bahn lines 2 and 3 in conjunction with a connecting journey. Leipzig/Halle Airport is also located south of Wiedemar.