Weißwasser

The town's name means "white water". Weißwasser was mentioned for the first time on 8 June 1552. It is part of Prussian Silesia since 1815 and it is part of Prussian Lower Silesia since 1919. In the 19th and 20th century, Weißwasser was the European centre of glass production.

Weißwasser received its town charter on 28 August 1935. 40% of the town had been destroyed during the Second World War. With the dissolution of Prussia resulting from the war, the town became part of Saxony from 1945–52. In communist East Germany from 1952–90, it was administered within Bezirk Cottbus. Under the communist regime many enterprises had to close. Only a few enterprises were left after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It was included within a restored Saxony after German reunification.

Weißwasser now struggles with the aftereffects of German reunification. The fall of the Berlin Wall was a devastating effect for the local economy. Many people have since lost their jobs and the town's population continues to suffers from a high percentage of unemployment. Consequently, many Weißwasser citizens have left the city in the hope of finding a new or better job elsewhere.

In September 2005, Weißwasser hosted the "Day of the Saxons." Atrracting more than 300,000 visitors, the event occured as a big success. This left some believing that the town could reinvent itself as a tourist attraction.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was allotted on 31 January 1927. Blue and yellow are the traditional colours of Upper Lusatia. The white waves in the bottom part of the coat of arms symbolise the name of the city. The two green glasses symbolise the glass industry of the town, which has been one of the largest in former East Germany. The tools are a reference to the coal mining, which is carried out close to the city.

Population developement

1825 - 390
1933 - 13,494
1939 - 14,388
1946 - 12,940
1950 - 13,844
1960 - 14,028

1981 - 32,799
1984 - 34,994
1988 - 38,288
1995 - 31,745
1997 - 30,300
1998 - 28,605

1999 - 27,315
2000 - 26,107
2001 - 24,815
2002 - 23,862
2003 - 22,966
2004 - 22,758

2005 - 21,912
2006 - 20.823
2007 - 20.298
2008 - 19.927
2009 - 19.615
2010 - 19.416

Sights

Water Tower
Ice Hockey Stadium "Fuchsbau" (fox's den)
Glass makers museum
Zoo
Pückler - Park in Bad Muskau
Rhododendron - Park in Kromlau
Forest Railway Muskau
Braunsteich - Lake
Erratic Rock - Park in Nochten
Opencast pit in Nochten

Sport

The local ice hockey club Eissport Weißwasser, also known as "The Foxes", has been the most successful club in the ice hockey Premier League of Former East Germany.

based on Wikipedia

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