History
Chronicle
Chemnitz was first mentioned in a document in 1143. During the period of industrialisation, the city developed into one of the most important industrial cities in Germany.
The population of Chemnitz exceeded 100,000 at the beginning of 1883. Between 1953 and 1990, Chemnitz was known as Karl-Marx-Stadt.
City archive
The town archive collects and preserves written records such as documents from associations, estates and documents from private individuals, visual and audio media, plans, leaflets and posters. The town archive maintains an extensive reference library and a large collection of regional newspapers and magazines.
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Industrial history
As early as 1859, Berthold Sigismund described Chemnitz as "the Saxon Manchester". In addition to mechanical engineering, the textile industry has also played an important role in the city's industrial history.
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Inventions
Many of the inventors and innovative entrepreneurs were not born in Chemnitz, but found the right conditions for success here. Chemnitz is considered the cradle of German machine tool manufacturing.
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Karl-Marx-Stadt / Chemnitz
The years 1989 and 1990 were high points in the struggle for freedom, democracy and unity in German history. In October 1989, while the GDR was celebrating its 40th anniversary, the people of Karl-Marx-Stadt took to the streets in defence of their freedom.
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Stumbling blocks
It is a project against forgetting: Embedded in the pavement, the memorial stones commemorate the tragic fates of fellow citizens who were persecuted, deported, murdered or driven to their deaths during the National Socialist regime.
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