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42-434: While Zerbst is a small town today, together with Dessau it was one of the two central cities of Anhalt . When the state of Anhalt was dissolved in 1603, one of the successor states was the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst . It was a small state with almost no political power. In 1793 the line of the princes became extinct, and Anhalt-Zerbst was annexed by the neighbouring principality of Anhalt-Dessau . The present district

84-542: A Prussian regiment in 1693, and in the same year inherited his own principality; for the remainder of his long life, he performed the duties of a sovereign prince and a Prussian officer simultaneously. Leopold's first campaign was that of 1695 in the Netherlands , in which he was present at the Siege of Namur . He remained in the field to the end of the war of 1697, the affairs of the principality being managed chiefly by his mother,

126-532: A Town Council and a Town Delegation Constitution. Since 1852 the town leader has the title of mayor. During the National Socialist period the mayor was appointed by the party ( NSDAP ). After World War II , the Soviets formed an executive council with a mayor. The town council constitution was elected by the people. Since German reunification this committee has been freely elected. Since 1994 it has been called

168-500: A formidable fighting force whose effectiveness had not yet been demonstrated. Leopold was essentially an infantry soldier; in his time, artillery usually did not decide battles, but he nonetheless chose to neglect the cavalry service, with results that manifested themselves at the Battle of Mollwitz in 1741. Frederick II of Prussia led the cavalry himself at the battles of Hohenfriedberg in 1745 and Leuthen in 1757, but had it not been for

210-706: A hurried concentration of the Prussians. Frederick from Silesia checked the Austrian main army and hastened towards Dresden . But before Frederick arrived, Leopold had decided the war by means of his overwhelming victory over Saxons at Kesselsdorf on 14 December 1745. It was his habit to pray before battle, for he was a devout Lutheran . On this last field his words were, "O Lord God, let me not be disgraced in my old days. Or if Thou wilt not help me, do not help these scoundrels, but leave us to try it ourselves." Leopold's career ended with this great victory; when Frederick arrived after

252-825: A long tradition and are very popular in Dessau. The former soccer team SG Waggonbau Dessau won the GDR soccer cup in 1949. The handball team played in the GDR Oberliga and since 1990 they are playing in the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga. Currently, Dessau has around 80 sport clubs with over 13,500 members. Next to the traditional sports, Dessau has active sport clubs in the following disciplines: aikido, badminton, basketball, canoeing, chess, climbing, cycling, dancing, fishing, horse riding, karate, judo, jiu-jitsu, motorboat, rowing, speedskating, sailing, skittles, skydiving, squash, swimming, table tennis, water polo, wrestling and others. The borough of Dessau

294-614: Is a district of the independent city of Dessau-Roßlau in Saxony-Anhalt at the confluence of the rivers Mulde and Elbe , in the Bundesland (Federal State) of Saxony-Anhalt . Until 1 July 2007, it was an independent city. The population of Dessau is 67,747 (Dec. 2020). Dessau is situated on a floodplain where the Mulde flows into the Elbe . This causes yearly floods. The worst flood took place in

336-570: Is famous as the second site of the Bauhaus school. It moved here in 1925 after it had been forced to close in Weimar . Many famous artists were lecturers in Dessau in the following years, among them Walter Gropius , Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky . The Nazis ’ control of Dessau city council forced the closure of the Dessau Bauhaus in 1932. The school moved to Bernau bei Berlin and closed its doors for

378-445: Is supplemented by numerous bus lines. Dessau's public transport is operated by Dessauer Verkehrsgesellschaft  [ de ] (DVG), which transports around 6 million people each year. Dessau Hauptbahnhof (main station) has connections to Magdeburg , Berlin, Leipzig , Halle , Bitterfeld and Lutherstadt Wittenberg . The line from Berlin was opened on 1 September 1840. The Dessau-Bitterfeld line (opened on 17 August 1857)

420-512: Is the main station. This train also stops at the stations Dessau-Waldersee and Dessau-Adria. In 1938 the autobahn A9 (Munich-Berlin) was built southeast of the town area. The two exits to Dessau on the A9 are called Dessau-Ost and Dessau-Süd. Dessau is also crossed by the Bundesstrassen (federal roads) B 184 and B 185. The airfield of Dessau (ICAO: EDAD) is situated northwest of the town between

462-457: Is twinned with: Dessau is part of the EU-URBAN programme. This programme is based on the integrated approach that is used for tackling the environmental, economical and social problems, affecting the deprived urban areas. There are several projects in Dessau sponsored via this subsidy. Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (3 July 1676 – 7 April 1747)

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504-700: Is used for annual international motorboat racing events. The "Wallwitzhafen" is used as a private pleasure boat harbour and the Elbehafen near the Grain House is used for cruisers. The next harbour for goods is situated in Rosslau . Dessau is located in the flat landscape of the Saxon Lowland . The local bike paths have a length of about 146 km and connect all major parks and sights. Sports like soccer, cycling, handball, volleyball, gymnastics, table tennis and tennis have

546-607: The Battle of Kesselsdorf in 1745 during the Second Silesian War . Leopold was born in Dessau as the ninth of ten children (and the younger of only two sons) of John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , by his wife Henriette Catherine , daughter of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange . An older brother had died well before Leopold was born. From his earliest youth he devoted himself to military pursuits, for which he educated himself both physically and mentally. He became colonel of

588-573: The Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau World Heritage Site. This includes the Bauhaus Dessau school building, designed by Walter Gropius , which is one of the iconic modernist buildings of the 20th century. In addition to the buildings that are part of the World Heritage Site, other notable Bauhaus architecture in Dessau includes: The Dessau tramway network has three lines and

630-607: The Elbe River. The Elbe enters the district in the east, runs through the southeastern part and then forms the southern and western border of Anhalt-Zerbst. The Elbe banks within the district are part of the Biosphere Reserve Middle Elbe . The north is occupied by the southern portions of the Fläming plateau. 52°00′N 12°05′E  /  52°N 12.08°E  / 52; 12.08 Dessau Dessau

672-510: The Emperor Leopold I , who also declared that their children would be considered princes and princesses of Anhalt (as all of them arguably, and the two born before this decree certainly, would not have otherwise ) and would enjoy all the rights that other princes of the Empire enjoy. King Frederick I of Prussia extended his personal guarantee on 12 March 1702, promising to recognize the rights of

714-620: The Principality of Anhalt was founded. Dessau became the capital of this state within the Holy Roman Empire . In 1603, the state was split into four – later five – Anhalts, Dessau becoming the capital of the mini-state of Anhalt-Dessau . In 1863 two of the noble lines died out, and the Duchy of Anhalt became reunited. From 1918 to 1945, Dessau was the capital of the Free State of Anhalt . Dessau

756-602: The Dowager Princess Henriette Katharina (in fact, she had been acting as regent since the death of his father until he reached adulthood the same year, but continued in charge of the government of Anhalt-Dessau for some time after he attained his majority). Leopold's career as a soldier in important commands began with the outbreak of the War of the Spanish Succession in 1701. He had many improvements made in

798-511: The Dowager Princess, tried to break up the relationship, sending her son abroad for an extended travel, but to no avail. One year after officially becoming an adult in 1697, he married his beloved Anna Louise in Dessau on 8 September 1698, forming a union that was morganatic until the imperial decree of 29 December 1701. The couple had ten children: On 29 December 1701 Anna Louise was created an Imperial Princess (German: Reichsfürstin ) by

840-611: The French under Marshal Claude-Louis-Hector de Villars on 20 September 1703. In the campaign of 1704 the Prussian contingent served first under Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden , then Prince Eugene of Savoy , and fought at Blenheim . In 1705 Leopold was sent with a Prussian corps to join Prince Eugene in Italy, and on 16 August fought at the Battle of Cassano . In the Battle of Turin , he

882-539: The Prussian army, notably the introduction of the iron ramrod about 1700, and he now took the field at the head of a Prussian corps on the Rhine, serving at the sieges of Kaiserswerth and Venlo in 1702. In the following year, having obtained the rank of lieutenant-general, Leopold took part in the Siege of Bonn and fought as part of the Battle of Hochstadt , in which the Austrians and their Prussian allies were defeated by

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924-416: The Prussian throne, and a few months later initiated the invasion and conquest of Silesia , the first action in the long Silesian Wars and the test of Leopold's lifelong efforts to improve the effectiveness of the Prussian army. The prince himself was not often employed in the king's own army, though his sons held high commands under Frederick. The king, indeed, found Leopold somewhat difficult to manage, and

966-561: The Stadtrat. Since 1994, the mayor is directly elected by the people. In 2007, Dessau became part of the municipality of Dessau-Roßlau. Peter Kuras (born 1958) was elected mayor of Dessau-Roßlau in June 2014 with 75.82% of the votes for a term of seven years. He is the successor of Klemens Koschig (born 1957, independent), who was elected in 2007 with 56.8% of the votes. Consists of the following parties: (Local elections from 25 May 2014) Dessau

1008-625: The battle, he embraced the Old Dessauer personally. Leopold retired from active service, and the short remainder of his life was spent at Dessau. He was succeeded as prince of Anhalt-Dessau by his son, Leopold II Maximilian . Another of his sons, Dietrich of Anhalt-Dessau , was a Prussian general, but the most famous of his sons was Moritz of Anhalt-Dessau . As a young prince, Leopold fell in love with Anna Louise Föhse ( Fösen according to some sources) (Dessau, 22 March 1677 – Dessau, 5 February 1745), an apothecary 's daughter in Dessau. His mother,

1050-512: The case of the crown prince Frederick, who was court-martialed for desertion, but due to his efforts reinstated in the Prussian army; and secondly, his successful role in the War of the Polish Succession on the Rhine, where he served under his old chief Eugene of Savoy and held the office of Field Marshal of the Empire. With the death of Frederick William in 1740, Frederick the Great succeeded to

1092-460: The districts Kleinkühnau, Alten, and Siedlung. A destination with a charter airplane is possible. The runway has a length of 1000 m. The Hugo Junkers Technical Museum is situated in the neighbourhood directly east of the airfield, with the eastern end of the modern runway almost directly abutting the historical World War II Junkers factory airstrip's western end. Today the Leopoldshafen (harbour)

1134-607: The earlier part of the reign of Frederick William I, the prince of Dessau was one of the most influential members of the Prussian governing circle. Although Prussia was hostile to Sweden, the Prussians were reluctant to participate in the Great Northern War. Only after the Russians destroyed most of the Swedish army did Prussia enter the war in 1715. Leopold accompanied the king to the front, commanded an army of 40,000 men, and defeated

1176-454: The issue of this marriage. The agnates of all the branches of Anhalt also gave their agreement a few days later, on 21 March. Leopold's court Jew Moses Benjamin Wulff played an important role in the ennobling of Anna. Leopold and Anna Louise enjoyed a long and happy marriage, and the princess acquired an influence over her husband that she never ceased to exert on behalf of his subjects. After

1218-482: The last time in 1933. The town was almost completely destroyed by Allied air raids in World War II on 7 March 1945, six weeks before American troops occupied the town. Afterwards, it was rebuilt with typical GDR concrete slab architecture ( Plattenbau ) and became a major industrial centre of East Germany . Since German reunification in 1990, many historic buildings have been restored. The composer Kurt Weill

1260-478: The much smaller force of Charles XII of Sweden in a hard-fought battle on the island of Rügen on 16 November in alliance with the Danish army of Stralsund . In peacetime, and especially after a court quarrel and duel with General Friedrich Wilhelm von Grumbkow in 1725, he devoted himself to the training of the Prussian army. Although the reputation gained by the Prussian army in the wars fought between 1675 and 1715

1302-447: The particular request of the crown prince of Prussia, Frederick William , who had served with him as a volunteer. Shortly before this he had executed a coup de main on the castle of Moers, which had been held by the Dutch in defiance of the claims of the Prussian king to its possession. The operation was effected with absolute precision and the castle was seized without a shot being fired. In

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1344-500: The prince spent most of the campaigning years up to 1745 in command of an army of observation on the Saxon frontier. Early in that year his wife died. Leopold was now over seventy, but his last campaign was destined to be the most successful of his long career. A combined effort of the Austrians and Saxons to retrieve the disasters of the summer by a winter campaign towards Berlin itself led to

1386-578: The rank of field marshal in 1712, Leopold distinguished himself for his success during the War of the Spanish Succession . He was later appointed the commander of the Prussian-Saxon army during the Great Northern War against Sweden . Leopold was a personal friend of Frederick William I . The last great achievement of his military career was commanding the Prussian troops to victory over the Saxons at

1428-399: The supporting infantry trained by Leopold he would never have had the opportunity to do so. Thus Leopold, with the steadfast support of King Frederick William I of Prussia, himself one of the greatest drillmasters of Europe, turned to good account the twenty years following the peace with Sweden. During this time two incidents in his career deserve special mention: firstly, his intervention in

1470-537: The year 2002, when the Waldersee district was nearly completely flooded. The south of Dessau touches a well-wooded area called Mosigkauer Heide. The highest elevation is a 110 m high former rubbish dump called Scherbelberg in the southwest of Dessau. Dessau is surrounded by numerous parks and palaces that make it one of the greenest towns in Germany. Dessau was first mentioned in 1213. It became an important centre in 1570, when

1512-567: Was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Dessau from 1693 to 1747. He was also a Generalfeldmarschall in the Prussian Army . Nicknamed "the Old Dessauer" (German: der alte Dessauer ), he possessed good abilities as a field commander, but was mainly remembered as a talented drillmaster who modernized the Prussian infantry . Appointed by Frederick I to

1554-534: Was a good one, it was still considered one of the minor military forces in Europe by 1740, when the War of the Austrian Succession broke out. Leopold's outstanding achievement just before this time was his training of the Prussian infantry. The "Old Dessauer" was one of the sternest disciplinarians in an age of stern discipline, and the technical training of the infantry under his hand made the Prussian infantry into

1596-593: Was born in Dessau. Since 1993, the city has hosted an annual Kurt Weill Festival. Dessau was also the birthplace of the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn (in 1729), and Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau ( der alte Dessauer ) (on 3 July 1676), a lauded field marshal for the Kingdom of Prussia . In January 2005, Dessau gained notoriety for the mysterious death of a Sierra Leonean convicted drug trafficker and failed asylum seeker, Oury Jalloh . There are several examples of Bauhaus architecture in Dessau, some of which are part of

1638-543: Was electrified in 1911, the first fully electrified long-distance railway in Germany. Dessau was part of the InterCity long-distance network until the year 2002. Regional trains also stop at the stations Dessau-Süd, Dessau-Alten, Dessau-Mosigkau and Rodleben. The Dessau-Wörlitzer-Eisenbahn (railway) connects Dessau to Wörlitz , a town situated 15 km to the east, and the Wörlitzer Park . The starting point of this railway

1680-477: Was established in 1994 by merging the former districts of Zerbst and Roßlau with parts of the former district of Gräfenhainichen. Its borders are roughly identical with the ancient principality. The district of Anhalt-Zerbst was dissolved in 2007 and divided into the new districts of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Jerichower Land and Wittenberg. Russian empress, Catherine the Great , was, by birth, a princess of Anhalt-Zerbst. Anhalt-Zerbst comprises plain countryside north of

1722-486: Was first mentioned in 1372. The head of the town of Schultheiss was appointed by the count. Together with a few assessors, the Schultheiss formed the town council. As of 1372, the town council was divided into two agencies, as of 1600 into three agencies, and as of 1785 again into two agencies. The Schultheiss of Dessau changed nearly every year until the town council constitution was cancelled in 1832. Afterwards Dessau became

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1764-509: Was the first to enter the hostile entrenchments (7 September 1706). He served in one more campaign in Italy, and then served under Eugene to join Marlborough in the Netherlands, being present in 1709 at the Siege of Tournai and the Battle of Malplaquet . In 1710 Leopold succeeded to the command of the entire Prussian contingent at the French front, and in 1712, he was made a field marshal at

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