Bitterfeld


Bitterfeld is a town in the district Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 July 2007 it has been part of the town Bitterfeld-Wolfen. It is situated approximately 25 km south of Dessau, and 30 km northeast of Halle. At the end of 2016, it had 40,964 inhabitants.

History and description

Bitterfeld was built by a colony of Flemish immigrants in 1153. It was captured by the landgrave of Meissen in 1476, and belonged thenceforth to Saxony, until it was ceded to Prussia in 1815.
By 1900, Bitterfeld station was an important junction of the Berlin–Halle and the Magdeburg–Leipzig railways. The population at that time was 11,839; it manufactured drain-pipes, paper-roofing, and machinery, and had saw mills. There were also several coal mines in the vicinity. Owing to its pleasant situation and accessibility, it had become a favoured residence of business men of Leipzig and Halle.
During the East Germany years, it gained notoriety for its chemical industry complex which caused remarkably severe pollution, even by GDR standards. On 24 April 1959 it also was a scene for the Bitterfeld Conference, locally known as the "Bitterfelder Weg". This conference sought to connect the working class with the artists of the day to form a socialist national culture.
In the 21st century Bitterfeld is still an industrial town and it stages the annual United Metal Maniacs metal festival.
The former brown-coal open cast mine of Goitzsche, south-east of Bitterfeld, is a source of numerous fossils in Bitterfeld amber.

Historical population


YearPopulation
18404,649
18705,693
18806,531
18909,047
192518,384
193321,328
193923,949



YearPopulation
194632,833
195032,814
196031,687
198122,199
198421,279
199018,099
199516,868



YearPopulation
200016,507
200116,237
200215,985
200315.798
200415,755
200515,728
200615,709



:

Sons and daughters of the town