Could you imagine living in the loudest village in Germany? That was Kursdorf. Today, Kursdorf is a ghost village in Schkeuditz. It sits near the border with Saxony-Anhalt.
Kursdorf lies within the Leipzig/Halle Airport. It is between Leipzig and Halle. Runway 08R/26L is to the south. The Erfurt–Leipzig/Halle high-speed railway is to the north. Autobahn 14 and runway 08L/26R are also nearby. The only way out is east under an aircraft bridge.
Kursdorf has a long history. Records show it existed since 1500. It was known as Kunsstorf and Kurzsdorf. It belonged to Amt Schkeuditz until the 1800s. Later, it became part of Kreis Leipzig-Land in 1992. In 1994, it joined Schkeuditz.
The church in Kursdorf is very old. It was built in the 14th century. This makes it one of the oldest in the church district. The south side has inscriptions from 1310 and 1345. These dates might mark rebuilding work. Unlike most churches, its tower faces east. The altar from 1777 is still there. The church organ is also preserved. The building got a renovation in 2001.
Since 1950, the village population declined. It once had around 500 residents. The main reason was noise. Cars, trains, and planes made a lot of noise. Sensors showed the sound level was over 58.7 decibels. Der Tagesspiegel called Kursdorf a “sound inferno”. DHL Aviation made the airport a hub. Nighttime flights increased the noise.
Leipzig/Halle Airport invested in soundproofing. They spent over 100 million euros. This included earthen walls and soundproof windows. Roofs were also reinforced. Still, many residents moved to Altscherbitz. Residents also complained about the smell. They said fuels like kerosene made it “almost unbearable”.
The “Friendly Hotel” was built in 1997. In 2015, it was sold to Nordsachsen for over 500,000 euros. It housed asylum seekers. There were over 600 in the district.
In 2011, 44 vacant houses got demolished. In 2017, 27 more were demolished for safety. A parking lot replaced them. The last residents left in 2017. Kursdorf became a ghost town. Only the church and former school remained. These buildings have monument protection. The airport’s medical center and the Friendly Hotel also stayed. The last Christmas Eve service in the church was in 2015.
The story of Kursdorf is captured in theater. Dirk Laucke wrote a play called “Start- und Landebahn”. It tells of the village surrounded by an airport.
Kursdorf’s population dwindled over the years. In 1568, it had 19 residents. By 2017, it had none. The airport’s growth led to its demise. Kursdorf became the loudest village. Then, it became a ghost village. Today, it stands as a reminder of progress and loss.