Hohenstein-Ernstthal

Hohenstein-Ernstthal
Hohenstein-Ernstthal

Coat of arms
Hohenstein-Ernstthal
Location of Hohenstein-Ernstthal within Zwickau district
Coordinates: 50°48′N 12°43′E / 50.800°N 12.717°E / 50.800; 12.717Coordinates: 50°48′N 12°43′E / 50.800°N 12.717°E / 50.800; 12.717
Country Germany
State Saxony
District Zwickau
Government
 • Mayor Lars Kluge (CDU)
Area
 • Total 18.33 km2 (7.08 sq mi)
Elevation 355 m (1,165 ft)
Population (2017-12-31)[1]
 • Total 14,686
 • Density 800/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 09337
Dialling codes 03723
Vehicle registration Z, GC, HOT, WDA
Website hohenstein-ernstthal.de

Hohenstein-Ernstthal is a town in the Zwickau rural district, Free State of Saxony, Germany. The towns of Hohenstein and Ernstthal were united in 1898,[2] and the town is either known by its hyphenated form, or simply called Hohenstein.

The town grew in the 15th century after silver mines were established nearby. Ernstthal was named in honor of August Ernst von Schoenburg.

Physicist Gotthilf Heinrich von Schubert and inventor Christoph Gottlieb Schröter were born in Hohenstein.[2] The writer Karl May was born in Ernstthal. The house of his birth is a museum.

Furthermore, Hohenstein-Ernstthal is especially famous for the Sachsenring racing circuit.

As of 2013 Lars Kluge is the mayor of Hohenstein-Ernstthal.

History

In the 15th century, the town of Hohenstein was established after silver was found and mined there. The name is said to be derived from the phrase ″uff dem hohen Stein″ (on the high rock), that the first settlers used when they saw the Pfaffenberg mountain. In 1680 some people from Hohenstein moved to the forest near the town to escape the dangers of the plague. That settlement was later named Ernstthal (Ernst valley) after August Ernst von Schönburg. Both town united in 1898, thus becoming Hohenstein-Ernstthal. During 19th and 20th century silver mining became less efficient, so the textile industry became more important. In 1999, Wüstenbrand became a part of Hohenstein-Ernstthal.[3]

Geography

Hohenstein-Ernsthal is located about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) west of Chemnitz. The Ore Mountains rise south of the city. The highest point of Hohenstein-Ernstthal is the Pfaffenberg north of the town with an elevation of 479 metres (1,572 ft).

Lord Mayor

  • 1994-2012 Erich Homilius
  • since 2012 Lars Kluge (CDU), he was elected in September 2012 with 91,9 % of the votes.

Transportation

Hohenstein-Ernstthal is adjacent to the Bundesautobahn 4. There are 2 railway stations, the Hohenstein-Ernstthal station and Wüstenbrand station, both on the Dresden–Werdau railway.

Notable people

Gotthilf Heinrich von Schubert
Karl May in 1907

References

  1. ↑ "Aktuelle Einwohnerzahlen nach Gemeinden 2017] (Einwohnerzahlen auf Grundlage des Zensus 2011)" (PDF). Statistisches Landesamt des Freistaates Sachsen (in German). October 2018.
  2. 1 2 Wikisource Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Hohenstein". Encyclopædia Britannica. 13 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 575.
  3. ↑ "Gebietsänderungen vom 01.01. bis 31.12.1999" (in German). Federal Statistical Office of Germany.
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