Böhlen | |
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 Coat of arms | |
Location of Böhlen within Leipzig district  | |
  Böhlen  Böhlen | |
| Coordinates:51°12′9″N12°23′9″E / 51.20250°N 12.38583°E /51.20250; 12.38583 | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | Saxony |
| District | Leipzig |
| Subdivisions | 2 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2022–29) | Dietmar Berndt[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 24.55 km2 (9.48 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 126 m (413 ft) |
| Population (2022-12-31)[2] | |
• Total | 6,776 |
| • Density | 280/km2 (710/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 04564 |
| Dialling codes | 034206, 034299 (Großdeuben) |
| Vehicle registration | L, BNA, GHA, GRM, MTL, WUR |
| Website | www.stadt-boehlen.de |
Böhlen (German pronunciation:[ˈbøːlən]) is a town inSaxony,Germany, south ofLeipzig. Its main features are a small airport and a power plant. It is located in the newly builtNeuseenland, the lakes created in former open-pit mining areas.
The first documented mention of Böhlen dates to 1353,[3] although the area has been settled since the 7th century. The name of the town is derived from theSlavic wordbely (white, bright, shiny).[4] Themanor is first mentioned in 1548. The manor house, locally referred to as the castle, was built in the 16th century. First documentation regarding the old village church dates from 1540, although the building containsRomanesque parts.[5] Aplague epidemy during theThirty Years' War was reportedly only survived by two families.[6]
The character of the place was rural for a long time. In 1842 a station on theLeipzig–Hof railway was opened in Böhlen. A schoolhouse with five classrooms was built in 1879. Böhlen was part ofAmtPegau until 1856, then ofGerichtsamt (judicial district)Zwenkau until 1875 and from then on ofAmtshauptmannschaft (district) Leipzig.[3]
Only from the 1920s on the village developed into an industrial location, mainly due to thelignite found in the area. In 1924 one of the largest lignite mines in the world of its time was opened west of Böhlen. It was equipped with aconveyor bridge of 200 m length and 50 m height.
Towards the end ofWorld War II asubcamp ofBuchenwald concentration camp was established, where 800 prisoners worked asforced labor in aBraunkohle-Benzin AG ("Brabag") plant. Due to the strategically important industry, Böhlen suffered heavy aerial attacks in 1944/1945.
The principal industries were transferred into Soviet administration after World War II, and were returned to the GDR in 1952. In the same year, theKulturhaus (arts and leisure center) was opened. By administratively merging the power station, the coal processing plants, and the motor fuel works, thepublicly ownedKombinat "Otto Grotewohl" was formed. On 7 October 1964 Böhlen was awarded town status.
The neighbouring village of Zeschwitz was incorporated administratively into Böhlen in 1942, but mined over from 1943. Likewise, Stöhna (partially mined over since 1955) was incorporated in 1960, Trachenau (mostly mined over 1962–1965) in 1964, andGroßdeuben in 1997.[3]
The chemical works were acquired byDow Olefinverbund in 1995.
Today Böhlen, as well as its neighboring cityZwenkau, are profiting from the newly formedNeuseenland, where old open-cast mines are being converted into huge lakes.[7]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Towns and municipalities inLeipzig (district) | ||
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