Leisnig ( hsb, Lěsnik, ) is a small town in the district of

Mittelsachsen Mittelsachsen ("Central Saxony") is a district ('' Kreis'') in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. History The district was established by merging the former districts of Döbeln, Freiberg and Mittweida as part of the district reform of August ...

, in the free state of

Saxony Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, 50 kilometers southeast of

Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...

History

A settlement in this location was first mentioned in 1046. The town features

Mildenstein Castle Mildenstein Castle, in German ''Burg Mildenstein'', also called ''Schloss Leisnig'', is located in Leisnig in Landkreis Mittelsachsen, Saxony, Germany. It is a property of the Free State of Saxony and is administrated by the company State Palaces, ...

which is over 1000 years old. The house Markt 13 shows the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...

of the Apian family. Leisnig was

Friedrich Olbricht Friedrich Olbricht (4 October 1888 – 21 July 1944) was a German general during World War II and one of the plotters involved in the 20 July Plot, an attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944. He was a senior staff officer, with the rank of ...

's birthplace. In 1944, he was involved in the

20 July Plot On 20 July 1944, Claus von Stauffenberg and other conspirators attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Führer of Nazi Germany, inside his Wolf's Lair field headquarters near Rastenburg, East Prussia, now Kętrzyn, in present-day Poland. The ...

assassinate Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have a ...

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

, and was executed for his participation in it. The former municipality

Bockelwitz Bockelwitz is a former municipality in the district of Mittelsachsen, in Saxony, Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after R ...

became a part of the town of Leisnig in 2012.Gebietsänderungen vom 01. Januar bis 31. Dezember 2012

Statistisches Bundesamt The Federal Statistical Office (german: Statistisches Bundesamt, shortened ''Destatis'') is a federal authority of Germany. It reports to the Federal Ministry of the Interior. The Office is responsible for collecting, processing, presenting and ...

Points of interest

Arktisch-Alpiner Pflanzengarten und Alpine Staudengärtnerei The Arktisch-Alpiner Pflanzengarten und Alpine Staudengärtnerei is a private botanical garden specializing in alpine plants. It is located at OT Gorschmitz 14, Leisnig, Saxony, Germany, and open several days per week in the warmer months, without ...

, a

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...

Museums

The museum at Mildenstein Castle was founded in 1890 by th
Leisnig Historical and Antiquarian Society
In addition to an exhibition on the history of the castle, which includes important finds such as Bohemian glasses from the 14th century, there are also newly established exhibitions on the penal system and the Leisnig office. In the boot museum on the outer bailey, inaugurated in 2006, the town's landmark, the

Leisnig Giant Boot Leisnig ( hsb, Lěsnik) is a small town in the district of Mittelsachsen, in the state of Saxony in Germany, 50 kilometers southeast of Leipzig. History A settlement in this location was first mentioned in 1046. The town features Mildenstein Cas ...

, is exhibited. In the town hall a small gallery is maintained with exhibitions that change several times a year.

Notable People

* Johann von Staupitz (1465-1524), theologian, confessor of

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...

Peter Apian Petrus Apianus (April 16, 1495 – April 21, 1552), also known as Peter Apian, Peter Bennewitz, and Peter Bienewitz, was a German humanist, known for his works in mathematics, astronomy and cartography. His work on "cosmography", the field that d ...

(1495-1552), mathematician, cartographer, geographer and astronomer *

Georg Rimpler Georg Rimpler (born 1636, died 1683) was a German military engineer. A well-travelled engineer, Rimpler served in a number of European armies before being appointed Chief Engineer of the Holy Roman Empire in 1681. He was killed during the 1683 Sie ...

(1636-1683), military engineer and author *

(1888-1944), one of the leading figures in connection with the assassination against

July 1944 *

Lothar Voigtländer Lothar Voigtländer (born 3 September 1943) is a German composer. Life Voigtländer was born in Leisnig. He received his formative musical education between 1954 and 1962 as a choirboy and later as choir prefect in the Dresdner Kreuzchor under ...

(born 1943), composer *

Beate Schramm Beate Schramm (born 21 June 1966) is a German rower and Olympic gold medallist. Between 1986 and 1991, she won four senior world championship titles, after having previously twice been junior world champion. She won gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympi ...

(born 1966), rower *

Kerstin Behrendt Kerstin Behrendt (born 2 September 1967 in Leisnig) is a former German athlete, who mainly competed in the 100 m during her career. Behrendt competed for East Germany at the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Seoul, South Korea, where she wo ...

(born 1967), athlete

References

External links

* https://www.leisnig.de - Official website of the city
News from Leisnig

Castle Mildenstein
* Mittelsachsen {{Mittelsachsen-geo-stub