Eilenburg facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eilenburg
Coat of arms
Country	Germany
State	Saxony
District	Nordsachsen
Elevation	106 m (348 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31)
• Total	16,031
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	04838
Dialling codes	03423
Vehicle registration	TDO, DZ, EB, OZ, TG, TO
Website	www.eilenburg.de

Eilenburg is a town in eastern Germany. It is located in the state of Saxony. The town sits on the Mulde river, about 20 kilometers northeast of Leipzig. Eilenburg is part of the Nordsachsen Rural District. It has three main urban areas: Mitte, Ost, and Berg. There are also six smaller villages: Behlitz, Hainichen, Kospa, Pressen, Wedelwitz, and Zschettgau. Eilenburg covers about 46.84 square kilometers. In 2009, it had around 17,000 people.

Eilenburg's Early History

Eilenburg's castle was first mentioned on July 29, 961. This was in a document from Otto I. The castle was called civitas Ilburg. Its name comes from a Slavic word. It means "town in clay deposits." A settlement likely grew near the castle in the 11th century. This settlement became the town of Eilenburg we know today.

Reformation in Eilenburg

In the 16th century, Eilenburg was important for the Protestant Reformation. Even Duke George of Saxony called it a "nominated place." Martin Luther visited Eilenburg seven times. He called it a "blessed lard pit." Some stories say he even thought about living there when he was old.

Eilenburg During Wars

The Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) greatly affected Eilenburg. At first, the town avoided direct fighting. But it suffered from the war's bad economy. From 1631, Eilenburg became directly involved. In 1632, the body of Gustav II Adolf, the King of Sweden, was brought to Eilenburg. He had died in the Battle of Lützen. In 1639, Georg von Derfflinger's troops took over Eilenburg.

Peace Treaty of Eilenburg

In 1646, peace talks began in Eilenburg. These talks were between Saxony and Sweden. They wanted to extend a ceasefire. On September 14, 1648, the Treaty of Eilenburg was signed. This treaty ended the Thirty Years' War for all of Saxony. After the war, the town slowly started to recover.

Seven Years' War Impact

The slow recovery ended with the Seven Years' War. Almost every man in Eilenburg had to join the army. The city was taken over by Austrian and Prussian forces many times. Eilenburg became a poor and ruined town. By the late 18th century, its economy was stuck. Eilenburg became a less important place.

Napoleon and Prussian Rule

In 1813, during the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon visited Eilenburg. This was just before the Battle of Leipzig. He took a final look at his troops east of Eilenburg. After Napoleon's defeat, Saxony had to give land to Prussia. This happened because of the Congress of Vienna. Eilenburg then became part of the modern Prussian state. This change helped Eilenburg become an industrial city.

Eilenburg's Industrial Growth

Many textile factories were built in Eilenburg. This made it a major center for Prussian textile production. Only Berlin was more important. Industrialists from nearby Saxony moved to Eilenburg. This allowed them to sell goods in Prussia without extra taxes. More people moved to the city, and the population grew fast.

Social Changes and Innovations

The rapid growth caused social problems. This led to a strong labour movement. In 1849, a health insurance support group was formed. In 1850, Eilenburg saw two important firsts for Germany. The "food association of Eilenburg" was the first food cooperative. The "Darlehnskassenverein" was the first Credit union. Carl Degenkolb, a factory owner in Eilenburg, started the first German works councils at his factory.

Railway and New Industries

Eilenburg got its first railway in 1872. The Halle-Eilenburg-Falkenberg route opened on June 30. Two years later, the Eilenburg-Leipzig route began service. Industry kept growing quickly. Chemical, wood, and metal processing companies moved in. The "Deutsche Celluliod-Fabrik" (German Celluloid Factory) opened in 1887. This factory was very important to the city's business for over 100 years.

Eilenburg in the 20th Century

During World War I, hundreds of Eilenburg residents joined the military. On October 21, 1917, Wilhelm Pieck escaped from a military transport. He later became the President of GDR. About 800 people from Eilenburg died in the war.

World War II Destruction

About two weeks before World War II ended, Eilenburg was almost completely destroyed. American troops reached Eilenburg on April 17, 1945. The town was ordered to defend itself fiercely. For three days and nights, the town was under heavy artillery fire. Most of its buildings were destroyed. This defense killed 200 people. 90 percent of the city center was ruined. Overall, 65 percent of all buildings in the city were destroyed. The American forces had very few losses. Eilenburg was one of the most damaged cities in Germany.

Post-War Reconstruction

The city center was rebuilt in the 1950s. In 1952, Eilenburg became the main town of a new district. This happened during an administrative change in the GDR. Large new housing areas were built in eastern Eilenburg. In the autumn of 1989, up to 7,000 people held peaceful protests. These protests helped bring about political change.

After German Reunification

After German reunification, some old companies closed down. New businesses were set up outside the city. This helped replace some lost jobs. In 1994, Eilenburg's district merged with another. So, the city lost its role as a district seat.

Modern Eilenburg

In 2002, Eilenburg was badly hit by a flood from the Mulde river. The damage cost about 135 million Euros. After the flood, work began to build better flood protection. This work finished in 2008, costing 35 million Euros. Eilenburg was the first city in Saxony to be fully protected from floods. Since August 1, 2008, Eilenburg has been in the middle of the new Nordsachsen Rural District.

See also

In Spanish: Eilenburg para niños