Consider Weißenborn/Erzgebirge. It is more than just a name on a map. It is a place etched in history. Weißenborn/Erzgebirge is a municipality in the district of Mittelsachsen. It resides in Saxony.
Weißenborn/Erzgebirge sits near Freiberg at the foot of the Ore Mountains. The Waldhufendorf lies in the valley of the Freiberger Mulde. It stretches for kilometers into a steep side valley.
Weißenborn/Erzgebirge consists of the town Weißenborn/Erzgebirge with Süßenbach and the district Berthelsdorf/Erzgeb. The abbreviation “Erzgeb.” stands for “Erzgebirge”.
Weißenborn’s first recorded mention occurred in 1213. A papal document protected the Altzella Monastery’s properties including Weißenborn. The founding likely occurred around 1163. Neighboring Berthelsdorf and Hilbersdorf already existed then.
Süßenbach was founded around the same time. It served as pastureland for Weißenborn and neighboring villages. “Süß” means pastureland with good hay. Süßenbach never achieved village independence.
Weißenborn means “place at the white bright Born, stream or source.” The villages around Freiberg were founded between 1156 and 1170. German nobles conquered the area between the Saale and Elbe rivers. They Christianized the Slavic population. Thousands migrated from western German areas.
Weißenborn was part of the border forest between Meißen and North Bohemia. Settlers cleared the forest. Nicol von Hartitzsch, mayor of Freiberg, was granted Weißenborn in 1356.
Silver ore was mined north of Weißenborn starting in 1477. Later, lead, tin, and copper were also extracted. Mining boomed until the Thirty Years’ War. The Freiberg mining area includes this mine. Mining never regained its former significance. It ceased in 1852.
Weißenborn/Erzgebirge belonged to the Freiberg district until 1856. The Weißenborn manor held dominion over the town. The paper mill began operations in 1871 thanks to the Freiberger Mulde’s location. The village transformed into an urban settlement.
In 1888, the Weißenborn paper factory got a connecting track to Berthelsdorf station. This happened due to the constant expansion of the paper factory. The track was operational until 2015. The paper factory shifted its transportation to roads that year.
The search for uranium ore after 1945 proved fruitless. Weißenborn/Erzgebirge became part of the Freiberg district in 1952. This occurred during the second district reform in the GDR.
Berthelsdorf/Erzgeb was incorporated on January 1, 1994. Weißenborn/Erzgeb. has belonged to the Mittelsachsen district since 2008.
The Freiberger Mulde runs through Weißenborn. A railway station is in Berthelsdorf/Erzgeb. It provides a train connection to the Freiberg-Holzhau line. State roads lead to Freiberg, Frauenstein, and Brand-Erbisdorf.
The Felix Schoeller Group now owns the Freiberg paper mill in Weißenborn. It has produced paper continuously since 1871. It was the first paper factory privatized in the new federal states after 1990. Felix Schoeller jr. from Osnabrück purchased the paper mill.
Today, Weißenborn/Erzgebirge continues to evolve. It balances its industrial heritage with its natural surroundings. It has a population of approximately 2,600 residents. You will find a harmonious blend of tradition and progress here. It is nestled in the heart of Saxony.
Take a moment to appreciate the rich history of Weißenborn/Erzgebirge. Its story unfolds with each passing year. Its spirit is reflected in its resilient community. It embraces both its past and its future.