Envision this: A shimmering expanse of water reflecting the sky. This is the Rossendorfer Teich. Also known as the Nixenteich.
The Rossendorfer Teich is a five-hectare pond. It sits just north of Rossendorf. Rossendorf is part of the town of Schönfeld-Weißig. The B6 federal road runs to the north. The Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf is to the east. This center was once the Central Institute for Nuclear Research of the GDR.
The Prießnitz River begins near the Rossendorfer Teich. It flows through the pond. Some older accounts say the Prießnitz starts in the pond. But today, we know the source is about 150 meters east.
For a long time, the Rossendorfer Teich has been used for fish farming. It mainly raises carp. In GDR times, the Rossendorfer Teich belonged to VEB Binnenfischerei Dresden. Some smaller ponds nearby were also used for breeding. There was also a duck breeding station here. Ducklings came from the Bärnsdorf breeding station near Radeburg. Here they grew until they went to a fattening plant. After 1989, the fish farm was privatized again. Today, they mainly raise carp, tench, and pike in the Rossendorfer Teich.
Right by the Rossendorfer Teich is the Gasthof Schänkhübel. There has probably been a restaurant here since the 15th century. A document from 1429 mentions a Kretscham. That is a tavern, at this location. The Schänkhübel itself was built in 1802. It was rebuilt in 1912.
The Rossendorfer Teich is surrounded by reeds. In some places, they are several meters wide. Various water birds live here. These include mallards and coots. Teichrallen and Zwergtaucher are less common but also live at the Rossendorfer Teich. Various types of dragonflies and water frogs live in and around the pond. The eastern half of the pond is surrounded by mixed forest.
In the middle of the Rossendorfer Teich is a small island. It is called Nixeninsel. This translates to Mermaid Island. The island is circular. It has a diameter of 15 meters. Its area is 177 square meters. Legend says a small chapel stood on the island from 1690. It was dedicated to Saint Barbara. Clergy from Stolpen and Pirna held masses and devotions here regularly.
In 1835, a small hut was built on the island. It served as shelter for duck hunters. By the early 20th century, only a few remains of this hut were left.
The name Nixeninsel comes from the legend Der Nixenhügel bei Rossendorf. This translates to The Mermaid Hill near Rossendorf. The story tells that the first Christians in the area often held festivals in nearby Eschdorf. At these celebrations, a beautiful young girl appeared regularly. No one knew her. The hem of her dress was always wet. One evening, a young man persuaded the stranger to let him walk her home. She led him to the Rossendorfer Teich. She touched the water with a rod. The water in the pond parted. Both reached the island in the middle. They spent the night together in the nixie’s house. She lived there with her father. When he came home the next day, the nixie hid the young man in a baking trough. But the father smelled the hated Christians. The nixie convinced him that the house only smelled of Christians. She said she had been dancing with them in Eschdorf the evening before. After the father fell asleep, the young man fled the island. The girl was never seen again. Another version calls the saga Der Nixenhügel bei Eschdorf. It calls the lake Eschdorfer Teich. Rossendorf used to belong to Eschdorf.
In 2012, the Chair of Urban Water Management at the TU Dresden presented a draft. It was part of the Regional Climate Adaptation Program Model Region Dresden. It proposed separating flowing waters from stagnant waters. This would reduce the warming of the stagnant waters. This plan suggested moving the course of the Prießnitz. Instead of flowing directly through the Rossendorfer Teich, the river should get a natural new bed. It would be on the southern edge of the pond. The goal was to restore natural temperature, flow, sediment, and structure to the Prießnitz.
So, as you stand here by the Rossendorfer Teich, remember its history. It is a place of fish farming, legends, and nature.