Upper Lusatia - Oberlausitz

The Upper Lusatia is a very scenic area in the east Saxony. The city forms the center of Upper Lusatia Bautzen. The Upper Lusatian heath and pond landscape stretches north of Bautzen and the Upper Lusatian highlands begin to the south.

Regions

• Upper Lusatian heather and pond landscape - the northern part of Upper Lusatia, at the transition to Lower Lusatia; characterized by pine forests, grasslands and fish ponds. This also includes the Muskauer and the Königsbrück-Ruhlander Heiden.
• Headquarters Upper Lusatia with the Lausitzer Bergland (low mountain range), the Westlausitzer foothills and the Lausitzer Gefilde (mountain foothills) with the city Bautzen as the center
• Eastern Lusatian hill country - Gorlitz and Löbau form the main towns of this region on the Neisse north of the Zittau Mountains.
• Zittau Mountains - the German part of the Lausitz Mountains (not to be confused with the Lausitzer Bergland) in the extreme south.

The lignite mining and its consequences have created a new, unique landscape in the north of Upper Lusatia and southern Lower Lusatia - the Lusatian Lakeland.

places

• Bautzen - political and cultural center of the Sorbs; charming old town.
• Gorlitz - largest city and located on the German-Polish border.
• Hoyerswerda - At first glance, Hoyerswerda, the “second socialist city of the GDR”, stands for rather monotonous architecture, but there is also an old Hoyerswerda and the Lusatian Lake District in the vicinity.
• Niesky - "Large district town", traditionally a center of the Moravian Brethren.
• Kamenz - place in West Lusatian hills and mountains, Birthplace of the poet Gotthold Ephraim Lessing.
• Löbau - King Friedrich August Tower.
• Bad Muskau - Health resort in the border triangle with Brandenburg and Poland, large and varied landscape park
• White water - in the Muskauer Heide.
• Zittau - well-known place on the Polish border and starting point in the mountains of the same name.

Other goals

• The Upper Lusatian Heath and Pond Landscape Biosphere Reserve offers a unique natural landscape. The land of a thousand ponds with forests, moors and ponds offers hiking and cycling opportunities, sustainable agriculture and fishing with farm shops.

background

history

For centuries, Upper Lusatia was its own territory and consequently has a strong regional identity. It is the original settlement area of ​​the Slavic Milzener, the ancestors of today's Sorbs. From the 10th century they also settled German colonists at. The Milzener were subjugated and Christianized by German rulers around 1000. Until the 15th century, the area was not called Upper Lusatia ('Lausitz' was originally just the current one Lower Lusatia), but "Land Budissin", after its capital Bautzen. It belonged from the 14th century to 1635 - next Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia and (Lower) Lusatia - to the "Countries of the Bohemian Crown". Then it was ceded to the Electors of Saxony. They ruled Upper Lusatia in personal union, but the area retained its own assembly of estates until the 19th century and was not viewed as part of the “real” Saxony.

At the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Upper Lusatia was divided between Saxony and Prussia. The northern and eastern parts of Upper Lusatia (around Görlitz and Hoyerswerda) belonged to the Prussian province of (Lower) Silesia until 1945. Since the largest part of Lower Silesia lies east of the Neisse and was assigned to Poland after the Second World War, the small part that remained with Germany was returned to the state of Saxony (a few municipalities also to the state of Brandenburg). A small part of the Upper Lusatia lies east of the Neisse in today's Polish Lower Silesian Voivodeship.

In certain areas of society, the demarcation of the originally Saxon and Silesian parts of the country still plays a role today. The Protestant Christians in the northeastern part of the country do not belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony, but to the Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia, and the Catholics not to the diocese of Dresden-Meißen, but to the Diocese of Görlitz at. In addition, some traditions of the Silesian culture are still maintained, e.g. B. the Upper Lusatian cuisine is similar to the Silesian one. However, only very few speak the Upper Lusatian dialect, which belongs to the Silesian dialect group.

The wolf

The only reproductive population of wolves in Germany is in northern Upper Lusatia. The home area is in the Muskauer Heide as well as the Upper Lusatian Teichland. Whoever sees a wolf need not be afraid - animals usually avoid meeting people. The sighting of a wolf living in the wild will remain an exception at the moment.

• Wolfsregion Lausitz contact office, Am Erlichthof 16, 02956 Rietschen. Tel.: 49(0)35773-46762, Fax: 49(0)35773-46771, Email: [email protected]. last change: not specified

Myths and legends

Upper Lusatia is rich in legends and myths. One of the most famous stories is that of Krabat, who in some versions of the legend is a black magician, in others, however, uses his magical powers for good causes. The historical model was probably the Croatian cavalry colonel Johann Schadowitzwho served the Saxon elector in the 17th century and settled in Upper Lusatia after his retirement. Krabat is simply an old Sorbian word for "Croat".

In more recent times - among other things through the youth books by Jurij Brězan and Otfried Preußler and their film adaptations - the variant according to which Krabat is initially a Sorbian beggar boy who gets lost in the forest and ends up in Koselbruch (at Schwarzkollm) on a mysterious Black mill and comes across the even more mysterious "master". He agrees to be his apprentice, but finds out that the master is a black magician. Finally he learns magical skills himself and can ultimately defeat the master and free the other apprentices through the power of love (his mother in one version or a girl in the other version).

One can trace the legend on the Krabat bike path follow, among other things for Krabat Mill Schwarzkollm, to Groß Särchen, where Krabat is said to have lived as a charitable farm owner later, to Wittichenau, where, according to legend, he joked with wealthy cattle traders in a magical way, and to Räckelwitz, the birthplace of the writer Jurij Brězan. In July every year, the Krabat Festival takes place at the Krabat mill in Schwarzkollm.

language

Sorbs settled in this region. However, all Sorbs are bilingual and also speak German.

getting there

By plane

• The closest airport is the 51.13444444444413.768055555556Dresden Airport(IATA: DRS), 55 km from Bautzen, 60 km from Hoyerswerda, 105 km from Görlitz).
• Alternatively, you can use 52.36224666666713.500671666667Berlin Brandenburg Airport(IATA: BER), 140 km from Hoyerswerda, 195 km from Görlitz).
• If the destination is in the south of Upper Lusatia, there is also a flight 50.10083333333314.26Prague airport(IATA: PRG) (145 km from Zittau),
• for the east of the region via the 51.10277777777816.885833333333Wroclaw Nicolaus Copernicus Airport(IATA: WRO) 175 km from Görlitz).

By train

The journey by train is usually also via Dresden(-Neustadt), the closest train station with a connection to long-distance transport. From there, regional express trains go to Bischofswerda, Bautzen, Görlitz, Zittau and Hoyerswerda as well as so-called city trains (regional trains) to Königsbrück and Kamenz.

Hoyerswerda is also every two hours with the S 4 S-Bahn Leipzig connected via Torgau, Falkenberg and Elsterwerda-Biehla (which here also takes on the function of a regional train rather than a classic S-Bahn). In addition, the East German Railway departs every hour cottbus via Görlitz to Zittau. From direction Berlin coming, you have to - depending on your destination in Upper Lusatia - in Cottbus, in Senftenberg and Ruhland or change in Dresden.

In the street

The most important road axis in the region is the A4 motorway (Chemnitz / Leipzig – Dresden – Görlitz – Breslau). It crosses Upper Lusatia from west to east, past the two largest cities Bautzen and Görlitz. The federal highways B 96 from Berlin and Luckau and B 97 and B 115 from the Cottbus area cross in a north-south direction. Coming from Prague you can take the motorway or a motorway-like road almost to the border triangle near Zittau.

By bicycle

Important long-distance cycle routes through Upper Lusatia are the Germany route D 4 (Mittelland route) from Jena, Gera, Chemnitz and Dresden to Zittau, the Oder-Neisse cycle path along the German-Polish border and the Spree cycle path from Berlin, Lübbenau and Cottbus to Bautzen.

On foot

Long-distance hikers can get here from Leipzig on the Ecumenical Pilgrimage Route of Central Germany, which follows the course of the medieval trade route Via regia oriented and to the network of Way of St. James belongs.

mobility

The tariff applies to buses and regional trains throughout Upper Lusatia (except for the Zittau narrow-gauge railway) Zweckverband Verkehrsverbund Oberlausitz-Lower Silesia (ZVON). With the “Euro-Neisse-Ticket” you can also travel to the neighboring parts of Poland and the Czech Republic.

Tourist Attractions

• Fürst-Pückler-Park in Bad Muskau, largest English landscape park in continental Europe, UNESCO World Heritage
• The historical Muskau Forest Railway connects the places Bad Muskau, Krauschwitz, White water and Kromlau.
• Old town of Gorlitz - In hardly any other German city can you read the historical development as well as here, from late Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque bourgeois houses to Wilhelminian style quarters and Art Nouveau buildings; Hardly destroyed in the war and in recent years has been reconstructed in an exemplary manner in accordance with the preservation of historical monuments; hence a popular film set
• Old town of Bautzen - influenced by the Middle Ages, with cathedral, Ortenburg, numerous towers used simultaneously by the Catholic and Protestant churches
• Lusatian boulder park Nochten
• Kleinwelka Dinosaur Park
• Kleinwelka maze

activities

• numerous beautiful hiking trails
• Cycling, e.g. B. along the Or-Neisse- or the Krabat cycle path
• Water sports in Lusatian Lakeland

Regular events

• The third Sunday in March will be in Seifhennersdorf the Oberlausitzer Leinewebertag celebrated with the specialty elderberry soup
• Easter: Easter riding the Sorbs in Upper Lusatia (routes: Wittichenau–Ralbitz, Crostwitz–Panschwitz-Kuckau, Radibor–Storcha, Nebelschütz–Ostro, Bautzen- Radibor)
• Mid-June: Pushing days in Bischofswerda - one of the largest folk festivals in Upper Lusatia in Saxony
• End of June: Eibauer beer train - Folk and traditional festival of the Upper Lusatian brewery trade, in memory of the beer dispute between Görlitz, Löbau and Zittau in the 17th century - the breweries present themselves with their splendid teams, fire brigades and farmers get historical equipment from the sheds, the whole thing is played by marching bands and brass bands accompanied.
• This takes place from mid-June to mid-July Upper Lusatian Gourmet Festival instead of. A variety of restaurants in the region offer Bump (Dumplings) with bacon and sauerkraut.
• Mid-July (only years with an odd number): International Folklore Festival Lausitz
• 3rd weekend in July: Silesian Tippelmarkt - Pottery market in Gorlitz
• End of July: Jacobi market in Neugersdorf (dialect: Gierschdurfer Schiss’n - "Gersdorfer Schießen") - the largest fair in Upper Lusatia, traditionally associated with the royal shooting of the Neugersdorfer Schützen
• Late August or early September: Görlitz Old Town Festival - Stalls with historically decorated covers or historically designed wagons; at the same time takes place in the neighboring Zgorzelec the Jakuby festival instead of.
• December: Bautzen Wenzelsmarkt - the oldest Christmas market in Germany mentioned in a chronicle

kitchen

• Lusatian linseed oil is a protected designation of origin. A Lusatian specialty is to dip rolls in linseed oil and sugar, or to eat jacket potatoes with quark and linseed oil.

• The Elderberry soup is a specialty of linen weavers. She will be on the Oberlausitzer Leinewebertag offered in Seifhennersdorf.

• Stubberle, or Stupperle is a variant of the potato dumplings in Upper Lusatia

• Bautz’ner mustard is one of the best-known products in this region

• Teichlmauke or Titschlmauke, is a dish consisting of mashed potatoes, boiled beef with broth and sauerkraut from the Oberlausitzer Bergland. Chopped meat is placed on a deep plate, mashed potatoes are arranged around the outside so that a hole remains in the middle. This hole represents the pond filled with broth. Finally, sauerkraut is placed around the meat.

• Pulsnitzer gingerbread are traditionally handcrafted gingerbread made from Pulsnitz. They differ from other gingerbread cookies in that they are stored for longer and the dough matures before baking. They are not a seasonal product, they are still produced all year round and are offered by the pepper factories and on the markets.

nightlife

security

climate

literature

• Kerstin Micklitza, André Micklitza: Lausitz - On the way between Spreewald and Zittauer Gebirge, 5th updated edition 2016, Trescher Verlag Berlin, ISBN 978-3-89794-330-8
• Michael Landmann: Upper Lusatia with the Zittau Mountains, ISBN 978-1500844202