Alt-Leuteritz

Slipping through time, imagine yourself in a quaint Saxon village nestled on the gently rolling hills of the Meißner Hochland. This is Alt-Leuteritz, a charming hamlet steeped in history, a hidden gem just a stone’s throw from Dresden’s bustling heart. Alt-Leuteritz whispers tales of a time long past, its story beginning as early as the 10th or 11th century when it emerged as a Slavic round village. The first written mention of Alt-Leuteritz, under the name “Luderuwice,” appears in a document from 1139-1143, purportedly dating back to 1071. However, this document is now considered a forgery. This early name, “Luderuwice,” offers a glimpse into Alt-Leuteritz’s Slavic roots, likely meaning “settlement of the people of Luder,” possibly derived from a shortened version of the Old Sorbian personal name “Ludirad.” This suggests a founding predating the High Medieval Eastern Settlement in the Gau Nisan, making a German founding unlikely. Over the centuries, the name transformed, evolving from Luderwitz in 1296 to Leuterwitz in 1491, Lewderwitz in 1508, and finally settling as Leuteritz around 1600. Alt-Leuteritz, with its block and strip fields, was originally part of the Woz castle ward in Niederwartha. In 1468, Georg von Taubenheim held the position of Erbrichter, a hereditary judge, of Alt-Leuteritz, which was then a fief of the Wilsdruff manor. By the 16th century, the Schönberg family assumed control, and Alt-Leuteritz fell under the administration of the Dresden office. In 1691, it became part of the Maxen manor, along with portions of present-day Steinbach. Adam Rudolph von Schönberg, the last Postmaster General at the Saxon electoral court in Dresden, also held sway over Alt-Leuteritz in the 18th century. From the mid-19th century, Alt-Leuteritz stood as an independent municipality. The residents of Alt-Leuteritz, primarily farmers, cultivated the land and tended to their orchards, their lives intertwined with the rhythms of nature. The village formed a school association with Brabschütz in 1857. Alt-Leuteritz remained independent until 1970, a small community of only 200 inhabitants. A reform divided the village, with Neu-Leuteritz joining Cossebaude, while Alt-Leuteritz became part of Brabschütz. This, in turn, led to its incorporation into Mobschatz in 1994, which was finally integrated into Dresden in 1999. Today, as you stand here, you can still feel the echoes of Alt-Leuteritz’s past. The heart of the village, situated near the Tummelsgrund, a valley carved by the Lieschkenwasser stream, retains its original charm. The old farmhouses, some weathered by time, and the three-sided farmsteads still lining Alt-Leuteritzer Ring, stand as silent witnesses to generations of villagers who called this place home. Alt-Leuteritz, a place where time seems to slow down, invites you to connect with its rich history, offering a tranquil escape from the modern world.