How about a journey back to a time when Althen was first mentioned? That happened in 1270. Today, Althen is a district in the east of Leipzig. It forms the Althen-Kleinpösna district with Kleinpösna and Hirschfeld.
Althen sits on Leipzig’s eastern edge. The State Road 78 runs through it. North of Althen, it joins the B6 near Borsdorf.
German settlers built Althen as an Angerdorf in the 11th century. Its structure is still visible today. In 1486, Duke Albrecht made Johann Preußer the feudal lord. Althen suffered greatly during the Schmalkaldic War in 1547. It was also plundered and burned during the Thirty Years’ War in 1632 and 1642. Leipzig Professor Quintus Septimus Florens Rivinius bought the town in 1708. Later, the Leipzig city council acquired it. The medieval nave was rebuilt in 1714.
The population and buildings of Althen suffered during the Battle of the Nations in 1813. Weeks before the battle, troops were quartered here. The locals had to provide for the military. French troops retreated through Althen towards Paunsdorf and Mölkau. Then, Austrian troops and Hermann Platow’s Cossacks marched through. On October 18 1813, they secured the area between Taucha, Schönefeld and Holzhausen. This blocked the French retreat to Torgau fortress. A diorama in the Althen Heimatstube commemorates this battle since 1998. A memorial plaque was added in 2002.
Construction of Germany’s first long-distance railway started near Althen in 1836. It linked Leipzig and Dresden. The first section between Leipzig and Althen opened on April 24 1837. The end station in Althen had Germany’s first railway restaurant. It was only temporary. Once the line to Dresden opened on April 7 1839, trains no longer stopped here. Althen had only 140 residents. Until 1856, Althen was part of the Kreisamt Leipzig. From 1856, it belonged to the Gerichtsamt Taucha. In 1875, it became part of the Amtshauptmannschaft Leipzig. In 1952, Althen joined the Leipzig-Land district. This became the Leipziger Land district in 1994.
After 1990, the village experienced a construction boom. It was mainly an agricultural village. The population quadrupled to over 1500. Althen merged with Engelsdorf on January 1 1994. On January 1 1999, it became part of Leipzig with Engelsdorf. In 2000, Althen established a partnership with Althen-des-Paluds in southern France.
Althen has its church. It was built in the late 13th century. It was rebuilt in Baroque style in 1714. There is a memorial stone for the 150th anniversary of the first German long-distance railway. It was built in 1987. You could also visit the Station Restaurant of Althen. This opened around 1837.
The charm of Althen lies in its history. Its old Angerdorf structure is a testament to its past. Its role in significant historical events is impressive. The railway memorial is a reminder of Althen’s pioneering spirit. From a small village, Althen has grown. It has retained its character. It is now a valued part of Leipzig. Althen shows how a place can evolve. It can still hold onto its roots.