Dessau is a district of the independent city of Dessau-Roßlau in
Saxony-Anhalt. Until July 1, 2007 Dessau was an independent city.
Measured by the number of inhabitants, Dessau was the third largest
city in Saxony-Anhalt after Halle (Saale) and Magdeburg (the second
largest in terms of area) and one of the three regional centers in
the state. The closest larger cities are Halle (Saale), about 40 km
southwest, Leipzig, about 52 km south, and Magdeburg, about 65 km
northwest. Historically, Dessau was the capital and residence of the
prince, later duchy of Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt. 80% of the city was
destroyed in the air raids on Dessau in World War II.
Dessau
is located in the middle of an extensive meadow landscape on both
sides of the lower Mulde, which flows into the Elbe north of the
city. The city is regularly threatened by floods, as the water in
the Mulde can no longer drain into the Elbe after heavy rainfall and
it backs up; in 2002 the district of Waldersee was completely
flooded.
In the south the city borders on the wooded
Mosigkauer Heide, in which the pigeon springs. Dessau is at an
altitude of 61 m above sea level. NN. The highest point is the
approx. 110 m high former garbage dump (Scherbelberg) in the
southwest of the city. Dessau is surrounded by numerous palaces and
parks and is therefore one of the greenest cities in Germany.
Dessau has retained its character as a city in the Garden Kingdom, despite the fact that the cityscape has changed to a large extent as a result of war damage and post-war development. In addition to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the city offers visitors numerous historical buildings, even if a group of buildings has been lost. In the inner city, the culture path connects the historic buildings, cultural sites and tranquil squares.
Bauhaus buildings - the "modern building": UNESCO World Heritage
includes that
Bauhaus Dessau (5 minutes walk from the train station,
bus 10 and 11, bus stop Bauhausplatz). Tel.: +49 (0)340 650 82 50, fax:
+49 (0)340 650 82 26, e-mail: service@bauhaus-dessau.de Individual rooms
(hall, director's room) are only accessible with guided tours. Guided
tours (€7) daily at 11 a.m. Changing special exhibitions on the upper
floor (admission see above). Day and annual tickets are available, valid
for all admissions and guided tours to all Bauhaus buildings. Open:
Mar-Oct daily 10am-5pm, Nov-Feb Tue-Sun 10am-5pm Restrictions between
Christmas and New Year. Price: Admission (including special exhibitions)
€8.50.
The Bauhaus building (1926, architect Walter Gropius),
constructed with modern materials such as concrete, glass and steel, is
an example of the formal vocabulary of an architectural trend that set
the trend for architecture worldwide as the "Bauhaus style". The outer
form reflects the use, this is clearly recognizable in the building.
The Bauhaus building now contains exhibition rooms, rooms for teaching
the Bauhaus Lab, the administration of the Bauhaus Foundation, the
auditorium, used for concerts or similar, a canteen, a cafe/restaurant
(Bauhaus basement, see gastronomy) and a Design and book store.
Masters' Houses, Ebertallee 3-9 (10 minutes' walk from the train
station, 5 minutes from the Bauhaus. Bus 10 or 11, bus stop Gropiusallee
or Kornhausstraße). Guided tours daily at 12:30 p.m. from the Bauhaus
building (€15.50, incl. admission ticket), additional tours on weekends
and public holidays. Open: Mar-Oct daily 10am-5pm, Nov-Feb Tue-Sun
10am-5pm; Restrictions between Christmas and New Year. Price: Admission
€8.50.
The ensemble originally consisted of the houses
Semi-detached house Kandinsky/Klee
Semi-detached house
Muche/Schlemmer
Semi-detached house Moholy-Nagy (today: Kurt Weill
Zentrum)/Feininger
Detached house Gropius,
of which the
Moholy-Nagy semi-detached house and the Gropius house were destroyed in
World War II and rebuilt in a simplified form.
The Masters' Houses
(1926, architect Walter Gropius) show the ideas for upscale living in
the color and design language of the Bauhaus. Today they are used as
exhibition rooms, but also as temporary accommodation for artists, so
that not all houses can be visited. Since the three semi-detached houses
are identical in construction, the visitor does not miss anything.
Other Bauhaus buildings in Dessau are:
Historical employment
office, August-Bebel-Platz (10 minutes' walk from the train station or
city center. Tram 3 and bus 12, stop August-Bebel-Platz (only traveling
in the direction of the city) or museum or Amalienstraße). The
employment office building (Gropius, 1928/29) shows functional office
architecture in combination with conventional building materials
(brickwork). The inscription "Amt für Arbeit" is still recognizable. The
building remained largely undamaged and today houses the regulatory and
road traffic office of the city of Dessau and the vehicle registration
office and can be visited during the opening hours of the authority.
Inside some exhibition boards on the construction and history of the
house. Open: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Fri 11 a.m.), Tue
also 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Thu 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Price: Admission free.
Settlement Dessau-Törten with consumer building and steel house,
houses with access balconies and house Fieger (tram line 1
Damaschkestraße).
The point of contact for visitors is the consumer
building, Am Dreieck 1. The consumer building (Gropius 1928) in the
style of a point high-rise is a visual attraction for the settlement. In
the former shop there is an exhibition on the settlement with picture
documents. This is the starting point for guided tours through the
settlement and arcaded houses (guided tours daily March-December 3:30
p.m., 7 euros plus entrance ticket) Open: Tue-Sun 11:00-15:30. Price:
Entry €2.
settlement Torten. The Törten settlement (Gropius 1926
to 1928) was built in several phases and consists of houses of different
building types, apartment sizes and building materials, built in an
efficient way. A total of almost 250 houses belong to the settlement
(Damaschkestrasse, Nordstrasse, Am Dreieck, Doppelreihe, Kleinring,
Mittelring, Großring, Querweg). The settlement houses were owned by the
residents, and even today most of the houses are used privately.
Restored houses are the settlement house at Kleinring 5. Tel.:
+49(0)163-2593393. Open: Tue - Sun 1000 - 1800, in winter until 1700.
Price: Admission €2.50, no day tickets.
and Settlement House
Mittelring 38 (Mendelssohn Center). The only house that is still in its
original form, "Haus Anton" in the double row, can be visited as part of
the guided tours through the settlement. Open: March to October daily
1000 - 1700, reduced hours in winter. Price: Admission €2, no day
tickets.
The five arcaded houses at Peterholzstraße 40, 48, 56
and Mittelbreite 6, 14| are still tenements, designed at the Bauhaus
under Hannes Meyer (1930). A model apartment is shown during the tour of
the settlement.
The Steel House, Südstr. 5. (architects Georg Muche
and Richard Paulick, 1928) can also be visited as part of the guided
tours.
Designed by the Bauhaus architect Carl Fieger, the houses
Haus Fieger (Carl Flieger 1927), Südstr. 6, next to the Stahlhaus, as
well as Kiefernweg 13 and 14, in the settlement district (near the
Bauhaus building) are private residential buildings and cannot be
visited.
Kornhaus The Kornhaus on the Elbe, built in 1930 by Carl
Fieger, is today a popular excursion restaurant (see kitchen).
The
"Bauhaus Tour" cycle route connects all of the Bauhaus locations listed
above, with the exception of the Kiefernweg. The circular tour runs on
mostly traffic-free cycle paths or on access roads with little to
moderate traffic and is signposted. Route in Openstreetmap
The Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Kingdom with the palaces and parks of
Mosigkau, Kühnauer Park, Georgium, Luisium in the urban area of Dessau
and outside Oranienbaum, Sieglitzer Berg, Leiner Berg, and Wörlitzer
Park and numerous individual monuments such as the Drehberg is included
in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Georgium Palace and Park,
Puschkinallee 100 (walking distance from the train station in a few
minutes (follow the bridge over the railway, then on the right-hand
side) or bus 10/11 stop Puschkinallee. Parking spaces on Parkstrasse or
on the street Am Georgengarten.) The Georgengarten , which extends to
the Elbe, is a 140-hectare park from the end of the 18th century with
English and Baroque landscape park elements, in the northern part also a
natural broken landscape ("Beckerbruch"). In the park is the Georgium
Palace, classicist building from 1780 (architect: F.W. von
Erdmannsdorf), extension of the side wings at the end of the 19th
century, today the seat of the Anhalt Art Gallery (closed until further
notice - see under Museums). Open: The park is freely accessible.
The park contains various other buildings and small architecture,
e.g.
orangery. changing exhibitions of the picture gallery and
the Anhalt Art Association;
guesthouse. Former guest house for
Georgium Castle, now the copperplate prints cabinet of the picture
gallery. Open: by appointment.
flower garden house. At the castle.
Ionian Temple (Monopteros). The visual center of the park with visual
axis fans in all directions, not all of them have survived. Price:
freely accessible.
Seven Pillars. Replica of the portico of the
Temple of Saturn in Rome; popularly known as the "Seven Columns" because
from most perspectives one of the eight columns is covered and freely
accessible.
Wallwitzburg, Am Peisker 1, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Phone:
+49 (0)340 61 11 15, +49 (0)176 73 60 60 16 . Far away in the
Beckerbruch, but directly on the R1 and R2, signposted. Romantic ruins
with a viewpoint. Open: freely accessible; Guided tours by appointment.
Luisium Palace and Park (3km north-east of Dessau city centre/train
station. Bus line 13, Vogelherd stop, from there 5-10 minutes' walk.
Parking spaces on Rotdornweg) The Luisium, created in 1774 by Prince
Franz for his wife Luise von Brandenburg, is an approximately 15-hectare
English landscape park that merges into the floodplain landscape of the
Elbe and Mulde with a small classicist castle (1774, architect F.W. von
Erdmannsdorf). The complex includes various outbuildings such as a stud
farm (agriculture) and an orangery (today management). Lines of sight go
in the direction of Elbaue, Jonitzer Kirche and Mulde. In the park there
is, among other things, a pond and various small structures such as a
hermit cave and a snake house. Open: The park is freely accessible. The
castle can be visited as part of a guided tour, opening times
May-September Tue-Sun 10 a.m.-6 p.m., April, October Sat, Sun, public
holidays 10 a.m.-5 p.m., last tour approx. one hour before closing.
Price: Park free, castle tour €5.
Kühnau Palace and Park,
Burgkühnauer Straße (Bus 10 or 11, stop Burgreinaer Straße). English
landscape park with a lake (Kühnauer See, bathing opportunity) and small
buildings, including a vineyard house (today a nature conservation
station, visits on request, Tel. 619512). Neo-Gothic church near the
castle. Open: Park freely accessible (castle cannot be visited).
Mosigkau Palace and Park (Bus 16, Kindergarten stop. Approx. 20 minutes'
walk from the Mosigkau train station.) Rococo palace and baroque palace
park belonging to Princess Anna Wilhelmine, daughter of the old
Dessauer, based on plans by Knobelsdorff from the mid-18th century. One
of the few preserved rococo ensembles in Saxony-Anhalt. Historical rooms
and an extensive collection of paintings from the 17th and 18th
centuries in the castle. Open: May-September Tue-Sun 10 a.m.-6 p.m.,
April and October Sat, Sun, public holidays 10 a.m.-5 p.m., last guided
tour approx. one hour before closing. Price: Admission 5 euros,
discounts possible, included in the Dessau Card.
Johannbau,
Schlossplatz (Bus 12, 13, 14, 15, 20 Rathaus stop) West wing from around
1530 of the once three-winged Renaissance-style city palace. Inside
Museum for City Stories (see under Museums).
Stadtpark, city
center between Kavalierstrasse, Friedrichstrasse, Asnische Strasse,
Willy-Lohmann-Strasse (tram or bus 12 museum or main post office). The
nucleus was the gardens of some princely palaces along Kavalierstraße,
extensions in the 1920s and 1950s. Fountain of the town talk of 2002,
various bronze statues, monuments to Wilhelm Müller, Friedrich Schneider
and Moses Mendelsohn, commemorative plaques e.g. to the first female
member of parliament in Germany, sports and leisure facilities, tea
house restaurant. In the north-east corner of the Stadtpark Museum
Bauhaus-Archiv.
Castle and City Church of St. Marien, Castle Square (city center; bus
lines 13, 14, 15, 20, stop Rathaus) former main Protestant church of the
city, construction period 1506 to 1554, burial place of the Ascanian
princes with princely crypt under the altar, burnt out in World War II,
1989 to 1994 made usable again as an event space. Occasional
exhibitions. Viewing and climbing the tower possible as part of guided
tours (irregular)
Johanniskirche, Johannisstraße (5 minutes walk from
the train station or city center, tram, bus lines 14, 15, 20 Bauhaus
Museum or bus 13, 14, 15 Nantegasse). Church of the Lutheran Christians
of Dessau, consecrated in 1702. After being destroyed in World War II,
it was rebuilt by 1955. Worth seeing because of three Cranach paintings
(originally in the Marienkirche: Christ on the Mount of Olives, Last
Supper painting, Crucifixion painting) Open: open May to October 11-12,
15-17. Price: donations requested.
Georgenkirche, Asnische Straße
(city center). Baroque church, remodeled in the 1950s.
Church of St.
Bartholomäi (Jonitz), Goltewitzer Str. 23, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Tel.:
+49 (0)340 2160276 Church from the 18th century with attached tower from
the early 19th century in visual connection with the Luisium Palace. The
church houses the burial place of Prince Franz and his wife in the
tower. Open: Viewing by appointment via the Ev. Parish Office Mildensee.
Church Großkühnau, Ebenhanstraße early neo-Romanesque building in
ensemble with the castle Großkühnau.
Mildensee Evangelical Church,
Pötnitz 22, 06842 Dessau-Roßlau. Phone: +49(0)340 2160276, fax:
+49(0)340 2160276, email: pfarramt-mildensee@kircheanhalt.de. The
three-aisled basilica of the Central German brick Romanesque style was
built in the 12th century.
Church of St. Peter, Möster Strasse 51,
Dessau-Törten. oldest church and thus the oldest surviving building in
Dessau.
Historic Buildings
Palais Dietrich, Zerbster Straße 35. Tel.:
(0)340-204 2448 Baroque city palace around 1750 for Prince Dietrich von
Anhalt-Dessau (1702-1769), later school (Philatropinum), seat of the
Amalienstiftung, today scientific library of the Anhalt State Library .
Extensive collection, including the bibliophile estate of the Dessau
Reformation prince George III with extensive documents from Luther. One
of the pieces kept here, a student transcript of Martin Luther's lecture
on Romans from 1515/16, was included in the UNESCO World Document
Heritage in October 2015. Open: Library open Mon, Tues, Thurs, 10-18;
free access to the stairwell, otherwise not generally accessible library
rooms. Price: there is no entrance fee.
Historical Cemetery,
Chaponstrasse. 1787-1789 planned by Erdmannsdorf. Laid out in the style
of an Italian Campo Santo as one of the first municipal cemeteries in
Germany. Neoclassical entrance portal, numerous graves of Dessau
personalities. Open: freely accessible.
Palais Waldersee,
Zerbster Straße Built in 1795 by Erdmannsdorf as a city palace for Franz
Graf Waldersee (1763-1823), today the city library. Visit inside not
possible. Price: free for library users.
City Hall, Zerbster
Strasse. with a 70m high tower, one of the landmarks of the city. Built
in 1901 in Neo-Renaissance style. Climbing the tower (on a clear day you
can see as far as the Brocken) are possible as part of a guided tour.
Main post office, Friedrichstrasse. built around 1900 in
Neo-Renaissance style. Rebuilt after war damage in a modified form.
Elaborate facade and gable design with eagles, seahorses and weasels as
symbols for air, sea and land transport.
City swimming pool,
Asnische Straße (downtown). Art Nouveau building from 1906 in the
backyard of a residential building, also in Art Nouveau style. Still in
operation as a health bath, only use possible.
Smoking tower,
Elisabethstrasse. Remaining part of a food factory. Viewing platform at
a height of almost 20m, sufficient to look over the roofs of the area
and to have an all-round view. Open: free access.
Old runway
(Dessau-Alten), listed concrete runway from the 1920s, built as the
Junkers factory airfield.
Anhaltisches Theater, Friedensplatz built
1936-1938 by Friedrich Lipp, ostentatious Nazi building. At that time,
the theater had the largest revolving stage in all of Europe. Still one
of the largest theaters in Germany today. See activities.
Federal Environment Agency, Wörlitzer Platz. Tel: (0)340 21030. Ecological model architecture with a focus on energy saving. Open: Mon-Fri. 6 a.m. - 10 p.m., Sat 6 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sun/holidays 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Price: free entry.
Monument to Prince Leopold I of Anhalt-Dessau (1676-1747), the Old
Dessauer. Field Marshal in Prussian service. sculptor August Kiss based
on a statue by Schadow in Berlin's Lustgarten; erected in 1860 in front
of the Marienkirche on the Großer Markt; after the war in 1988 it was
relocated there again.
Monument to Prince Leopold III. - Bronze
statue of Prince Leopold III. (1740-1817), prince with an enlightened
agenda; sculptor August Kiss; erected in 1858 on Neumarkt; after war
relocation since 1992 in front of the Johanniskirche. Remarkably, the
GDR had brought the soldier prince back to the city center, but not (any
more) the prince of enlightenment and peace.
OdF memorial - in memory
of the victims of fascism, 1960s, Kavalierstraße on the edge of the city
park
Marble bust of the poet Wilhelm Müller - (1794-1824), author of
At the fountain in front of the gate, Wandering is the Müller's pleasure
or the cycle of poems Die Schöne Müllerin and the Greek songs; Gift of
the Greek people, sculptor Hermann Schubert, originally Kavalierstrasse,
now Stadtpark;
Marble bust of the composer and theater director
Friedrich Schneider - (1786-1853), sculptor Hermann Schubert, originally
the station forecourt, now the city park;
Bronze bust of Moses
Mendelsohn - (1729 in Dessau-1786), sculptor Gerhard Geyer 1979;
Old
Synagogue memorial stone - The "Old Synagogue" replaced a previous
building on the same site in 1909; Due to a legacy from the banking
heiress Julie von Cohn-Oppenheim, the synagogue was magnificent and
provided with a dome that shaped the cityscape. Burned down in the
pogrom night of 1938. Memorial stele from 1988.
Zyklon B memorial -
near the former sugar refinery, manufacturer of Zyklon B, stylized cans
in the railing of the brewery bridge (south side), Asnische Straße
Bronze statues of Weill and Brecht - Allegory of the Threepenny Opera,
1997, on Lidice Square at the intersection of Kurt-Weill- and
Berthold-Brecht-Strasse.
Biberbrunnen - commemorating the flood of
1901 and the mayor Friedrich Funk; Sculptor Emanuel Semper, Funkplatz
Ikarus - at the entrance to the city from the direction of the Autobahn
the "Flying Man" or Ikarus (former logo of Junkerswerke).
Bauhaus Museum, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Platz 1 Nothing remains of the
transparency of the Bauhaus behind the dark glass building shell, which
envelops a concrete body on the upper floor with the charm of an air
raid shelter. Exhibition with numerous exhibits by Bauhaus masters and
students. Due to a restriction of 150 visitors in the exhibition,
waiting times are to be expected, even valid one-day or multi-day
tickets only allow access if there are seats available. Time slots
available online at extra cost. Open: Tue-Sun 10 a.m.-5 p.m., closed on
Mondays. Price: €8.50.
Museum of City History in the Johannbau,
Schloßplatz 3a. Tel.: +49(0)340-800 3790, e-mail:
museum@stadtgeschichte.dessau.de The Johannbau is the oldest and only
surviving part of Dessau's residential palace. Built around 1530 under
Prince Johann IV von Anhalt (hence the name) in the style of the early
Saxon Renaissance. Johann and his jointly ruling brother Georg III.
introduced the Reformation in Anhalt-Dessau in 1532. After being
destroyed in World War II in the 1990s, the Johann building was
renovated from the outside in accordance with the requirements of a
listed building. The most important pieces from the Anhalt Art Gallery
are temporarily housed here during the renovation of Georgium Palace.
Open: Wed-Sun 10-17. Price: Admission €4.50.
Anhalt Art Gallery,
Puschkinallee 100. Tel.: +49(0)340-613874 The Georgium Palace, a
classicist building by Erdmannsdorff for Prince Johann-Georg von
Anhalt-Dessau, houses the most important art gallery in the region.
Numerous Cranachs (including the princely altar, once in the Wittenberg
Castle Church), Dutch masters of the 17th and 18th centuries, Tischbein
with portraits of the princely family. The permanent collection of
Georgium Palace is currently (January 2023) still closed due to
renovation and construction work; the reopening, which has already been
announced several times, is still pending. Open: temporarily closed.
Mosigkau Castle Museum, Knobelsdorffallee 2-3. Rococo ensemble with
historic rooms and the "Orange Treasure", paintings from the 17th and
18th centuries; see locks. Open: April and October Tue-Sun 10am-5pm,
May-Sept. Tue-Sun 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Museum of Natural History and
Prehistory, Asnische Straße 30-32 (Tram, Bus Museum). Tel.: +49 (0)340
214824, e-mail: museum@naturkunde.dessau-rosslau.de Open: Wed-Sun 10
a.m.-5 p.m.
Technology Museum Hugo Junkers, Kühnauer Strasse 161a.
Tel.: +49 (0)340 661 1194 Extensive collection from the diverse work of
Hugo Junker such as engines, steel construction, airplanes, original
Ju-52. Open: daily 10am-5pm (last admission 4pm). Price: €7,
concessions.
Dessau's urban development has changed significantly since 1944.
Mention should be made of the Great Market (Schlossplatz), formerly
Dessau's most photographed square.
Between St. John's Church and
the Prince Franz Monument is the originally rectangular Neumarkt, where
Basedow's Philantropinum was once founded.
The former boulevard
from the 18th century is the Kavalierstrasse. The road stretches from
the Franz monument to the “Rondel”, a roundabout with plane trees. The
Dessau Theater was located on this, built under Prince Franz, who then
extended the street far south as today's "Franzstrasse".
Dessau's
"parlor" is the market square and Zerbster Strasse. In the mid-1990s,
this was expanded as a pedestrian zone. Except for the library and the
Pfeifferhaus as well as the town hall, there are only post-war buildings
from the 1950s. Some cafés invite you to linger, but the right flair is
missing.
Middle Elbe River Landscape Biosphere Reserve. Protected
by UNESCO.
Animal park in the mausoleum park, Querallee 8. With the
former tomb of the Ascanian princes. Animal and plant teaching park
created in 1958 with 11 hectares, 120 animal species and around 500
animals. Remarkable stock of trees: 125 tree species. Directions:
Designated parking spaces in Parkstraße, from there it is only a few
steps to the park. Open: daily 9.00 a.m. - 6.00 p.m.
Guided tours at the Bauhaus (11 a.m.) and to the Masters’ Houses
(12:30 p.m.) - ticket sales and start in the Bauhaus building, Bauhaus
Dessau Foundation)
City tour (May-September Mon-Thu 5 p.m., Sat. 11
a.m.), start at the Tourist Information, Ratsgasse 11, info page
City
tours in a double-decker bus (May-Oct, Sat 1pm+3pm) Information page
Celebrations and festivals The 10-day Kurt Weill Festival (end of
February to beginning of March) has supra-regional appeal with a large
number of concerts and performances of the works of Kurt Weill (*1900 in
Dessau - 1950) and his contemporaries at various locations.
The
Leopold Festival (first weekend in July), the Elbe Bathing Festival (in
many towns along the Elbe, July), the Bauhaus Festival (first Saturday
in September), the Garden Kingdom Day (August) and an Advent market
(December) are of local importance.
Leisure and sports facilities
Dessau calls itself a sports city and repeatedly strives to hold
competitions in many different sports. The following arenas are
available for this:
Paul-Greifzu-Stadion (Ludwigshafener Str. 69)
(20,000 spectator seats): athletics, football
Anhalt Arena
(Robert-Bosch-Str. 54) (3,500 spectators): Indoor sports, also concerts
Kornhaus course (Elbe): motor boat races
Wrestling and leisure center (Hinsdorfer Str. 6a)
Tennis facility
(Eduartstr.)
Sports center Kreuzberge (Kreuzbergstr.): tennis, mini
golf
Climbing center (Alte Brauerei Elisabethstraße), large indoor
climbing facility
Golf park (Junkersstraße), 9 holes, driving range
Cycling & Hiking: The Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Kingdom, which is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site and consists of several landscape parks,
castles and outbuildings around Dessau, is a beautiful cultural
landscape that is ideal for walking and cycling.
The cycle paths
Europaradweg R1, Elberadweg, Mulderadweg run through Dessau. The
signposting of the paths themselves is sufficient, the signposting of
the paths towards the city or out of the city to the long-distance cycle
paths is sporadic. Many dykes around Dessau can be used by bicycles.
The Fürst-Franz-Weg and the Beckerbruch-Rundweg around Dessau are
laid out as hiking trails that can also be used by bike.
Bicycle
rental is available at the tourist information (see below), in the
bicycle center at the airport, Hauptstr. 183a, Dessau-Kleinkühnau, Tel.:
+49 (0)340 617129 and at D. Becker & Sohn, Coswiger Str. 47,
Dessau-Waldersee (at the Jonitzer Church), Tel.: +49 (0)340 2160113.
Bathing lakes & indoor swimming pools:
Stadtschwimmhalle -
Small art nouveau pool, primarily for relaxation.
Südschwimmhalle -
Large indoor swimming pool with a 50-meter lane and children's pool.
Strandbad Adria - Large lido with slides, jetty and boat and catamaran
rental, motorway quarry pond.
Forest pool with nudist zone, catamaran
rental.
Naturbad Großkühnau - Idyllic small pool with boat rental.
Mosigkau natural pool - poor water quality.
Nudist pool at the Mulde
For children Playgrounds for children can be found in the western part
of the city park, in the Schillerpark and on the grounds of the zoo.
IgelMizzi (Köthener Straße): indoor playground
By plane
The nearest commercial airport is Leipzig/Halle Airport
(IATA: LEJ), 53 km to the south. There is a train connection with a
change in Leipzig-Messe, Leipzig Hbf. or Halle/S. Hbf. The journey time
is around one and a half hours, depending on how long you have to change
trains, by car it takes just under an hour.
Another commercial
airport is Berlin Brandenburg Airport (IATA: BER) (train connection,
approx. two and a half hours).
Dessau Airport (IATA: ZSU) for
private jets is located in the north-west of the city. It lies between
the districts of Kleinkühnau, Alten andsiedlung. Arrival by charter
plane is possible. The new asphalt runway has a length of 1000m.
By train
Dessau Hauptbahnhof is a railway junction on the
Leipzig-Magdeburg and Dessau-Potsdam-Berlin routes. There are also
routes from Köthen and Wittenberg to Dessau. The main train station is
about one to one and a half kilometers northwest of the city center and
has a tram connection there.
Dessau is served by regional trains
and S-Bahn trains. There are hourly connections to Magdeburg, to
Wittenberg and beyond to Annaburg or Falkenberg (Elster), to Leipzig or
Halle (Central German S-Bahn), to Aschersleben via Köthen and to Berlin.
The nearest train stations with long-distance stops (ICE or IC) are
Bitterfeld, Köthen, Wittenberg, Magdeburg and Leipzig or Halle.
Since December 2019, the tariff of the Central German Transport
Association has only applied to regional trains and S-Bahn trains.
Dessau can be easily reached from Oranienbaum and Wörlitz with the
Dessau-Wörlitz railway (see the section on mobility). Timetable
information is available from Deutsche Bahn.
On the street
The
A9 motorway (Munich-Berlin), built in 1938, runs through the
southeastern part of the city. The exits symbol: AS 9 Vockerode, symbol:
AS 10 Dessau-Ost (from the north) and symbol: AS 11 Dessau-Süd (from the
south) serve the urban area of Dessau. The district of Roßlau can also
be reached via the exit Symbol: AS 8 Coswig.
The B184 crosses
Dessau in a north-south direction, the B185 in an east-west direction.
The B187 begins in Roßlau and heads east north of the Elbe.
The
city lies on the German-Dutch holiday route Orange Route and on the
Saxony-Anhalt theme route Garden Dreams.
By bus
Flixbus stops
a few times a day in Dessau, for example from Berlin. The stop is at the
bus station directly in front of the train station.
Regional
buses travel to Dessau from surrounding towns such as Gräfenhainichen,
Wörlitz, Köthen, Aken and Wolfen. The central stop is at the station
forecourt with the possibility to transfer to the train and city
traffic.
By boat
Dessau is connected to the waterway network
via the Elbe. River cruise ships and excursion steamers on the Elbe moor
at the former coal port pier River cruise ships on the Elbe near the
Kornhaus.
Sports boats can also land at the Leopoldshafen with
oar rental and the start-finish tower of the annual international motor
boat race or at the Dessau-Roßlau harbour, Roßlauer Werft.
By
bicycle
Various long-distance cycle paths border Dessau. Elberadweg
and the Europaradweg R1 come from the west on the Elbe dike to the
Kornhaus, then turn towards the city and lead past the Bauhaus, train
station, the city center over the Mulde, into the Tiergarten and via
Waldersee, the Luisium back to the Elbe dike towards Wörlitz.
The
Mulderadweg runs north-south on the east side of the Mulde, meets the
Elberadweg in the Tiergarten and ends at the Jagdbrücke just before the
mouth of the Mulde.
The new Flämingradweg leads through the
Fläming Nature Park from Dessau through Roßlau to Bad Belzig.
On
foot
The European long-distance hiking trail E11 crosses Dessau in a
north-south direction. It comes from Wörlitz on the same route as the
R1, branches off into Luisium and then runs through Waldersee and the
Tiergarten east of the city center. It crosses the Mulde on the
Tannheger Bridge and then runs past the southern suburbs of Törten and
Haideburg to the Mosigkauer Heide, where it leaves the city area in a
south-westerly direction in the direction of Quellendorf and Petersberg.
The Saxony-Anhalt Luther Trail also runs through the city.
With its flat topography, comparatively moderate distances and
extensive cycle path network, the city of Dessau is ideal for exploring
by bike. The bike also allows you to explore the attractive surroundings
and the parks on the very well-developed cycle paths, which have a
length of approx. 146km. You can bring your own bicycles (free of charge
on local train services within Saxony-Anhalt) or rent them on site.
Local public transport is served by 2 tram lines and 14 bus lines.
However, due to the low frequency at weekends, public transport is of
limited importance for visitors. Single trip normal rate for the city of
Dessau and Roßlau ("core zone") €1.80 (€2 from the driver), day tickets
cost €5.00. Discounts apply to children up to the age of 16 as well as
pupils, trainees and students against proof. Tickets are available from
the mobility center in the station building (counter or machine), from
machines in the trams and at selected stops, or from sales agencies in
the city (usually kiosks or similar) or from the driver.
Both
tram lines start at the main train station and stop in the city center
at the Bauhaus Museum and Museum Nord stops. Tram line 1 follows the
Kavalierstrasse, Franzstrasse and Heidestrasse to Dessau-Süd. Visitors
can take line 1 to reach the Bauhaus settlement in Törten. Tram line 3
turns west at the Museumskreuzung and initially follows the street
Asnische Straße. Among other things, it opens up the vocational school
centre, the hospital, new housing estates and the Junkerspark shopping
center. Trams run until around 9 p.m., night traffic is by bus. During
the day, the cycle time is 10 to 15 minutes.
All southern Elbian
city buses run from the main station. Line 10 (Bauhaus line) is
particularly geared towards tourists and connects the Bauhaus sites with
each other. Bus lines 11 and 12 connect the districts ofsiedlung, Kühnau
and Ziebigk to the west of the railway (with line changes at
Ebertallee). Both lines run via the city center to Dessau-Süd (Törten
and Haideburg), bus 13 runs via Dessau-Nord, Zentrum, Wasserstadt to
Waldersee. The 14 and 15 go to eastern suburbs (Mildensee, Sollnitz,
etc.). Line 16 runs from the southwest (Mosigkau) via Dessau city center
to Roßlau. Line 17 runs tangentially in the south-west of the city
(Dessau-Süd, Kochstedt, Alten/Junkerspark, Kühnau with connections to
the tram at Junkerspark (line 3).
Buses have cycle times of
mostly 60 minutes, sometimes with boosters during rush hour. Reduced
timetable in the evenings and at weekends or buses on request (so-called
on-call bus: the journey must be pre-ordered one hour before the start
by calling 0800-899-2500). The Stadtwerke as the operator provide
timetable information. You can also get timetable information from the
mobility center in the station building; You will also receive very
clear information sheets on how to get to the sights (opening hours
Mon-Thu 0630-1700, Fri 0630-1500.
Local trains stop at various
suburban stations (Dessau-Süd from Bitterfeld, Mosigkau and Alten from
Köthen). There is no tariff association with the tram/bus transport.
Interesting for visitors is the Dessau-Wörlitz railway, a branch
line on which rail buses only run during the summer months (April 1 to
October 31) and on special trips in Advent. It runs Monday to Thursday
every two hours and Friday to Sunday every 90 minutes from Dessau Hbf
with stops in Dessau-Waldersee and at the "Adria" forest pool before
leaving Dessau and driving via Oranienbaum to Wörlitz and back again. A
single trip to Oranienbaum or Wörlitz costs €6.50 (reduced €5). Family
tickets and combined offers with a city tour in Oranienbaum or a park
tour in Wörlitz are also available.
The main points of tourist
interest can be easily reached by car, and there are usually enough
parking spaces available (in the city center there may be a charge).
However, many scenically attractive floodplain landscapes in the area
cannot be reached by car.
Retail is concentrated on a few streets in the city center, but
mainly on shopping centers both in the city center and on the outskirts.
There are only a few shops that differ in offer from other cities.
Rathaus-Center between Zerbster Strasse and Kavalierstrasse.
Two-storey mall with around 50 shops. Traditional ECE blend with
standard offering.
Dessau Center at the Museumskreuzung. Two-storey
mall with a conspicuous vacancy
Zerbster Straße (pedestrian zone):
The trade should be booming here, but it remains rather quiet. Mainly
restaurants and a few shops with a mixed range. Cozy seating areas
("Garden Dreams Lounge") and occasional concerts
Kavalierstraße (in
the section between the post office and the museum): Some large-scale
retail outlets in the purpose-built buildings from the 1970s. Despite
traffic calming, hardly any flair.
Johannisstrasse A relatively
coherent old building area with various smaller shops and an interesting
range.
Leipziger Tor (Heidestraße, Franzstraße), district center for
the south of Dessau. Adapted to the public, an above-average number of
remainder markets and one-euro shops.
Junkerspark in Dessau-Alten:
commercial area with extensive retail, supermarkets, furniture and car
dealerships, hardware store.
Mildensee: Commercial area on the
Autobahn, large retail area, some over two floors
Here is a
selection of shops worth checking out.
One World Shop,
Johannisstrasse.
Bookshop in the Bauhaus, Bauhausstrasse.
Well-stocked bookshop for architecture and design.
BauArt,
Bauhausstrasse. Bauhaus furniture and more.
Old slaughterhouse: Here
are a few boutiques, the entire store is intended for women in
entrepreneurial self-employment
Passepartout, Johannisstraße:
Well-stocked shop for painting and drawing supplies.
Cheap
In addition to the well-represented snack bars, kebab, Asian
kitchens and branches of American system gastronomy, there are food
courts in the shopping centers during opening hours to quell a quick
hunger. Particularly noteworthy are:
1 forester's house Leiner
Berg. Located on the Elbe Cycle Path, access by car via Birnbaumweg in
Waldersee possible. Beautiful beer garden and always a reason to get on
your bike; see also overnight stays.
2 Imbiss Dessauer
Fleischzentrum, Karlstraße 31 a, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Butcher's snack
bar at the old slaughterhouse, good lunch menu, often sold out by 1 p.m.
3 Rostbratwurstgrill, Wolfgangstraße 24, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Tel:
+49(0)340 25084620. Opposite the police station. Often long queues, but
armed queues are not to be observed. Open: Mon-Sat until 11 p.m., Sun
until 8 p.m.
Lunch is also offered in numerous canteens, which
are also open to the public.
4 Bauhaus canteen, Gropiusallee 38,
06846 Dessau-Roßlau. Canteen in the Bauhaus building and in Bauhaus
ambience, original furniture. Open: Mon-Fri 8am-2pm. Price: 3 to 5€.
5 Canteen of the Federal Environment Agency, Wörlitzer Platz, 06844
Dessau-Roßlau. Canteen with high standards, whole foods, at least one
vegetarian dish. Open: Mon-Fri 8am-3pm, lunch 11:30am-2pm. Price: around
5€.
You can get simple dishes:
6 Alibaba, Zerbster Strasse 26,
06844 Dessau-Rosslau. Tel.: +49(0)340 52091351, e-mail: gonen@arcor.de.
Turkish cuisine with delivery service. Open: daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Price: 3 to 5€.
7 Bauhaus Club, Gropiusallee 38, 06846 Dessau-Roßlau.
Tel.: +49(0)340 6508444, fax: (0)340 6508445, e-mail:
info@klubimbauhaus.de. In the basement of the Bauhaus building and in
Bauhaus ambience, original furniture, a few tables outside. Solid
cuisine with a Mediterranean touch. Colorful mix of Bauhaus employees,
visitors and locals. Open: Mon-Sat 8am-12pm, Sun 8am-6pm.
8 Chaplin's
Star Diner, Wolfgangstraße 14, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau (in the UCI cinema
center). Tel.: +49(0)340 2200444. American diner cuisine. cocktails
9
Kellerklause, Carl-Maria-von-Weber-Strasse 15, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau.
Tel.: +49(0)340 2200123. small beer garden. This is where French fries
fetishists meet.
10 Waldschänke, Georgenallee 10, 06846
Dessau-Roßlau. Tel.: +49(0)340 617203, fax: +49(0)340 617203, e-mail:
info@waldschaenke-dessau.de. under tall trees on the edge of the
Georgium, simple kitchen.
Medium
Downtown
11 Bella Italia,
Kavalierstrasse 13, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Tel.: +49(0)340 2200999.
Italian cuisine. Feature: Italian cuisine. Price: around 10€.
12
Bistro Merci, Am Lustgarten 6-8, 06844 Dessau. Phone: +49(0)340 2211175,
fax: (0)340 8507330, email: info@bistro-merci-dessau.de. Somewhat hidden
in a prefabricated building area close to the city center, it has
clearly emancipated itself from prefab kitchens; summer terrace. Open:
Mon–Thu 11:00–22:00, Fri–Sat 11:00–24:00.
13 “Zum Alten Dessauer”
brewery, Lange Gasse 16, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Phone: +49(0)340 2205909,
fax: (0)340 8507238, email: brauhaus@alter-dessauer.de. Built around a
brewery kettle, beer garden. Own beer, traditional hearty local cuisine.
Price: €10-15.
14 Castello, Fritz-Hesse-Str. 3, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau.
Tel.: +49(0)340 214334. Italian cuisine, branch on Franzstrasse.
Feature: Italian cuisine. Price: around 10€.
15 First Dessau Potato
House, Zerbster Strasse 17, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Phone: +49 (0)340 220
39 29, email: info@dessauer-kartoffelhaus.de . in the pedestrian zone,
tables outside. No longer in the potato house style, to the detriment of
the quality. Open: daily 11:00 - 21:30. Price: €7-26.
16 Kaori,
Kavalierstr. 71, 06844 Dessau. Tel.: +49 (0)340 66120 774. That's an
Asian who's fun. Freshly made, good ingredients, nicely presented.
Feature: Asian cuisine. Open: Tue-Sun 1130-2200. Price: main courses
around 15€.
17 Lily's pleasure workshop, Lily-Herking-Platz 1, 06844
Dessau-Roßlau-Roßlau. Phone: +49 (0)340-21654177 . Retry from operator
#4 at this location. Homemade cake. Open: Tue-Sun 8am-6pm.
18 Lou
Restaurant, Kavalierstrasse 72, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Phone: +49 (0)162
249 40 98, email: kontakt@lou-dessau.de . Features: Asian cuisine,
sushi. Open: Tue-Fri 11:30-14:30, 17:00-22:00, Sat, Sun, Wed
12:00-22:00.
19 Schlemmer House, Zerbster Strasse 11, 06844
Dessau-Rosslau. Tel.: +49(0)340 2405252. In the pedestrian zone, tables
outside, German cuisine, pancake dishes. Price: around 10€.
20
Teehäuschen, Friedrichstrasse 15. Tel.: (0)340 230 343 73. The tea house
in the city park has a long tradition as a restaurant. After a few years
of vacancy and change of operator with a new all-in-one concept:
restaurant, cafe, bar, beer garden merge in terms of time and space.
Good kitchen. Open: open all day. Hot meals 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and
5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., simple snack and coffee menu in between.
North
21 Goa, Albrechtstrasse 26, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Tel.:
+49(0)340 2167892, Fax: +49(0)340 2167569. Indian cuisine. Open:
Mon–Fri: 11–15, 17–23; Sat, Sun, public holidays: 11am–11pm.
22
Landhaus, Landhaus 1, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Tel.: +49(0)340 2106461.
Beautiful beer garden on the Elberadweg near the Jagdbrücke.
23
Mendoza, Albrechtstrasse 21, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Tel.: +49(0)340
2303755. Beer garden, steakhouse offer. The attempt to combine
steakhouse with cheap prices pushes the quality close to that of a
lottery game with many flops and few prizes. Price: around 10€.
24
Taj Mahal, Eduardstrasse 20, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Tel: +49(0)340
53299533. Indian cuisine. Open: Mon-Sat 11-15, 17-22 (Sat, Sun all day).
Ziebigk, settlement
25 Athos, Kornhausstrasse 1, 06846
Dessau-Roßlau. Tel.: +49(0)340 613650. Greek cuisine, winter garden,
summer terrace. Often well attended, reservations recommended for larger
groups. Open: from 5 p.m., Sat, Sun from 11 a.m., closed on Mondays.
26 Restaurant & Cafe Am Georgengarten, Heinz-Röttger-Strasse 16, 06846
Dessau-Roßlau. Tel.: +49(0)340 6611330. Home cooking; with beer garden,
near orangery and Georgium Palace.
27 Tafelspitz, Kornhausstrasse 13,
06846 Dessau-Roßlau. Tel.: +49(0)340 5169320, fax: (0)340 5169320,
e-mail: kontakt@tafelspitz-dessau.de. Home cooking, beer garden.
South
28 “Zur Försterklause” inn, Fichtenbreite 47. Tel.: +49(0)340
65019980, fax: (0)340 2169189, e-mail: mail@zurfoersterklause.de. Out in
the open. Home cooking in a middle-class residential area. But very far
out.
29 Croatia, Heidestrasse 29, 06842 Dessau-Roßlau. Tel.:
+49(0)340 2616155. Croatian cuisine of solid quality.
Suburbs
30 Elbterrassen, An der Elbe 2, 06862 Dessau-Roßlau, OT Brambach. Phone:
+49(0)34901 82675, fax: (0)34901 82675, e-mail: elbterrassen@freenet.de.
Price: around 12€.
Upscale
31 Hugos Steakhaus, Junkersstraße
52, 06847 Dessau-Roßlau (in the golf park). Phone: +49(0)340 54074040,
email: info@hugos-steakhaus.de. Noble steakhouse with high standards and
high prices. Open: Tue-Sat 5-11pm. Price: around 30€.l
32 Kornhaus,
Kornhausstr. 146, 06846 Dessau. Phone: +49(0)340 65019963, email:
info@kornhaus-dessau.de. Terrace, panoramic view over the Elbe - Bauhaus
building from 1930, building by Carl Fieger. On the edge of the garden
kingdom and the biosphere reserve, the location combines the city's
three world heritage sites. Simply brilliant how Fieger placed this
house on the Elbe dike. A must for visitors, especially since the
problem child times are over after a change of operator in 2013. Young
chef who is still ahead of the curve and not afraid of fresh
ingredients. Worth its price.
33 Tobiornot ToBe Restaurant by Tobias
Felger, Johannisstraße 14, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Phone: +49(0)340
26163330, email: tobiasfelger@t-online.de. Unconventional, creative,
occasionally chaotic, the mix fits. Definitely try. Open: Tue-Thu 11-22,
Fri 17-22, Sat 11-22, Sun 11-16.
Theater and cinema:
Anhaltisches Theater, Friedensplatz 1a, 06844
Dessau. Tel: +49(0)340 25110, Fax: (0)340 25110. This theater offers
drama, musical theater (opera, operetta, musical), ballet, concerts and
puppet shows. It is one of the largest stages in Germany with a
centuries-old tradition and is known far beyond the borders of Germany.
The 228th season began in 2022.
Old Theater, Lily-Herking-Platz 1,
06844 Dessau. Smaller performances and puppet shows take place in the
Old Theater in a small hall at the theater's historic location.
UCI
Cinema World, Wolfgangstrasse 14 b, 06844 Dessau. Tel.: +49(0)340 25530.
Classic multiplex cinema with 7 screens, XXL popcorn and Dolby Surround.
Kiez cinema, Berthold-Brecht-Strasse 29 a, 06844 Dessau. Tel.: +49(0)340
8596451. One of the smallest cinemas in Germany with artistically
demanding films.
Pubs and cocktail bars
1 1930, Zerbster Str.
32, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Tel.: +49(0)340 5168110. Real people wash down
real worries here until late at night.
2 Antique Pub, Albrechtstrasse
10, 06844 Dessau. Tel: +49(0)340 2201592. Impressive list of beers and
malt whiskeys in a cozy flea market setting. The non-smoking area, set
up strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Non-Smoker
Protection Act, is worth seeing. Open: from 19.
3 CuBar, Zerbster
Strasse 11, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Open: Mon-Thu from 6 p.m., Fri-Sun from
4 p.m
4 You52, An der Fine 2, 06842 Dessau-Roßlau. Tel: +49(0)340
2202478. Crash shed. Open: from 18.
Nightclubs
5 H1
Soundkeller, Brauereistrasse 1, 06846 Dessau. in the basement of the
industrial complex of the former Schultheiss brewery.
Dessau offers numerous accommodations in different comfort categories
and price ranges from simple guesthouses to middle-class hotels. Only
quarters that offer at least 10 beds are included. There are also a
number of private pensions and private room rentals. The central booking
number for the accommodation service at the tourist information is +49
(0)340-2203003.
Cheap
1 "Hugo Junkers" mobile home parking
space, Alte Landbahn 27. Tel.: +49(0)340 8991350. The parking space with
electricity, fresh water, toilet/showers and disposal option is
accessible all year round. Pitches for 8 mobile homes. Open: Mon–Fri
08:00–20:00; Sat, Sun 09:00 - 19:00 or by appointment. Price: €11/d.
2 “Leopoldshafen” mobile home parking space, Leopoldshafen 4. Tel.:
+49(0)340 617235, +49(0)177 4000539. 10 parking spaces. Quiet location
directly on the Elbe. Open: Arrival by arrangement. Price: €12.
Campsites, bungalows
3 Camping Adria, An der Adria 1, 06842
Dessau-Rosslau (OT Mildensee). Tel.: (0)340 2304810, (0)171 7007117.
Near the Desau-Ost motorway exit and the "Adria" forest pool. Open:
Apr–Sept 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Oct 1 p.m.–5 p.m., lunch break 12 p.m.–3 p.m.
4 Am Waldbad, Am Schenkenbusch 1a, 06849 Dessau-Roßlau. Tel.: +49(0)340
87056907, fax: (0)340 87056908, e-mail: info@waldbad-dessau.de. several
holiday apartments and bungalows on the grounds of the forest baths in
the extreme south of Dessau.
hostels, hostels
5 DJH youth
hostel Dessau-Roßlau, Ebertallee 151, 06842 Dessau. Tel.: +49(0)340
619803, fax: +49(0)340-619804, e-mail: jh-dessau@djh-sachsen-anhalt.de.
Youth hostel with 159 beds in 39 rooms (2-7 bed rooms), lockable bicycle
room, large outdoor area with barrier-free playground, beach volleyball
field, giant swing, cable car and more, barrier-free: four
wheelchair-accessible rooms, ground-level common rooms and a lift. Open:
Reception: Apr-Oct: 07:00-22:00; Nov-Mar: 07:30-22:00. Price: from
€24.50/BB (2020).
6 Prellerhaus, Gropiusallee 38, 06846
Dessau-Rosslau. Tel.: +49(0)340 6508318, email:
wohnung@bauhaus-dessau.de. If you've always wanted to spend the night in
a World Heritage building, here's the youth hostel standard. Price: from
€35.
7 Forsthaus Leiner Berg, Birnbaumweg. Phone: +49(0)163 7444135,
email: kontakt@Forsthaus-dessau.de. secluded location directly on the
Elbe Cycle Path. Price: from €25 in a shared room.
pensions
8
Pension Nord, Kantstrasse 2, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Tel.: +49(0)340
2210827, fax: (0)340 2304974, e-mail: luft@pension-nord.de.
9 Pension
am Luisium, Kreisstrasse 18, 06844 Dessau (OT Waldersee). Phone:
+49(0)340 2161321, email: kontakt@pension-am-luisium.de. Non-smoking
guesthouse.
10 Pension in the Gropiussiedlung, Kleinring 51, 06849
Dessau-Roßlau. Phone: +49(0)340 8500344, fax: (0)340 8500746, e-mail:
info@pension-mitschke.de.
11 Pension km 267, Burgreinaerstrasse 16,
06846 Dessau-Roßlau. Phone: +49(0)340 618156, email:
kontakt@kilometer-267.de.
12 Pension Neidigk, Ebenhanstrasse 4, 06846
Dessau-Roßlau. Phone: +49(0)340 616448, fax: +49(0)340 6611640, e-mail:
info@pensionneidigk.de
Medium
13 Hotel 7 columns, Ebertallee
66. Tel.: +49(0)340 619620, fax: (0)340 619622, e-mail:
hotel7saeulen@freenet.de. Pension right next to the Masters' Houses and
the Georgengarten. Features: ★★★, Garni. Price: (incl. breakfast):
single room €67.50, double room €95-105, three-bed room around €125.
14 Days Inn Dessau, Sonnenallee 4, 06842 Dessau-Roßlau (near the
Dessau-Ost motorway exit). Phone: +49(0)340 21000, fax: +49(0)340
2100250, email: info@daysinndessau.com. Meeting and conference rooms.
Price: from €37 (double room).
15 CREO Hotel Dessau, Sollnitzer Allee
4, 06842 Dessau-Roßlau (in the Mildensee commercial area, near the
Dessau-Ost motorway exit). Tel.: +49 (0)0340 210690. Features: ★S, set.
Price: from €49 (SR).
16 City-Pension, Ackerstraße 3a, 06842
Dessau-Roßlau. Phone: +49(0)340 8823076, Fax: +49(0)40 8825017, Email:
info@city-pension.travel.
17 Hotel Garni Kochstedt, Koenigendorfer
Strasse 3606847 Dessau-Roßlau (OT Kochstedt). Phone: +49(0)340 512343,
fax: +49(0)340 511860, email: hotel-garni@gmx.de.
18 Kühnauer Hof,
Hauptstraße 179, 06846 Dessau-Roßlau (OT Kleinkühnau). Phone: +49(0)340
25229780, fax: +49(0)340 25229681, email: kontakt@kuehnauer-hof.de.
19 Elbterrassen Brambach, on the Elbe No. 2, 06862 Dessau-Roßlau (OT
Brambach). Tel.: (0)34901 82675, fax: (0)34901 53875, e-mail:
elbterrassen@freenet.de. quiet location directly on the Elbe; Elbe cycle
path in front of the door. Price: from €45 (single room). Last modified:
Dec. 2022Edit info
20 Elbzollhaus, Elbzollhaus 1, 06844
Dessau-Roßlau. Tel.: +49(0)34901 596831, email: frage@elbzollhaus.de.
21 Pension Heideperle, Pfaffendorfer Strasse 16, 06847 Dessau-Roßlau (OT
Kochstedt). Phone: +49(0)340 5034160, fax: (0)340 5034162, email:
info@heideperle-dessau.de.
Upscale
22 Radisson Blu Fürst
Leopold, Friedensplatz 1, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau. Phone: +49(0)340 25150,
Fax: +49(0)340 2515177, Email: info.dessau@radissonblu.com. Largest
house on the square, directly at the main train station, meeting and
conference rooms. Feature: ★★★★. Price: from €70.
23 City Hotel
Dessau, Zerbster Strasse 29, 06844 Dessau-Rosslau. Tel.: (0)30 202 13
300, e-mail: dessau@dormero.de. Downtown meeting and conference rooms.
The Anhalt University of Applied Sciences has one of its three
locations in Dessau. The departments of architecture, facility
management and geoinformation (FB3) as well as design (FB4) are located
in Dessau. The University of Applied Sciences has 47 professors for
around 1,400 students.
The Bauhaus Lab is a four-month program
from August to November with changing themes. It is aimed at
international university graduates with a degree in architecture or
related subjects who deal intensively with different methods with the
main focus.
libraries and archives
Main Library, Zerbster Str.
10. Open: Mon – Tue + Thu – Fri 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sat 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Scientific library and special collections, Zerbster Str. 35. Open: Mon
– Tue + Thu – Fri 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
UBA library, Wörlitzer Platz (in
the Federal Environment Agency). The entire inventory can also be used
by the public. Open: Mon - Wed 9 a.m. - 3.30 p.m., Thu 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.,
Fri 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Stadtarchiv, Lange Gasse 22. Open: Tue, Thu 8
a.m. – 6 p.m., Wed 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Fri 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
State
Archives of Saxony-Anhalt, Dessau location, Heidestr. 21. Housed in the
old water tower, which is well worth seeing.
Police station, Wolfgangstr. 25. Tel: (0)340 25030.
Police
Headquarters, Kühnauer Str. 161. Tel.: (0)340 60000.
Städisches Klinikum, Auenweg 38, 06847 Dessau-Roßlau (tram line 3,
Klinikum stop). Tel.: +49 (0)340 5010. The Städisches Klinikum offers
full medical care and a 24-hour emergency room
Information on the
medical and dental emergency service is available from the professional
fire brigade, Tel. 0340-8505040. Pharmacies can be found everywhere in
the city. Since the merger with Rosslau, however, the emergency pharmacy
can also be on the other side of the Elbe.
In addition to the
municipal clinic, there are other hospitals such as the Anhaltische
Diakonie hospital, 2 deaconess hospital in Gropiusallee.
Tourist information, Ratsgasse 1. Tel.: (0)340 882920-00, email:
post@visitdessau.com.
City administration, Zerbster Str. 4 (town
hall, town hall extension)
Taxi call, Tel. +49 (0)340 2215050
Mobility center in the main train station, Tel. +49 (0)340 213366
Current overview of post offices
Current overview of telephone area
codes
Current overview of the different postcodes of the districts
media
In Dessau, the local edition "Anhalt Kurier" of the
Mitteldeutsche Zeitung appears in the daily newspaper.
An event
display LEO with event information for Dessau and the surrounding area
is available online or as an app.
As a trading center at the intersection
of trade routes on the Mulde near its confluence with the Elbe at
the end of the 12th century, Dessau was first mentioned in a
document in 1213. The trading post developed into an agricultural
town. For a long time already the castle of the Ascanians, Dessau
became the permanent residence of the princes of Anhalt-Dessau and
Anhalt in 1470. The conversion of the castle into a palace and the
expansion of the Marienkirche were the first building activities of
the princes to upgrade the residence. The city had only limited
self-government, so that the history of the city is inextricably
linked with the history of Anhalt-Dessau and the Princely House.
Initially, the Reformation was hesitantly accepted. As recently
as 1526, Catholic princes in Dessau formed the Dessau Bund. 1534 the
Reformation by George III. but officially introduced. In 1552, many
inhabitants of Dessau fell victim to the plague and Prince Joachim
evacuated the farm to Warmsdorf Castle near Güsten.
At the
end of the 16th century, the city experienced an economic boom,
which the Thirty Years War put an end. The Elbe Bridge near Roßlau
made Dessau a marching area for numerous troops from all warring
sides and the scene of a great battle in 1626, the Battle of the
Elbe Bridge. It was not until the end of the 17th century that
Dessau was able to pick up on the pre-war development, supported by
the Prince's active settlement policy. A large Jewish community also
developed. During the reign of Leopold I, the Old Dessau, Dessau was
converted into a baroque residence and expanded.
In the
second half of the 18th century under Prince Leopold III. Friedrich
Franz Dessau became a center of the Enlightenment in Germany, which
attracted European attention with a far-reaching reform work in
education and national culture and the establishment of the
Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Empire as well as numerous buildings in the
style of classicism.
The industrialization of the region
began in 1844 with the establishment of the machine factory of the
Sachsenberg brothers in Roßlau. Dessau became with the industrial
companies u. the Berlin-Anhaltische Maschinenbau AG (BAMAG, founded
1872) and the Dessauer Waggonfabrik (1895) to a city of mechanical
engineering and vehicle construction and with the Dessauer Actien
Zucker Raffinerie founded in 1871 also the food industry. The
aircraft construction of the later Junkers Flugzeug- und
Motorenwerke, which was operated in Dessau from 1915, began in the
local factory for gas bath stoves by Junkers & Co., founded in 1895.
The Bauhaus, founded in Weimar in 1919, was relocated to the
Bauhaus Dessau building planned by Walter Gropius in 1925/26. On
August 22, 1932, at the request of the NSDAP parliamentary group,
the Dessau municipal council passed a resolution to dissolve the
Bauhaus, with the SPD abstaining and the mayor voting against and
the four votes from the KPD, on October 1, 1932. Ludwig Mies van der
Rohe then led it continued as a private institution in Berlin until
mid-1933.
Since 1918 the capital of the Free State of Anhalt,
Dessau was initially an independent city, on January 1, 1932, the
district town of the newly formed Dessau-Köthen district, after
1933, capital of the NSDAP district of Magdeburg-Anhalt and, through
the incorporation of Roßlau, in 1935 a major city. As in many other
German cities, the Old Synagogue was burned down during the
Reichspogromnacht in 1938 and the Jews who remained were deported in
the period that followed.
The city of Dessau and the Junkers
aircraft and engine works on the outskirts of Dessau were the target
of a total of 20 Allied air raids from 1940. Parts of the
residential development on the south-western outskirts as well as
railway systems were also damaged. On March 7, 1945, the densely
populated city center of Dessau became the core target of a night
British bombing raid under the Area Bombing Directive, with 520
heavy Lancaster bombers and 1,700 tons of high explosive and
incendiary bombs. The air strike killed 700 people and destroyed 80
percent of the built-up urban area. In the old town, almost 97
percent of all buildings were completely destroyed or irreversibly
damaged. The historical cityscape with its churches, palace
complexes, many public buildings, aristocratic and civil buildings
was almost completely lost. The very high degree of destruction is
due in particular to the combination of incendiary and high
explosive bombs, including many air mines.
In the course of
the reorganization and the ordinance of July 23, 1945, the state of
Anhalt came to the province of Saxony on February 1, 1946 and
together with it formed the new state of Saxony-Anhalt with the
districts of Dessau, Magdeburg and Merseburg. The Roßlau district
was spun off from the city of Dessau again.
After 1945 Dessau lost its capital city function, but was still
the seat of the district government until 1952 and was assigned to
the Halle district from 1952 onwards. The city center and several
cultural buildings were rebuilt in the style of the time. From 1972,
again temporarily in a large city, Dessau remained an industrial
city with a focus on machine, plant and wagon construction and
became the largest brewery location in the GDR era. After the fall
of 1989/1990, the industrial base was largely lost and high
unemployment led to the emigration of residents, which was countered
with incorporations. Dessau now came to the re-established state of
Saxony-Anhalt. The city was designated as the seat of the
administrative district of Dessau.
In April 1992, the Anhalt
University of Applied Sciences was founded in the historic Bauhaus
building in Dessau (today: Anhalt University of Applied Sciences)
and in 1994 the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation.
Dessau is located in the middle of an extensive meadow landscape on
both sides of the lower Mulde, which flows into the Elbe north of the
city. The city is regularly threatened by floods, since the water from
the Mulde can no longer flow into the Elbe after heavy rainfall and
accumulates; in 2002 the district of Waldersee was completely flooded.
In the south, the city borders on the densely wooded Mosigkauer
Heide, where the Taube has its source. Dessau is 61 m above sea level.
NN. The highest elevation is the approx. 110 m high former garbage dump
(Scherbelberg) in the southwest of the city. Dessau is surrounded by
numerous castles and parks and is therefore one of the greenest cities
in Germany.
For statistical purposes, the urban area of Dessau was divided into
21 districts and 49 statistical districts.
01 North inner-city area
02 Central inner-city area
03 Inner-city area south
04 South
05
Haideburg
06 pies
07 Mildensee
08 Waldersee
09 Ziebigk
10
settlement
11 Großkuhnau
12 Kleinkuhnau
13 West
14 old
15
Kochstedt
16 Mosigkau
17 Zoberberg
18 Kleuch
19 Sollnitz
20 Brambach
21 Rodleben with the district of Tornau
Administratively, 10 localities have been formed for Dessau in
accordance with § 14 of the main statute. These were formerly
independent communities. Each locality had a local council, which had
between three and seven members, depending on the population of the
locality. The mayor was the chairman of the town council. The local
councils were too important to hear matters affecting the locality.
However, the final decision rested with the city council of Dessau as a
whole.
The ten towns of Dessau (in brackets the number of
inhabitants as of December 31, 2006; 60,496 inhabitants are not assigned
to any of these towns):
Dessau-Grosskuhnau (1,025)
Dessau-Kleinkühnau (1,761)
Dessau-Mosigkau (2,212)
Dessau-Kochstedt (4,343)
Dessau-Waldersee (2,656)
Dessau-Mildensee
(2,136)
Dessau-Kleutsch (424)
Dessau-Sollnitz (270)
Dessau-Rodleben (1,561)
Dessau-Brambach (396)
The population of the city of Dessau already exceeded the limit of
100,000 on April 1, 1935 with the incorporation of Roßlau, which made it
a big city. In 1940, the population reached its all-time high of
131,400. Due to the severe destruction in World War II and the spin-off
of Roßlau on April 1, 1946, the number of inhabitants fell below the
100,000 mark again and in December 1945 was 85,663. That's a 35 percent
drop from 1940.
In 1972 the population exceeded 100,000 again.
Since the fall of communism in the GDR (1989), the population had fallen
by a quarter from around 103,000 to less than 80,000 - due to emigration
and a negative birth-death rate. In order to counteract this trend,
incorporations were prepared. Nevertheless, it was not possible to reach
the city limits. On December 31, 2006, the "official number of
inhabitants" for Dessau was 77,394 according to the update of the State
Statistical Office of Saxony-Anhalt (only main residences and after
comparison with the other state offices).
Language development
(dialect)
Nowadays, a regionally colored High German is spoken in
Dessau. However, the dialects in Saxony-Anhalt show a characteristic
dialect in the region around the former residence cities of Dessau,
Köthen (Anhalt) and Bernburg (Saale) and in some cases also in Zerbst. A
typical regional dialect is the Anhalt dialect ("Das Anhaltisches"),
which is cultivated here in book literature as prose and also as poetry
to this day. This dialect includes a settlement area of the former
principalities and later duchies of Anhalt-Dessau, Anhalt-Köthen,
Anhalt-Bernburg with Anhalt-Ploetzkau at times and partly Anhalt-Zerbst
bordering to the north.
From the very beginning, the city of Dessau belonged to the
archbishopric of Magdeburg. For this reason, the Reformation reached
Dessau later than Cöthen (1525) and Bernburg (Saale) (1526). Only in
1534 did George III. officially introduced the Reformation in Dessau.
Thereafter, there were adherents of both the Lutheran and Reformed
confessions. The predominance of both confessions changed several times
in the course of history. In 1827 both confessions were united (United
Church). After the unification of the Anhalt principalities in 1863,
Dessau became the capital and thus also the seat of the church
administration of the Evangelical Church of Anhalt, which received a
synodal basis between 1875 and 1878. After the First World War, the
regional church was headed by a senior church council, which has held
the title of church president since 1957. Its official seat is in
Dessau. Unless they are free churches, the Protestant parishes of Dessau
belong to the church district of Dessau, which is divided into several
regions.
From 1750 there were Catholics in Dessau again, the
number of which increased steadily, most recently in 1945 when Silesians
were expelled from the area. In 1858 they received their own church
again. From 1821 they belonged to the diocese and from 1929 to the
archdiocese of Paderborn. After the Second World War, it became
increasingly difficult for the archbishop to carry out his official
duties in the eastern part of his archdiocese. Therefore, in 1946, a
vicar general was appointed in Magdeburg, who was appointed auxiliary
bishop in 1949 and whose district also included the parishes in Dessau.
On July 23, 1973, an episcopal office was established, whose
jurisdiction was transferred to the bishop and apostolic administrator
in Magdeburg, Johannes Braun. Although this episcopal office officially
belonged to the archdiocese of Paderborn and the apostolic administrator
was accordingly only active there as an auxiliary bishop, it actually
developed into an independent diocese. On July 8, 1994, the former
Episcopal Office of Magdeburg was raised to a diocese and (again) placed
under the Archdiocese of Paderborn as a suffragan diocese. The Catholic
parishes of Dessau belong to the Deanery of Dessau within the Diocese of
Magdeburg.
In Dessau, the city where Moses Mendelssohn and Kurt
Weill came from, there is also a Jewish community again. It has around
350 members and is now mainly made up of immigrants from the former
Soviet Union.
The majority of Dessau's residents are
non-denominational, as in most places in the former GDR.
The self-government of the citizenry in Dessau is first mentioned in 1372. At the head of the city was the mayor appointed by the respective prince, who formed the council together with the lay judges. From 1372 the council was divided into two "means", from 1600 into three and from 1785 again into two means. In 1832 the council constitution was repealed. Until then, the mayors in Dessau changed almost every year. After that there was a city council and a city council in the city. Up until that time, a distinction was made between a “city under the council” and a “city under the office”, with the latter being under princely administration and court. Both "cities" were united in 1834. In 1852 a new town ordinance was introduced. After that, the head of the city bore the title of Lord Mayor. During the National Socialist era, the mayor was appointed by the NSDAP and after the Second World War, in accordance with the specifications of the occupying power in the Soviet occupation zone and after 1949 in the GDR, the "City Council" was formed as an executive with a mayor. The city council was elected by the voting population. After the political changes in the GDR in 1989/1990, this body, known as the city council from 1994, was freely elected again. The mayor, initially appointed by the city council, has been directly elected since 1994.
Blazon: "Split with a golden-red quartered shield foot, in front in
silver at the split a red, gold-armored eagle with a red tongue; divided
nine times by black and gold on the back, covered diagonally right with
a green wreath of diamonds. The coat of arms is crowned by five red
battlements. The city colors show gold (yellow) and red.”
The
coat of arms has its origins in the heart shield of the Principality of
Anhalt, whose residence was Dessau. It has been in use since 1540. The
eagle stands for the Margraviate of Brandenburg, the bar and diamond
wreath for the Duchy of Saxony. The four-part shield base was later
interpreted as a sign of the Waldersee dominion. The battlements that
have crowned the coat of arms since 1952 are a free addition.
See
also
Information on permanent facilities and sights are listed under
Dessau-Roßlau.
Born in Dessau
Until 1800
John IV of Anhalt-Zerbst (1504–1551),
Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
George III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
(1507–1553), sovereign, Catholic priest and Protestant reformer
Joachim Ernst of Anhalt (1536–1586), Prince of Anhalt
Bernhard VII of
Anhalt (1540–1570), Prince of Anhalt
Bernhard VIII von Anhalt
(1571-1596), Colonel of the Upper Saxon Empire
Agnes Hedwig von
Anhalt (1573–1616), Electress of Saxony, Duchess of
Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg
Dorothea Maria von Anhalt (1574–1617),
abbess of the monastery of Gernrode and Frose, duchess of Saxe-Weimar
Augustus of Anhalt-Ploetzkau (1575–1653), Prince of Anhalt-Ploetzkau
Ludwig I of Anhalt-Köthen (1579–1650), reigning prince of Anhalt-Köthen
and founder of the Fruiting Society
Anna Sophia von Anhalt
(1584-1652), Countess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and co-founder of the
Virtuous Society
Agnes Magdalene of Anhalt-Dessau (1590–1626),
Princess of Anhalt-Dessau, Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel
Johann
Kasimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1596–1660), sovereign
Anna
Elisabeth of Anhalt-Dessau (1598-1660), Princess of Anhalt-Dessau,
Countess of Bentheim-Steinfurt
Eleonore Dorothea of Anhalt-Dessau
(1602–1664), Duchess of Saxe-Weimar
Adolph Wilhelm von Krosigk
(1609–1657), politician, diplomat and envoy
Johann Georg II, Prince
of Anhalt-Dessau (1627–1693), reigning prince
Luise of Anhalt-Dessau
(1631–1680), by her marriage Duchess of Legnica, Brieg, Wohlau and Ohlau
Friedrich Amadeus Gottlieb von Raumer (1643–1728), Anhalt government
director, minister of state and princely envoy
Theodor Christian
Raumer (1644–1707), Rector at the Francisceum in Zerbst
Bernhard
Friedrich Albinus (1653–1721), physician
Marie Eleonore of
Anhalt-Dessau (1671-1756), Princess Radziwiłł and Duchess of Nieswicz
and Olyka
Johann Georg von Raumer (1671–1747), Anhalt District
President and President of the Consistory
Leopold I, called Der Alten
Dessauer (1676–1747), general and Prussian army reformer
Anna Luise
Föhse (1677–1745), wife of Leopold I of Anhalt-Dessau, Princess of
Anhalt-Dessau
Johanna Charlotte of Anhalt-Dessau (1682-1750), Abbess
of Herford, Margravine of Brandenburg-Schwedt
Johann Wilhelm Friso
von Nassau-Dietz (1687–1711), Prince of Orange and Prince of
Nassau-Dietz governor in Leeuwarden
Wilhelm Gustav von Anhalt-Dessau
(1699–1737), Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, Prussian lieutenant general
Leopold II Maximilian (1700–1751), reigning Prince of Anhalt-Dessau,
Prussian Field Marshal
Dietrich von Anhalt-Dessau (1702–1769),
Prussian Field Marshal
Moritz von Anhalt-Dessau (1712–1760), Prussian
Field Marshal
Anna Wilhelmine of Anhalt-Dessau (1715–1780), princess,
daughter of Prince Leopold I of Anhalt-Dessau
Leopoldine Marie of
Anhalt-Dessau (1716–1782), Margravine of Brandenburg-Schwedt
Henriette Amalie of Anhalt-Dessau (1720–1793), princess, canoness of
Herford Abbey and collector of paintings
Georg Bernhard Leopold
Zeller (1728–1803), violinist, conductor and composer
Moses
Mendelssohn (1729–1786), philosopher
Karl Albrecht Friedrich von
Raumer (1729–1806), Prussian lieutenant general
Friedrich Wilhelm
Rust (1739–1796), violinist and composer
Leopold III Friedrich Franz
von Anhalt-Dessau, reigning prince and duke of Anhalt-Dessau
Henriette Katharina Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau (1744–1799), princess, dean
of Herford Abbey, Baroness of Loën
Gottfried Heinrich Schmidt
(1744–after 1796), actor and theater director
Maria Leopoldine of
Anhalt-Dessau (1746-1769), Countess of Lippe-Detmold
Johann Georg von
Anhalt-Dessau (1748–1811), Prussian general, founder of the Georgium
gardens and palace near Dessau
August von Rode (1751–1837), writer,
civil servant and politician
Karl Georg von Raumer (1753–1833),
Legation Councilor and Director of the Secret State Archives
Eugen
von Raumer (1758–1832), Prussian lieutenant general and fortress
commander of Neisse
Franz von Waldersee (1763–1823), civil servant
and writer
Ludwig Carl Heinrich Streiber (1767–1828), lawyer, mayor
of the city of Halle
Heinrich Olivier (1783–1848), Classicist and
Romantic painter
Wilhelm Karl Rust (1787–1855), pianist and organist
Samuel Heinrich Schwabe (1789–1875), astronomer and botanist
Friedrich von Olivier (1791–1859), Romantic painter
Auguste of
Anhalt-Dessau (1793-1854), Princess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Leopold
IV Friedrich von Anhalt-Dessau, (1794–1871), reigning prince and duke of
Anhalt-Dessau
Ludwig Bischoff (1794–1867), educator, musician, critic
and publisher
Wilhelm Müller (1794–1827), poet
August Ludwig
Stockmarr (1794–1889), Lieutenant General
Friedrich von Waldersee
(1795–1864), Prussian lieutenant general and military writer
Georg
Bernhard von Anhalt-Dessau (1796–1865), Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
Ulrike von Pogwisch (1798–1875), German prioress
Louis Schwabe
(1798–1845), silk manufacturer in Manchester
Carl Vogel (1798–1864),
personal physician to the duke in Weimar, secret privy councillor
Carl von Basedow (1799–1854), physician
Louis Kindscher (1800–1875),
organist and composer
Carl Adolph Felix Aue (1803–1874), bookseller and politician
Wilhelm Krause (1803–1864), landscape and marine painter
Julius
Schubring (1806–1889), pastor and consistorial councilor
William of
Anhalt-Dessau (1807–1864), Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
Phoebus Moses
Philippson (1807–1870), physician and writer
Ludwig Philippson
(1811–1889), writer and rabbi
Karl Appel (1812–1895), violinist and
composer
Hugo Bürkner (1818–1897), painter
August Fuchs
(1818–1847), classical philologist, Romance philologist, school man and
author of scientific works
August Köppe (1818–1888), Minister of
State 1848/49 and member of the Reichstag
August Lindner (1820–1878),
composer and cellist
Wilhelm Rust (1822–1892), composer,
musicologist, Bach researcher and Thomaskantor
Carl Triebel
(1823–1885), landscape and architectural painter and etcher
Friedrich
Max Müller (1823–1900), linguist and one of the founders of Sanskrit
research
Wilhelm Hosäus (1827–1900), librarian, writer and theologian
Gottfried Polysius (1827–1886), industrialist
Gustav Ziegler
(1827–1890), member of the Reichstag
Friedrich I Leopold Franz
Nikolaus von Anhalt (1831–1904), as Friedrich I 1871–1904 Duke of Anhalt
Hermann Schubert (1831–1917), sculptor
Friedrich Grützmacher
(1832–1903), cellist and composer
Carlos von Koseritz (1832–1890),
German-Brazilian journalist
Adelheid Marie of Anhalt-Dessau
(1833–1916), Duchess of Nassau and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Elise
von Szczepańska (1833–1907), guidebook author
Karl von Koseritz
(1834–1890), German-Brazilian journalist, newspaper editor, writer
Maria Anna of Anhalt-Dessau (1837–1906), Princess of Prussia
Kurt von
Koseritz (1838–1916), statesman
Henriette Johanne Marie Müller
(1841–1916), Hamburg Original (Zitronenjette)
Hermann Deutschbein
(1842–1920), merchant and member of the Landtag
Adolf Bleichert
(1845–1901), entrepreneur, pioneer of cable car construction
Gustav
Adolf Schweitzer (1847–1914), painter of the Düsseldorf School
Eduard
Arnhold (1849–1925), entrepreneur, art patron and philanthropist
Wilhelm Schröter (1849–1904), landscape painter
Georg Irmer
(1853–1931), archivist, consul and historian
Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau
(1855–1886), officer, hereditary prince of the Duchy of Anhalt
Friedrich von Kalitsch (1858–1938), forester
Georg Steindorff
(1861–1951), Egyptologist
Georg Hacker (1863–1945), painter and stage
designer
Paul Steindorff (1864–1927), American conductor
Fritz
Lange (1864-1952), physician, university lecturer in Munich
Gustav
Lindau (1866–1923), mycologist and botanist
Richard Meissner
(1868–1938), wine specialist
Hans von Raumer (1870–1965), lawyer,
industrialist and politician
Hans Bethge (1876–1946), poet
Fritz
Hesse (1881-1973), politician, lawyer and mayor of Dessau
Maximilian
von Weichs (1881–1954), Field Marshal
Kurt Schwarze (1888–1961),
politician (DDP, LDP, FDP) and member of the state parliament in Anhalt
and Saxony-Anhalt
Franz Wolf (1889–1972), union official and
politician (SPD), member of the Bavarian state parliament
Walther
Zimmermann (1890–1945), pharmacist, pharmaceutical historian and writer
Walter Geisler (1891–1945), geographer
Adolf Trowitz (1893–1978),
Major General in World War II
Otto Gehre (1894–1976), shaper and
politician (SPD, later SED), imprisoned in Buchenwald concentration camp
from 1938 to 1940
Henrik Herse (1895–1953), farmer, worker,
playwright and writer as well as SS Obersturmfuhrer in the main office
and Obersturmfuhrer of the Waffen SS
Alfred Richter (1895–1959),
politician (NSDAP)
Marianne Fleischhack (1896–1986), librarian and
writer
Ernst Jaeger (1896–1975), journalist
Karl Salomon
(1896-1977), KPD functionary, deputy minister and state secretary in the
GDR
Fritz Klocke (1898-1978), teacher, folklorist and local historian
Kurt Weill (1900–1950), composer
Kurt Meister (1901-1961), actor, director, author and radio play
speaker
Maria von der Osten-Sacken (1901–1985), writer, screenwriter
and film producer
Martin Müller (1903–1989), Protestant theologian,
church president
Gerhard Nebel (1903–1974), writer, essayist and
cultural critic
Walter Sommer (1903–missing after 1942), politician
(NSDAP)
Albert Lezius (1903–1953), surgeon and university lecturer
Curt Miehe (1903–1965), lawyer and politician (SPD)
Martin Donath
(1904-1966), economist and university lecturer
Marie Harm
(1904–1986), arachnologist
Ulrich Kessler (1905–1984), pianist and
composer
Heinz Rosenthal (1906–1973), teacher and local historian
Franz Becker (1907–1990), painter
Fritz Haring (1907–1990), Professor
of Animal Breeding in Rostock and Göttingen
Richard Heller
(1908–1944), communist resistance fighter and victim of National
Socialism
Heinz Schubert (1908–1945), composer and conductor
Marie
Bartmuß (1909 – after 1937), art historian
Karl Gatermann the Younger
(1909-1992), painter, graphic artist and stage designer
Carl Marx
(1911–1991), painter and graphic artist
Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain
(1911–1998), physicist, developer of the jet engine
Rudolf Wehrmann
(1911–1980), SS Rottenfuhrer
Carl-Dieter von Reichmeister
(1912–2001), Reich film dramaturge
Ursula Herking (1912–1974),
actress and cabaret artist
Willi Meinck (1914–1993), writer
Heinz
Gartmann (1917–1960), writer and publicist
Günter Boas (1920–1993),
jazz and blues musician
Helmut Rennert (1920–1994), psychiatrist
Werner Welzel (1923-2001), soccer player, national player of the GDR
Herbert Tobias (1924–1982), photographer
Hannskarl Bandel
(1925–1993), civil engineer
Horst Bollmann (1925–2014), actor
Hanns-Georg Kilian (1925–2017), physicist
Klaus Brodersen
(1926–1997), Professor of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry
Rosemarie Künzler-Behncke (1926–2021), writer
Evamaria Schmidt
(1926–2014), classical archaeologist, university lecturer
Gerhard
Stolze (1926–1979), tenor
Christa Gottschalk (1927–2018), actress
Ruth Erika Brand (1928–2014), politician (SPD)
Erhard Hirsch (*
1928), classicist, researcher of the Dessau-Wörlitz culture
Karl
Horst Schmidt (1929-2012), linguist, celtologist, caucasologist and
university lecturer
Karl-Heinz Kämmerling (1930-2012), professor of
piano
Wolfgang Klank (1930–1998), soccer player
Ernst Gerhard Mahn
(1930–2022), biologist
Helmut Straßburger (1930-2010), actor and
drama director in Dessau
Christian Grote (born 1931), writer
Karin
Schneider (1931–2019), archivist, Germanist, manuscript expert and
paleographer
Friedrich Lippmann (1932–2019), musicologist
Bruno
Menzel (1932–1996), politician (FDP)
Eberhard Natho (1932–2022),
theologian
Dieter Röck (1933–2023), business economist
Peter
Lebrecht Schmidt (1933-2019), classical philologist and university
lecturer
Peter Voigt (1933–2015), director and documentary filmmaker
Anne Dessau, actually Anneliese Chmielecki (* 1934), actress and author
Gerhard Erber (1934–2021), pianist
Peter Herfert (1935–2017),
prehistorian and archaeologist
Brigitte Grothum (born 1935), actress,
voice actress and director
Dieter Hallervorden (born 1935), comedian,
presenter, cabaret artist, actor and singer
Gisela Grade (* 1935),
textile designer, painter and graphic artist
Klaus Eichenberg (born
1936), artist
Dieter Giesen (1936–1997), legal scholar
Hans
Triebel (born 1936), mathematician
Gernot Boehme (1937–2022),
philosopher
Gerhard Haida (1937-2014), diplomat, ambassador of the
GDR
Hartwig Strobel (born 1937), cinematographer and screenwriter
Dirk Siefkes (1938–2016), mathematician and computer scientist
Leonore Wolters-Krebs (born 1938), architect and urban planner
Volkmar Billeb (born 1939), photographer
Dieter Bock (1939–2010),
entrepreneur
Hubert Kiesewetter (* 1939), economic and social
historian
Renate Krauspe (born 1939), Egyptologist
Lothar
Schneider (1939–2019), wrestler, World Championship third
Hagen Koch
(born 1940), founder of the Berlin Wall Archive
Jürgen Kolbe
(1940-2008), Germanist, writer and local politician
Jörg Kuhbier (*
1940), lawyer and politician (SPD)
Volkmar Schneider (born 1940),
pathologist
Eberhard Schuster (born 1940), football player and coach
Rüdiger Thomas (born 1940), historian
Dorit Zinn (born 1940), writer
Christian Martin Schmidt (* 1942), musicologist and university teacher
Monika Hellmuth-Claus (1943–2016), sculptor
Manfred Jendryschik (born
1943), writer
Ameli Koloska (born 1944), track and field athlete and
Olympian
Erica Eller (born 1945), actress
Georg Seidel
(1945–1990), playwright
Peter Massing (born 1946), political
scientist
Emil Schult (born 1946), painter, poet and musician
Hans-Christian Sachse (born 1947), politician (SPD)
Lutz Bachmann
(born 1948), musicologist and Germanist
Gerhard Mitschke (* 1948),
Member of Parliament (CDU)
Christine Lambrecht (born 1949), writer
and songwriter
Michael Lingner (1950–2020), art and media theorist
Hans-Joachim Sopart (born 1950), politician (CDU)
Lothar Alisch (1951–2000), Protestant clergyman and politician
Peter Hoffmann (1953–2021), politician (PDS)
Hans-Jürgen Graye (born
1954), journalist and author
Gerd Kroske (born 1958), author,
director and producer
Carsten Herrmann-Pillath (* 1959), economist
and sinologist
Frank Hoffmann (born 1959), politician (Die Linke)
Werner Schildhauer (born 1959), track and field athlete and Olympic
participant
Holger Reinhardt (* 1960), state curator of Thuringia
Thomas Kretschmann (born 1962), actor
Claudia Look-Hirnschal
(1962–2018), moderator and editor
Torsten Koch (* 1963), politician
(CDU), member of the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt
Annette
Schlünz (born 1964), composer
Gunter Wehnert (born 1965), tennis
player
Jörg Faßmann (* 1966), violinist and university teacher for
music
Jens Kolze (born 1967), politician (CDU)
Frank Reimann (born
1967), national volleyball player
Matthias Kanter (born 1968),
painter
Guido Lambrecht (born 1968), theater and film actor
Steffi
Lemke (born 1968), politician (Greens)
Anja Schneider (* 1968), care
and hospice manager and politician (CDU)
Susanne Evers (born 1970),
TV and theater actress
Dirk Hannemann (born 1970), soccer player
Karin Tschernich-Weiske (* 1973), lawyer and politician (CDU)
Katja
Frenzel-Röhl (born 1974), actress
Nicole Krieger (born 1975),
journalist, TV presenter and author
Henrike Müller (born 1975),
politician (Greens)
Danny Fuchs (born 1976), Bundesliga soccer player
Constanze Janda (born 1976), legal scholar
Beatrice Kaps-Zurmahr
(born 1977), stage and film actress
Andrea Johlige (born 1977),
politician (Die Linke)
Wiebke Meinhold (born 1977), ancient
orientalist
Claudia Schulz (* 1977), agricultural ecologist and
politician (Greens)
Thomas Wagner (1978–2016), entrepreneur, founder
of Unister
Sandra Naujoks (born 1981), professional poker player
known as Black Mamba
Nico Ruhle (born 1981), German politician (SPD),
Mayor of Neuruppin
Alexandra Gottschlich (born 1982), actress
Jana
Gemeiner (* 1985), inline speed skater
Anne-Kathrin Elbe (born 1987),
track and field athlete, hurdler
Florian Hempel (* 1990), former
handball player, current darts player
Niklas Sommer (born 1998),
soccer player
Fabrice Hartmann (born 2001), soccer player
Georg Helt (1485–1545), humanist, classicist and polymath
Georg
Raumer (1610–1691), court chaplain, superintendent and consistorial
councilor in Dessau
Benjamin Friedrich Köhler (1730–1796), hymn
writer, privy councilor and archivist in Dessau
Friedrich Wilhelm von
Erdmannsdorff (1736–1800), architect and architectural theorist
Gerhard Vieth (1763–1836), physical education teacher
Friedrich
Schneider (1786–1853) Ducal Anhalt-Dessau court music director and
composer.
Carl Wilhelm Kolbe (1759–1835), painter, graphic artist and
writer.
Carlo Ignazio Pozzi (1766–1842) master builder and from 1812
to 1842 head of construction in Anhalt-Dessau
Karl Friedrich von
Willisen (1788–1873), Prussian lieutenant general
Karl Wilhelm von
Willisen (1790–1879), Prussian lieutenant general and military writer
Leopold von Morgenstern (1790-1864), Dr. jur., real Privy Councilor,
President of the Government and Consitorial in Dessau, honorary citizen
Moritz von Cohn (1812–1900), private banker
Georg Höhn (1812–1879),
landscape painter
Anton von Krosigk (1820-1892), Chairman of the
Ducal-Anhalt State Ministry
Franz Riess (1848–1928), court glass
painter and artisan
Paul Riess (1857–1933), painter and craftsman
Hans Calm (1858–1945), court actor, language teacher and author
Hugo
Junkers (1859–1935), engineer and entrepreneur
Richard Bartmuß
(1859–1910), composer, court organist in Dessau and music professor
Friedrich Lutzmann (1859-1930), inventor, designer and entrepreneur
(Dessau motor car factory)
Walter Gropius (1883–1969), co-founder of
modern architecture (Bauhaus)
Ernst Vierthaler (1883-1970), lawyer
and regional church council in Anhalt
Ludwig Sinsel (1884–1968),
trade unionist and politician (SPD, SED)
Oswald Boelcke (1891–1916),
fighter pilot in World War I
Wilhelm Trippler (1897–1974), politician
(NSDAP) and chief of police
Hans Stamms (1902–1947), boxer, 1922
German champion at flyweight
Martin Hadelich (1903–2004), sculptor
Heinz Szillat (1912–1999), painter and graphic artist
Heinz Rammelt
(1912-2004), animal painter and draftsman
Werner Steinberg
(1913–1992), writer
Benno Butter (1914–1985), painter and graphic
artist
Irmela Hadelich (1923–2017) painter, graphic artist and author
Joachim Specht (1931–2016), writer
Alberto Adriano (c. 1960–2000),
Afro-German butcher who hailed from Mozambique and was a victim of
far-right violence
Oury Jalloh (1968-2005), Sierra Leonean who died
in a fire in a cell at the Dessau police station, handcuffed
Li
Yangjie (1990–2016), student at the Anhalt University of Applied
Sciences, victim of a sex murder in Dessau
A crater on Mars with a diameter of 10.2 km was named after Dessau.
On the first day of issue, July 1, 2013, Deutsche Post AG issued a
special postage stamp worth 45 cents to mark the city's 800th
anniversary. The design comes from the Berlin graphic artist Matthias
Wittig.
The city is featured in the biopic How the wind is lifting,
in which the aircraft designer Jirō Horikoshi visits the Junkers works
in 1929 and studies in Dessau.
A philatelic appreciation with a stamp
that symbolically shows Dessau was published on July 1, 2013. The
Deutsche Post special postage stamp appeared as part of the Federal
Republic of Germany's 2013 stamp issue for the 800th anniversary of the
city (Mi. No. 3019) with the Value of 45 euro cents. The design comes
from the Berlin graphic artist Matthias Wittig and Jutta Ziemba. The
edition was 5,720,000 pieces.