“Feldherrenplatz!” a voice booms across the square. But wait. It is not Feldherrenplatz anymore. We are at Thomas-Müntzer-Platz. This place has seen names change and history unfold right before its buildings.
Thomas-Müntzer-Platz is located on the Elbe riverbank of Johannstadt. The square arcs gracefully. It is a semi-circular embrace facing the Käthe-Kollwitz-Ufer. Johannstadt’s roads radiate from it. These are Florian-Geyer-Straße, Arnoldstraße, and Heinrich-Beck-Straße.
Imagine this area without buildings. Until 1912, Thomas-Müntzer-Platz was just open space. Then came Max Albin Förster. This Striesen master carpenter built the houses at numbers 3, 4, and 5. Land surveyor Hans Gentsch and builder Friedrich E. Hermann soon followed. They erected houses number 6 and 7.
Before its current name, this place was known as Feldherrenplatz. That was back in 1904. The name came from its location at the eastern end of Feldherrenstraße. Today, that street is Florian-Geyer-Straße. Some say the name honored Crown Prince Albert’s promotion to Field Marshal in 1871.
Picture this square bustling with wealthy Dresdeners. Around 1915, the XXV police station found its office at house number 1. Court actors lived here. Art dealers, engineers, a bank officer, and a factory owner called this place home. Even a city building inspector resided here. This square attracted people of prominence.
Plans once existed to construct an Elbe bridge here. The city council even approved it in 1896. But the bridge never materialized. Instead, the burgher houses you see today were built.
World War II spared these buildings. They stand as a testament to resilience. After the war, in 1945, the square received its current name. It was named after Thomas Müntzer. He was a leader in the German Peasants’ War. The surrounding streets also adopted names related to that era.
After the war, a debris railway ran across Thomas-Müntzer-Platz. Until the mid-1950s, it hauled rubble to the Elbe meadows. The rubble came from destroyed parts of Johannstadt.
Thomas-Müntzer-Platz offers a picturesque view towards the Elbe. This was especially important. The square was intended to provide a nicer view than the industrial plants behind it. The square was also planned as the bridgehead for the Waldschlösschen Bridge. However, as we know, that bridge was built elsewhere.
The buildings surrounding Thomas-Müntzer-Platz are among the most desirable residences in the district. It gives a harmonious feel. This is because many parts of Johannstadt do not have such a uniform appearance.
Today, the square stands as a landmark. Thomas-Müntzer-Platz is a green space. It is a cultural monument. The square opens as a semicircle towards the Elbe. The buildings create an enclosed space. It is a reminder of Dresden’s past. It is a testament to its enduring spirit.