Jessen (German pronunciation: [ˈjɛsn̩] ) is a municipality on the Black Elster river and lies in the eastern part of Saxony-Anhalt in the district of Wittenberg.

Jessen
Coat of arms of Jessen
Location of Jessen (Elster) within Wittenberg district
BrandenburgSaxonyDessau-RoßlauAnhalt-BitterfeldAnnaburgBad SchmiedebergCoswigGräfenhainichenJessenKembergOranienbaum-WörlitzWittenbergZahna-ElsterZahna-Elster
Jessen is located in Germany
Jessen
Jessen
Jessen is located in Saxony-Anhalt
Jessen
Jessen
Coordinates: 51°47′30″N 12°57′20″E / 51.79167°N 12.95556°E / 51.79167; 12.95556
CountryGermany
StateSaxony-Anhalt
DistrictWittenberg
Government
 • Mayor (2021–28) Michael Jahn[1]
Area
 • Total351.94 km2 (135.88 sq mi)
Elevation
72 m (236 ft)
Population
 (2022-12-31)[2]
 • Total14,158
 • Density40/km2 (100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
06917, 06918, 06926, 06928
Dialling codes03537, 035387, 035389
Vehicle registrationWB, GHC, JE
Websitewww.jessen.de

Geography

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Jessen is an amalgamated municipality, and has the following 44 subdivisions (Ortsteile):[3]

  • Arnsdorf
  • Battin
  • Buschkuhnsdorf
  • Dixförda
  • Düßnitz
  • Gentha
  • Gerbisbach
  • Glücksburg
  • Gorsdorf
  • Grabo
  • Großkorga
  • Hemsendorf
  • Holzdorf
  • Jessen (Elster)
  • Kleindröben
  • Kleinkorga
  • Klöden
  • Klossa
  • Kremitz
  • Leipa
  • Linda
  • Lindwerder
  • Lüttchenseyda
  • Mark Friedersdorf
  • Mark Zwuschen
  • Mauken
  • Mellnitz
  • Mönchenhöfe
  • Morxdorf
  • Mügeln
  • Naundorf
  • Neuerstadt
  • Rade
  • Rehain
  • Reicho
  • Rettig
  • Ruhlsdorf
  • Schadewalde
  • Schöneicho
  • Schützberg
  • Schweinitz
  • Seyda
  • Steinsdorf
  • Zwuschen

History

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The first documentary evidence of Jessen's existence dates to 1217. On the night of 20 to 21 September 1729, much of the town was destroyed in a fire. After belonging to Saxony for centuries, Jessen became Prussian in 1815.

From 1815 to 1844, Jessen was part of the Prussian Province of Saxony and from 1944 to 1945 of the Province of Halle-Merseburg.

In 1945, it became part of the Province (since 1947, State) of Saxony-Anhalt. In 1952, owing to East German administrative reforms, Jessen became a district capital in Bezirk Cottbus. In 1990, Jessen once again became part of the newly-refounded state of Saxony-Anhalt. In 1992 came the amalgamation of the communities of Grabo, Gorsdorf-Hemsendorf, Lindwerder and Großkorga, and in 1993, Schweinitz, Gerbisbach, Klossa, Schöneicho, Steinsdorf and Dixförda. With the district reform in 1994, Jessen became part of Wittenberg district, as well as having a further three communities melded with it, namely Battin, Düßnitz and Kleindröben-Mauken. In 1999 came further amalgamations: Arnsdorf, Leipa and Ruhlsdorf mit Rehain. On 1 March 2004 came a further 12, among them Seyda, Holzdorf and Linda (Elster). Some of these formerly independent communities themselves each consisted of more than one centre, and so Jessen now has a total of 47 Stadtteile (constituent communities).

Economy and infrastructure

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Established businesses are mostly small and mid-sized concerns in metalworking, building, dairy processing and drink production. There are also, however, bigger enterprises in agriculture.

Culture and Sightseeing

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Church
  • Historic marketplace in Jessen
  • Parish church of St. Nicolai in Jessen
  • Schloss Jessen (stately home), since 1999 town council seat
  • Parish church of St. Marien in Schweinitz
  • Amtshaus in Schweinitz
  • Gorsdorf village church
  • Kleindröben village church
  • Pretzsch-Mauken reaction ferry

Personalities

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Sundry

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The town is Germany's twelfth-largest municipality by land area, and is thereby about 3 km2 bigger than Munich.

References

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  1. ^ Bürgermeisterwahlen in den Gemeinden, Endgültige Ergebnisse, Statistisches Landesamt Sachsen-Anhalt, accessed 3 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden – Stand: 31. Dezember 2022" (PDF) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Sachsen-Anhalt. June 2023.
  3. ^ Hauptsatzung der Stadt Jessen (Elster), 2 July 2019.
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