Markkleeberg Explained

Type:Stadt
Image Coa:Wappen_markkleeberg.png
Coordinates:51.2778°N 12.3833°W
Image Plan:Markkleeberg in L.svg
State:Sachsen
District:Leipzig
Elevation:132
Area:31.36
Postal Code:04416
Area Code:0341, 034297, 034299
Licence:L, BNA, GHA, GRM, MTL, WUR
Gemeindeschlüssel:14729260
Divisions:9
Website:www.markkleeberg.de
Mayor:Karsten Schütze[1]
Leader Term:2020 - 27
Party:SPD

Markkleeberg is an affluent[2] [3] suburb of Leipzig, located in the Leipzig district of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. The river Pleiße runs through the city, which borders Leipzig to the north and to the west.

Markkleeberg is known to be the entry point[4] to a region of recultivated open-cast mining lakes south of Leipzig dubbed the Leipziger Neuseenland.

History

The town now called Markkleeberg has its origins in several towns that have been merged over the years. The center of modern-day Markkleeberg used to be called Oetzsch. It was merged with the smaller outlying district Markkleeberg in 1911 and renamed Oetzsch-Markkleeberg. Oetzsch-Markkleeberg was in turn merged with Gautzsch and the whole town was called "Markkleeberg", although Markkleeberg was the smallest, because it sounded most Germanic at a time of Nazi-led Germanisation.

The etymology of Markkleeberg may be "clover hill market town". The name of Oetzsch has most likely a Wendish origin. In 1316 it was mentioned in a document as "Euschiz". The village originally had the form of a Rundling.

In 1813 much of the Battle of Leipzig took place where today's Markkleeberg is situated.

During 1944 and 1945, a forced labor camp for women was established in the town, initially a subcamp of the Ravensbrück concentration camp and later of Buchenwald.[5] Among the inmates were a thousand Jewish women from Hungary and 250 French resistance fighters.[6] In early April 1945, the surviving inmates were transferred to the Mauthausen-Gusen camp in Austria.

Today, Markkleeberg is a growing town because of its proximity to Leipzig.[7]

Historical population

(Source since 1998: Statistical bureau of Saxony)

YearPopulation
1946 20,517
1950 20,130
1960 20,545
1981 20,622
1984 19,811
1995 20,415
1997 20,264
YearPopulation
1998 22,728
1999 23,157
2000 23,157
2001 23,087
2002 23,139
2003 23,306
2004 23,639
YearPopulation
2005 23,806
2006 23,913
2007 24,021
2008 24,020
2009 24,254
2010 24,338
YearPopulation
2011 24,402
2012 23,869
2013 23.940
2015 24,240
2016 24,477

Culture

Markkleeberg is a well-known tourist destination. Cospudener See, Markkleeberger See, Kanupark Markkleeberg as well as many parks like the Agra-Park are close to the city.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany. Markkleeberg is twinned with:[8]

Notes and References

  1. https://wahlen.sachsen.de/buergermeisterwahl-2020-wahlergebnisse.php Wahlergebnisse 2020
  2. Web site: "Schere zwischen Arm und Reich nirgendwo so extrem". 2021-04-12. LVZ - Leipziger Volkszeitung. de.
  3. Web site: 7,3 Millionen Euro!: Markkleebergs teuerste Villa zu verkaufen. 2021-04-12. bild.de. de.
  4. Web site: Tourist-Information Leipziger Neuseenland und Stadt Markkleeberg. 2021-04-12. MKB. de.
  5. Web site: Memorial tablet for victims of the Women's Camp of Buchenwald. de. Stessel. Zahava. 23 August 2018.
  6. Web site: Homage to Frau Dr. Zahava Stessel, nee Katalin Szasz, survivor of the camp. de. www.markkleeberg.de/de/startseite/ Mark*Klee*Berg in Sachsen. 23 August 2018.
  7. Web site: Life and Living in Markkleeberg. www.eigentumswohnung-kaufen-leipzig.de. de. 2017-11-23.
  8. Web site: Partnerstädte. Markkleeberg. de. 2021-12-09.