Hainichen, Saxony

Hainichen

Coat of arms
Hainichen

Coordinates: 50°58′11″N 13°7′31″E / 50.96972°N 13.12528°E / 50.96972; 13.12528Coordinates: 50°58′11″N 13°7′31″E / 50.96972°N 13.12528°E / 50.96972; 13.12528
Country Germany
State Saxony
District Mittelsachsen
Government
 • Mayor Dieter Greysinger (SPD)
Area
 • Total 51.57 km2 (19.91 sq mi)
Population (2014-12-31)[1]
 • Total 8,593
 • Density 170/km2 (430/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 09661
Dialling codes 037207
Vehicle registration FG, BED, DL, FLÖ, HC, MW, RL
Website www.hainichen.de

Hainichen is a market town in the German Free State of Saxony. It is located on the river Striegis and about 15 miles (24 kilometres) north-east of Chemnitz. Hainichen has been shaped by its industrial past.

History

From the foundation until industrial revolution

A first settlement had been mentioned in 1276 as villa forensis Heynichen.

Hainichen used to be a place of considerable industry. Its primary manufacture was once that of flannels, baize, and similar fabrics; at the time it may have been called the centre of this industry in Germany.[2]

The Gellert institution for the poor was established in 1815.[2]

In 1933, a production plant for small delivery vans and minibuses called Framo moved from nearby Frankenberg to Hainchen. Since then, the automotive industry has been the most import employer.

Nazi era

An early concentration camp, Hainichen concentration camp, was established in April 1933 and dissolute in June 1933. During World War II, a subcamp of Flossenbürg concentration camp was located here, housing female prisoners working for the Framo enterprise.[3]

GDR

The former plant of the Framo company was nationalized. The 1960s saw a reingeneering of delivery vans and minibuses under the Barkas B1000 brand. Hainichen became a major producer of parts for these cars.

After reunification

Production of the B1000 delivery vans and minibuses ceased in 1991.

Population statistics

Typical for a market town in the east of Germany, Hainichen faces a demographic problem.

(from 1960 onwards per 31 December):

Year Population
1834 4,623
1933 8,047
1960 11,188
1998 10,405
1999 10,266


Year Population
2000 10,061
2001 9,888
2002 9,744
2003 9,628
2004 9,554


Year Population
2005 9,502
2006 9,314
2007 9,236
2008 9,131


:Source from 1998 onwards: Statistisches Landesamt des Freistaates Sachsen

Famous citizens

Hainichen is the birthplace of C.F. Gellert, to whose memory a bronze statue was erected in the marketplace in 1865.

Friedrich Gottlob Keller, the inventor of the groundwood pulp technique, was born in Hainichen.

Leisure and tourism

Sites and buildings of interest

Hainichen is home of a camera obscura.

Other important sights are the Gellert museum (literature museum), Tuchmacherhaus (clothier museum)and a communal park. Hainichen is surrounded by the beautiful valleys of the river Striegis.

Sports

Hainichen has a communal sports centre with a small indoor pool, a communal outdoor swimming pool and a bowling centre. Also, there is a cycling track nearby.

Industry

Hainichen is characterised by small and medium-sized businesses. The largest employer is the car parts maker Metalsa Automotive Hainichen GmbH (formerly ISE Industries Hainichen GmbH) (429 employees in 2005).

Districts

Areas of the city include

International relations

Hainichen is twinned with:

References

Notes
  1. ↑ "Aktuelle Einwohnerzahlen nach Gemeinden 2014] (Einwohnerzahlen auf Grundlage des Zensus 2011)" (PDF). Statistisches Landesamt des Freistaates Sachsen (in German). 7 September 2015.
  2. 1 2 Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911)
  3. ↑ Christine O'Keefe. Concentration Camps
  4. ↑ "List of Twin Towns in the Ruhr District" (PDF). © 2009 Twins2010.com. Retrieved 2009-10-28. External link in |publisher= (help)

External links

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