Ever heard of a place shaped by fire? That is Reichenbrand. We are standing in a suburb in Chemnitz. It is a place that began with fire. Reichenbrand’s story is deeply rooted in its past.
Back in 1263 Reichenbrand was first written about. The name “Reichenbrand” comes from clearing land by burning. A man named Rudolf von Brandt was given land here to settle. This was in 1254.
In 1375 the monastery in Chemnitz bought the Rabenstein estate including Reichenbrand. Because of a rule from 1331 Reichenbrand could not have much trade or crafts. Only in 1555 were seven craftsmen allowed to work here.
After a conflict from 1386 to 1390 some farmers from Reichenbrand had to serve the lords of Limbach. Even after the monastery was gone some farms still belonged to Limbach. The monastery’s land went to the Chemnitz office.
Until 1796 the Reichenbrand estate was tied to the Lords von Schönberg of Limbach. The estate’s role ended after 1832. The landlord’s court powers were removed in 1855. The estate was located on today’s Rosenweg but it burned down in 1873.
People thought the plague in 1633 spread because of water from the village stream. So around 1665 water pipes were built to bring water from local springs. These wooden pipes supplied water along what is now Zwickauer Straße. They even reached the church.
From 1710 many small houses were built in a part of Reichenbrand called “Hart”. This area was above today’s Rabensteiner Straße. Stocking knitting became common here. A bleaching area was established in 1723.
Reichenbrand had a church as early as 1347. We do not know when that first church was built. A new church was consecrated in 1702 after the old one was torn down in 1701. However that church had problems and was torn down in 1802. The Johanneskirche was built in 1803 in the style of classicism.
The Johanneskirche opened in April 1810. Johann Traugott Lohse designed it as a classical hall church. After 1990 the church was renovated. It is a valuable monument. The church and the war memorial from 1875 are protected landmarks.
The parsonage has always been closely linked to the church. It is also a protected monument. The parsonage is described as a grand house with a half-timbered upper floor. It also includes a barn used as a sexton’s house. Its location next to the church is important.
This building was also renovated after 1990. When work began on the parsonage in 1991 major problems were found in the timber frame. Donations from the church Landeskirche Sachsens and the monument authority made the reconstruction possible.
In 1997 the first floor of the sexton’s house was rebuilt. The sexton’s house is part of the protected parsonage.
As we conclude our visit to Reichenbrand we see a community shaped by history. From its fiery beginnings to its modern-day charm Reichenbrand offers a glimpse into the past.