About Chemnitz

Chemnitz calls itself »City of Modernity«, which is probably the only description fitting to the vivid history of the city during the last 100 years.

Although the city is about 850 years old, it rose to major importance only with the beginning of the industrialization. Historically, it was known for its textiles, but with the industialization, textile machines were invented here, followed by engines and tool machines, whereafter it rapidly became one of the most important German centers of inventions and engineering. With lots of new factories, the city experienced a major growth in the early years of the 20th century, when whole new suburbs were built in the style of historism and art noveau, which were later expanded with early examples of modern architecture.

The factories were also the reason why a large part of Chemnitz, including the city center, was destroyed at the end of the Second World War. After the war, when Chemnitz became part of the Socialist German Democratic Republic, it was decided to rebuild the city according to the model of Socialism. It was even renamed Karl-Marx-Stadt in 1953 in honor to Socialist philosopher Karl Marx, who has not even been to Chemnitz once. But he stated that the working class should be in power and Chemnitz was the city with most factory workers in East Germany, which was reason enough for the government to change the name.

After the reunification of Germany in 1990, the people of the city voted to use the original name of the city again: Chemnitz. Also, some still existing gaps in the city centre were started to be filled with a range of wholly new modern buildings and concepts.


Now, in the 21st century, the city exhibits all of those cultural changes next to each other, dazzling any visitor. But one constant has remained: Chemnitz is still renown for its high quality machines and the inventors who construct new ones. For further information about Chemnitz visit