Döbeln

History

• 981: First written proof that Döbeln existed.
• Around 1220: Döbeln got the official status of a town.
• 1293: Church of St. Nicholas was first mentioned.
• 1296: Castle and town are occupied by Adolf of Nassau.
• 1330: Monastery buildings are completed.
• 1333: A serious fire incinerates the entire town.
• 1360: Knight Ulmann of Staupitz builds castle Reichenstein.
• 1429: Looting of the town and destruction of the castle by the Hussites.
• 1450: Döbeln is raided by the Bohemians, severely damaging the castle. After that, the castle declined in its importance.
• 1567: Döbeln was mentioned as "deserted palace" and afterwards only used as a quarry.
• 1637: Plundered by the Swedes
• 1730: Another serious fire hit Döbeln. As a result, the remains of the castle were used as building material for rebuilding. In this fire, 266 homeowners and 400 renters lost their homes.
• 12 May 1762 : Battle between the Prussians and the Austrians. The troops of Prince Henry of Prussia defeated the Austrian troops and took prisoners including the commander General von Zedtwitz.
• 1754–1810: Döbeln is a garrison of the infantry regiment Lubomirsky.
• 1847: Döbeln was connected to the railway from Riesa.
• 1857: The railway was extended to Chemnitz.
• 1868: The Dresden-Döbeln-Leipzig railway line was opened.
• 1945: Döbeln was occupied by the Soviet Army without a shot being fired.

  Population history

Memorials

• Memorial in front of the Crematorium in the graveyard for 21 Polish and Russian men and women who were transported to Germany during World War II and died as slave laborers.
• Memorial at Wettinplatz for all victims of fascism.
• Memorial in front of the Lessing School for the victims of war and dictatorship between the years 1933 and 1989.

  Transport

Notable people

• Rainer Kirsch, writer and poet
• Felix Friedrich, musicologist
• Helmut Rosenbaum, Korvettenkapitän, Kriegsmarine

  Twin towns

• Vyškov, Czech Republic
• Givors, France
• Unna, Germany
• Heidenheim an der Brenz, Germany