A colossal project it was. This is the Wohngebiet Fritz Heckert. Imagine 31000 apartments. That’s how many were built here. In the heart of Chemnitz this sprawling neighborhood was once home to almost 90000 people. It was the third largest housing development in the GDR. For a time it was even the second largest.
The Wohngebiet Fritz Heckert. Named after a prominent Chemnitz communist. Its construction began on October 5 1974. The first stones were laid on Karl Winter Strasse now Scheffelstrasse. The plan was ambitious. 24900 apartments were initially planned. Later this figure increased to a staggering 37000 across eight construction areas.
Modern and affordable prefabricated panel construction was the chosen method. The buildings rose along Stollberger Strasse. The Wohngebiet Fritz Heckert expanded greatly. It stretched from the Kappel Kaufhalle to the outskirts of Neukirchen. A small portion of Neukirchen was even incorporated into Chemnitz in 1981. Chemnitz residents coveted these apartments. They boasted central heating and a toilet inside each apartment.
But even before the main construction began. There was a sort of test run. In 1972 and 1973 the first prefabricated panel apartments were built on Kappler Hang along Irkutsker Strasse. Construction area zero it was called. Fifty-five apartments were handed over on January 1 1973.
The Wohngebiet Fritz Heckert was well-connected. Tram line 5 linked it to the city center. It ran along Annaberger Strasse and the Südrings. Initially it only went to a loop near Wladimir Sagorski Strasse. Expansion to a new terminal at Wolgograder Allee began in 1981. Tram lines 7 and 8 provided connections to Gablenz and Schönau. Tram line 4 planned for the 1980s along Stollberger Strasse was only completed after reunification. It fully opened in 2004.
Bus lines also served the Wohngebiet Fritz Heckert. Line 49 went from Moritzstrasse to Markersdorf. Line 39 connected Markersdorf to Schönau and the central bus station. Other lines connected it to various parts of Chemnitz.
The Südrings highway connected industrial areas. It ran through the Wohngebiet Fritz Heckert. The Stollberger Strasse B169 cut north to south. The area was divided into postcodes which changed after 1993.
Numerous schools were established. Many were named after socialist figures. Most were later renamed or demolished. The Albert Schweitzer Oberschule was transformed into apartments. The Charles Darwin Oberschule is now a primary school.
Several community centers provided essential services. These centers included restaurants and post offices. Many were closed or demolished over time.
A former airport existed near the area. It was established in 1925/26. Before World War II it connected Dresden to Nuremberg. Leipzig and Prague were also served. The airport’s reception hall Icarus still stands today.
Today only about 43000 Chemnitz citizens live in the Wohngebiet Fritz Heckert. Many buildings have been demolished. The remaining buildings have been renovated improving the quality of life. 2024 marks the 50th anniversary. Celebrations are planned at the Vita Center. The Wohngebiet Fritz Heckert. A fascinating chapter in Chemnitz history.