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82-909: In the southwest of the borough, there is located a part of the Clara-Zetkin-Park and the Federal Administrative Court . In the northern part of the borough, there are Leipzig Zoo and Leipzig Central Station . In the south-east of the borough, there are the Bavarian train station , the Russian Memorial Church and the Alte Messe near the Monument to the Battle of the Nations in the neighboring borough of Probstheida . The exit Leipzig-Mitte of

164-405: A filling station , charging station , lavatories, toilets, and baby changes. Most rest areas also have restaurants, shops, public telephones, Internet access, and a playground. Some have hotels. Mandated every 50 kilometres (31 mi) or so, rest areas are usually open all night. Both kinds of rest areas are directly on the autobahn, with their own exits, and any service roads connecting them to

246-472: A 20% plunge in sales, which they attributed in part to the lowered speed limits. The 100 km/h limit championed by Transportation Minister Lauritz Lauritzen lasted 111 days. Adjacent nations with unlimited speed autobahns, Austria and Switzerland, imposed permanent 130 km/h (81 mph) limits after the crisis. However, after the crisis eased in 1974, the upper house of the German parliament , which

328-593: A centre median like modern motorways, but instead was termed a Kraftfahrstraße ("motor vehicle road") with two lanes each direction without intersections, pedestrians, bicycles, or animal-powered transportation. Just days after the 1933 Nazi takeover, Adolf Hitler enthusiastically embraced an ambitious autobahn construction project, appointing Fritz Todt , the Inspector General of German Road Construction, to lead it. By 1936, 130,000 workers were directly employed in construction, as well as an additional 270,000 in

410-470: A general speed limit. In the mid-1980s, acid rain and sudden forest destruction renewed debate on whether or not a general speed limit should be imposed on autobahns. A car's fuel consumption increases with high speed, and fuel conservation is a key factor in reducing air pollution. Environmentalists argued that enforcing limits of 100 km/h (62 mph) limit on autobahns and 80 km/h (50 mph) on other rural roads would save lives as well as

492-615: A historical association with war-time restrictions and deprivations, the Nazi era, and the Soviet era in East Germany. After the Nazi dictatorship, German society was happy to overcome the traumas of war by freeing itself from most government restrictions, prohibitions and regulations. "Free driving for free citizens" ("freie Fahrt für freie Bürger"), a slogan promoted by the German Auto Club since

574-467: A lot of rules that corresponded with the international standards of the time. The reasons for this speed limit are unknown. Oftentimes it is argued that the roads were in a poor state, however, there is no proof that the road conditions were a relevant factor in introducing the speed limit, especially since the roads were not much used in the first 20 years after the Second World War and the majority of

656-558: A mandatory limit, deciding the modest measured emission reduction would have no meaningful effect on forest loss. By 1987, all restrictions on test sections had been removed, even in Hesse where the state government was controlled by a "red-green" coalition . Prior to German reunification in 1990, eastern German states focused on restrictive traffic regulation such as a 100 km/h (62 mph) autobahn speed limit and of 80 km/h (50 mph) on other rural roads. Within two years after

738-435: A maximum design speed of 62 km/h (39 mph) (usually denoted by a round black-on-white sign with "62" on it), along with flashing orange beacons to warn approaching cars that they are travelling slowly. There is no general minimum speed but drivers are not allowed to drive at an unnecessarily low speed as this would lead to significant traffic disturbance and an increased collision risk. German national speed limits have

820-495: A part of the German highway system; the plots of land are federal property. Autobahn exits leading to such parking areas are marked at least 200 metres (660 ft) (mostly 500 metres (1,600 ft)) in advance with a blue sign with the white letter "P". They are usually found every few kilometres. Some of them bear local or historic names. A managed rest area (German: Autobahnraststätte or Raststätte ( German: [ˈʁastˌʃtɛtə] ) for short) usually also includes

902-467: A planned 20,000 km (12,000 mi) of autobahn had been completed. Meanwhile, the median strips of some autobahns were paved over to allow their conversion into auxiliary airstrips . Aircraft were either stashed in numerous tunnels or camouflaged in nearby woods. However, for the most part during the war, the autobahns were not militarily significant. Motor vehicles, such as trucks, could not carry goods or troops as quickly or in as much bulk and in

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984-584: A snack pavilion, the building of the Leipzig Chess Center, the Dahlia Terrace, an open-air bowling alley and, at times, a training tower for GST parachutists. On 3 July 1967, on the occasion of Clara Zetkin's 110th birthday, the bronze statue of the Clara Zetkin memorial, a work by the sculptor Walter Arnold (1909-1979), was unveiled at the southern tip of Johannapark, at the former site of

1066-420: A speed limit of 120 km/h (75 mph) in order to reduce noise pollution during overnight hours (usually 10 pm – 6 am) or because of increased traffic during daytime (6 am – 8 pm). Some limits were imposed to reduce pollution and noise. Limits can also be temporarily put into place through dynamic traffic guidance systems that display the corresponding message. More than half of

1148-621: A total length of about 13,192 kilometres (8,197 mi) in 2021 ), and a density of 36 motorway kilometres per thousand square kilometers (Eurostat) which ranks it among the densest and longest controlled-access systems in the world, and fifth in density within the EU in 2016 (Netherlands 66, Finland 3). Longer similar systems can be found in the United States (77,960 kilometres (48,440 mi)) and in China (149,600 kilometres (93,000 mi)). However both

1230-609: Is Strecke 46  [ de ] between Bad Brückenau and Gemünden am Main on the Fulda-Würzburg route, which was replaced by A7 . The autobahns of East Germany (GDR) were neglected in comparison to those in West Germany after 1945. In 1956, the speed limit was set to 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) in the new version of the Rules of the Road (Straßenverkehrsordnung), which adopted

1312-551: Is 36 kilometers per thousand square kilometer in 2016, close to that of the smaller countries nearby (Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Slovenia). About 17,000 emergency telephones are distributed at regular intervals all along the autobahn network, with triangular stickers on the armco barriers pointing the way to the nearest one. Despite the increasing use of mobile phones, there are still about 150 calls made each day on average (after some 700 in 2013). This still equals four calls per kilometre each year. The location of

1394-521: Is a special attraction for concerts and cinema performances and is also one of the open-air venues for the Wave-Gotik-Treffen . The large playground at the southeast end of the park has been redesigned. The former café is now the Glashaus Restaurant , and a commercially operated beer and café garden with public events was created at the reconstructed historical music pavilion. In addition to

1476-476: Is not illegal in the absence of a speed limit, it can cause an increased liability in the case of a collision (which mandatory auto insurance has to cover); courts have ruled that an "ideal driver" who is exempt from absolute liability for "inevitable" tort under the law would not exceed the advisory speed limit. A 2017 report by the Federal Road Research Institute reported that in 2015, 70.4% of

1558-472: Is strongly preferred when the intent is to make specific reference to Germany's Autobahn network. Similar to high-speed motorways in other countries, autobahns have multiple lanes of traffic in each direction, separated by a central barrier with grade-separated junctions and access restricted to motor vehicles with a top speed greater than 60 km/h (37 mph). Nearly all exits are to the right; rare left-hand exits result from incomplete interchanges where

1640-656: Is the federal controlled-access highway system in Germany . The official term is Bundesautobahn (abbreviated BAB ), which translates as 'federal motorway'. The literal meaning of the word Bundesautobahn is 'Federal Auto(mobile) Track'. Much of the system has no speed limit for some classes of vehicles. However, limits are posted and enforced in areas that are urbanised, substandard, accident-prone, or under construction. On speed-unrestricted stretches, an advisory speed limit ( Richtgeschwindigkeit ) of 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph) applies. While driving faster

1722-489: Is the isolated and abandoned twin-carriageway Borovsko Bridge southeast of Prague, on which construction started in July 1939 and halted after the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich by former Czechoslovak army soldiers at the end of May 1942. As of 2021 , Germany's autobahn network has a total length of about 13,192 kilometres (8,197 mi). From 2009 Germany has embarked on a massive widening and rehabilitation project, expanding

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1804-533: The A ;555 from Cologne to Bonn) that usually have three digits for numbering. The first digit used is similar to the system above, depending on the region. East–west routes are even-numbered, north–south routes are odd-numbered. The north–south autobahns are generally numbered from west to east; that is to say, the more easterly roads are given higher numbers. Similarly, the east–west routes are numbered from north (lower numbers) to south (higher numbers). The idea for

1886-493: The Bundesautobahn 14 is situated about 5 kilometres (3 miles) away in the north of Leipzig. In Leipzig, the subdivisions of the boroughs are called Ortsteil (localities). In the borough Leipzig-Mitte, there are these 7 Ortsteile : The locality of Zentrum-Nordwest includes the quarter Waldstraßenviertel . On 30 June 2022, the borough Leipzig-Mitte had a population of 69,214. The development of today's Leipzig began in

1968-513: The Elster ) in an eastern and a western part which are connected by The Saxons' Bridge (Litt.: Sachsenbrücke ). In 1955, based on a decision by the Leipzig city council, the existing parks Johannapark , Scheibenholzpark , König-Albert-Park and Palmengarten were combined and given the name Central Culture Park "Clara Zetkin" . In addition to the formal amalgamation, the park was further developed in

2050-519: The GDR , entire squares and streets disappeared. The increasing number of vehicles per capita in the 20th century and the expansion of roads also led to major changes in the cityscape. Towards the end of the 20th century, the concept of a city center with few cars prevailed, while the inner city ring road has the highest traffic occupancy in Leipzig after the motorways . With the S-Bahn city tunnel opened in 2013,

2132-469: The HaFraBa were completed in the late 1930s and early 1940s, but construction eventually was halted by World War II . The first public road of this kind was completed in 1932 between Cologne and Bonn and opened by Konrad Adenauer ( Lord Mayor of Cologne and future Chancellor of West Germany) on 6 August 1932. Today, that road is the Bundesautobahn 555 . This road was not yet called Autobahn and lacked

2214-570: The Otto von Bismarck memorial. In 2010, after receiving a petition , the city administration of Leipzig mandated a commission to check whether the parts of the park should be renamed to their original names and whether the name Clara-Zetkin-Park should be completely revoked. This led to a wave of protests. In April 2011, the city council decided that the names of the Central cultural park "Clara Zetkin" and Volkspark im Scheibenholz should be canceled and that

2296-459: The Raststätten fuel prices are significantly higher. Rest areas and truck stops are marked several times as motorists approach, starting several kilometres in advance, and include large signs that often include icons announcing what kinds of facilities travellers can expect, such as hotels, filling stations, rest areas, etc. Germany's autobahns are famous for being among the few public roads in

2378-431: The runners on the park paths, the bituminized Anton-Bruckner-Allee is a favorite meeting place for inline skating . In the western part of the park, the sports club BSV AOK Leipzig e. V. has its center for health sports, in which rehabilitation sports are offered in addition to prophylactic health and fitness sports . 4600 club members in 313 sports groups are looked after. A modern miniature golf course completes

2460-570: The sixteen States and reported the following, comparing the years 2006 and 2008: Except at construction sites, the general speed limits, where they apply, are usually between 100 km/h (62 mph) and 130 km/h (81 mph); construction sites usually have a speed limit of 80 km/h (50 mph) but the limit may be as low as 60 km/h (37 mph). In rare cases, sections may have limits of 40 km/h (25 mph), or on one ramp 30 km/h (19 mph). Certain stretches have lower speed limits during wet weather. Some areas have

2542-500: The "straight-on" leads into the exit. The earliest motorways were flanked by shoulders about 60 centimetres (24 in) in width, constructed of varying materials; right-hand shoulders on many autobahns were later retrofitted to 120 centimetres (47 in) in width when it was realized cars needed the additional space to pull off the autobahn safely. In the postwar years, a thicker asphaltic concrete cross-section with fully paved hard shoulders came into general use. The top design speed

Leipzig-Mitte - Misplaced Pages Continue

2624-537: The 13th century, the city of Leipzig extended only to the north beyond today's subdivision Zentrum and was limited to 42 hectares (100 acres) by the mighty city walls . Today's Mitte borough, on the other hand, also includes the suburbs , which essentially only developed after the gradual removal of the walls and ditches after the Seven Years' War . Previously, these were due to war events ( Schmalkaldic War and Thirty Years' War ) almost completely destroyed twice. Until

2706-477: The 1830s, only small areas outside of today's Zentrum were developed. These were limited to the trade routes accompanying the road, which were referred to as Steinweg (stone track). The city limits were pushed outwards and new gatehouses were built (within the Mitte borough). The area later called Alt-Leipzig (Old Leipzig) corresponds roughly, but not exactly, with today's Mitte borough. An important prerequisite for

2788-754: The 1930s, when construction began on the system, the official name was Reichsautobahn . Various other controlled-access highways exist on the federal ( Bundesstraße ), state ( Landesstraße ), district, and municipal level but are not part of the Autobahn network and are officially referred to as Kraftfahrstraße (with rare exceptions, like A 995 Munich-Giesing–Brunntal until 2018). These highways are considered autobahnähnlich (autobahn-like) and are sometimes colloquially called Gelbe Autobahn (yellow autobahn) because most of them are Bundesstraßen (federal highways) with yellow signs. Some controlled-access highways are classified as "Bundesautobahn" in spite of not meeting

2870-645: The 1970s, is a popular slogan among those opposing autobahn speed restrictions. Tarek Al-Wazir , head of the Green Party in Hesse, and currently the Hessian Transport Minister has stated that "the speed limit in Germany has a similar status as the right to bear arms in the American debate . At some point, a speed limit will become reality here, and soon we will not be able to remember the time before. It's like

2952-466: The 4.3 km (2.7 mi.) long route of the Leipzig Stadtparkrennen (City park races for motorcycles, sports and racing cars) with up to 200,000 spectators led around and through the park area; most of the 11 events were also the GDR motor racing championships. In the years after 2000, the former cultural park offerings were reactivated. In the summer months, the outdoor theater named Parkbühne

3034-612: The Autobahn network had only the advisory speed limit, 6.2% had temporary speed limits due to weather or traffic conditions, and 23.4% had permanent speed limits. Measurements from the German state of Brandenburg in 2006 showed average speeds of 142 km/h (88 mph) on a 6-lane section of Autobahn in free-flowing conditions. Only federally built controlled-access highways with certain construction standards including at least two lanes per direction are called Bundesautobahn . They have their own white-on-blue signs and numbering system. In

3116-654: The Mitte borough has received a total of 4 underground train stations. In 1989, the Mitte district made its place in world history with the Leipzig Monday demonstrations , which accelerated the end of the GDR and the Eastern bloc . Clara-Zetkin-Park (Leipzig) The Clara-Zetkin-Park (colloquially Clara-Park ) is a park in Leipzig . From 1955 until 2011 it was Leipzig's largest park with an area of 125 hectares (309 acres ) and

3198-688: The Polish S22 expressway from Elbląg (Elbing) to the border with the Russian Kaliningrad Oblast , where it is continued by the R516 regional road. Also on 27 September 1936, a section from Breslau ( Wrocław ) to Liegnitz ( Legnica ) in Silesia was inaugurated, which today is part of the Polish A4 autostrada , followed by the (single vehicle) Reichsautobahn 9 from Bunzlau ( Bolesławiec ) to Sagan ( Żagań )

3280-653: The U.S. and China have an area nearly 30 times bigger than Germany, which demonstrates the high density of Germany's highway system. The first autobahn in Austria was the West Autobahn from Wals near Salzburg to Vienna . Building started by command of Adolf Hitler shortly after the Anschluss in 1938. It extended the Reichsautobahn 26 from Munich (the present-day A 8 ), however only 16.8 km (10.4 mi) including

3362-594: The accident remains one of the highest speeds ever achieved on a public motorway. In the 1930s, a ten-kilometre stretch of what is today Bundesautobahn 9 just south of Dessau —called the Dessauer Rennstrecke —had bridges with no piers and was designed for cars like the Mercedes-Benz T80 to attempt to make land speed records . The T80 was to make a record attempt in January 1940 , but plans were abandoned after

Leipzig-Mitte - Misplaced Pages Continue

3444-543: The advisory speed limit is 130 km/h (81 mph), referred to in German as the Richtgeschwindigkeit . The advisory speed is not enforceable; however, being involved in an accident driving at higher speeds can lead to the driver being deemed at least partially responsible due to "increased operating danger" ( Erhöhte Betriebsgefahr ). The Federal Road Research Institute ( Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen ) solicited information about speed regulations on autobahns from

3526-527: The area of today's Mitte borough. In the Brühl area, there was in the 7th/8th century a Slavic settlement, while the urban nucleus was in the area of the German castle (urbs libzi) . It was in the area of today's Matthäikirchhof . Not far from there, the long-distance trade routes Via regia and Via imperii crossed in the Middle Ages, with the latter still being present in today's street name Reichsstraße . In

3608-579: The autobahn are located outside densely populated areas. Vehicles with a top speed less than 60 km/h (37 mph) (such as quads , low-end microcars, and agricultural/construction equipment) are not allowed to use the autobahn, nor are motorcycles and scooters with low engine capacity regardless of top speed (mainly applicable to mopeds which are typically limited to 25 kilometres per hour (16 mph) or 45 kilometres per hour (28 mph) anyway). To comply with this limit, heavy-duty trucks in Germany (e.g. mobile cranes, tank transporters etc.) often have

3690-456: The autobahn construction standard (for example, the A 62 near Pirmasens ). Similar to some other German words, the term autobahn when used in English is usually understood to refer specifically to the national highway system of Germany, whereas in German the word autobahn is applied to any controlled highway in any country. For this reason in German, the more specific term Bundesautobahn

3772-469: The branch-off of the planned Tauern Autobahn was opened to the public on 13 September 1941. Construction works discontinued the next year and were not resumed until 1955. There are sections of the former German Reichsautobahn system in the former eastern territories of Germany , i.e. East Prussia , Farther Pomerania , and Silesia ; these territories became parts of Poland and the Soviet Union with

3854-490: The caller is automatically sent to the operator. For breaks during longer journeys, parking sites, rest areas , and truck stops are distributed over the complete Autobahn network. Parking on the autobahn is prohibited in the strictest terms outside these designated areas. There is a distinction between "managed" and "unmanaged" rest areas. (German: bewirtschaftet / unbewirtschaftet ). Unmanaged rest areas are basically only parking spaces, sometimes with toilets. They form

3936-546: The capital letter A, which simply stands for "Autobahn" followed by a blank and a number (for example A 8 ). The main autobahns going all across Germany have a single-digit number. Shorter autobahns that are of regional importance (e.g. connecting two major cities or regions within Germany) have a double-digit number (e.g. A 24 , connecting Berlin and Hamburg). The system is as follows: There are also some very short autobahns built just for local traffic (e.g. ring roads or

4018-583: The construction of the autobahn was first conceived in the mid-1920s during the days of the Weimar Republic , but the construction was slow, and most projected sections did not progress much beyond the planning stage due to economic problems and a lack of political support. One project was the private initiative HaFraBa which planned a "car-only road" crossing Germany from Hamburg in the north via central Frankfurt am Main to Basel in Switzerland. Parts of

4100-471: The development of its northwestern, western and southwestern areas were the plans of the hydraulic engineers Kohl and Georgi in the years 1852 to 1854 and the subsequent redesign of the Leipzig River Network . In the course of the 19th century, the extensive public gardens that surrounded the inner city on all sides were gradually subdivided and built on. This led to a strong structural expansion of

4182-589: The electoral mandate to the Volkskammer deputy Paul Fröhlich (1913–1970 / First Secretary of the Bezirksleitung Leipzig of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany ), which he had received from Leipzig workers". Most of the cultural and sporting facilities were built in the years following the opening. These included an outdoor theater , a café, event pavilions , a large children's playground with

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4264-667: The exception of some top of the range models or engines—to 250 km/h (155 mph). These limiters can be deactivated, so speeds up to 300 km/h (190 mph) might arise on the German autobahn, but due to other traffic, such speeds are generally not attainable except during certain times like between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. or on Sundays (when truck drivers have to rest by law). Furthermore, there are certain autobahn sections which are known for having light traffic, making such speeds attainable during most days (especially some of those located in Eastern Germany). Most unlimited sections of

4346-1001: The facility. Every year in January, the Leipzig Winter Marathon takes place in the Clara-Zetkin-Park and the neighboring forest area Die Nonne . 8 laps of 5 kilometers (3.1 mi.) and 1 lap of 1.95 kilometers (1.2 mi.) are run. The Spring Run follows in March with distances of 5 and 10 kilometers (3.1 and 6.2 mi.) and in May the Leipzig Women's Run with distances of 2.5, 5 and 10 kilometers (1.55, 3.1 and 6.2 mi.). 51°19′50″N 12°21′20″E  /  51.33067°N 12.35564°E  / 51.33067; 12.35564 Autobahn The Autobahn ( IPA: [ˈaʊtoˌbaːn] ; German pl.   Autobahnen , pronounced [ˈaʊ̯toˌbaːnən] )

4428-456: The final report issued in 1977, the Institute stated the mandatory speed limit could reduce the autobahn death toll but there would be economic impacts, so a political decision had to be made due to the trade-offs involved. At that time, the federal government declined to impose a mandatory limit. The fatality rate trend on the German autobahn mirrored those of other nations' motorways that imposed

4510-533: The first limited-access, high-speed road network in the world, with the first section from Frankfurt am Main to Darmstadt opening in 1935. This straight section was used for high-speed record attempts by the Grand Prix racing teams of Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union until a fatal accident involving popular German race driver Bernd Rosemeyer in early 1938. The world record of 432 kilometres per hour (268 mph) set by Rudolf Caracciola on this stretch just prior to

4592-424: The forest, reducing the annual death toll by 30% (250 lives) on autobahns and 15% (1,000 lives) on rural roads; the German motor vehicle death toll was about 10,000 at the time. The federal government sponsored a large-scale experiment with a 100 km/h (62 mph) speed limit in order to measure the impact of reduced speeds on emissions and compliance. Afterward, again, the federal government declined to impose

4674-746: The implementation of the Oder–Neisse line after World War II. Parts of the planned autobahn from Berlin to Königsberg (the Berlinka ) were completed as far as Stettin ( Szczecin ) on 27 September 1936. After the war, they were incorporated as the A6 autostrada of the Polish motorway network . A single-carriageway section of the Berlinka east of the former " Polish Corridor " and the Free City of Danzig opened in 1938; today it forms

4756-407: The lane count of many of its major arterial routes, such as the A 5 in the southwest and A 8 going east–west. Most sections of Germany's autobahns have two or three, sometimes four lanes in each direction in addition to an emergency lane ( hard shoulder ). A few sections have only two lanes in each direction without emergency lanes, and short slip-roads and ramps. The motorway density in Germany

4838-621: The next year, today part of the Polish A18 autostrada . After the German occupation of Czechoslovakia , plans for a motorway connecting Breslau with Vienna via Brno (Brünn) in the " Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia " were carried out from 1939 until construction works discontinued in 1942. A section of the former Strecke 88 near Brno is today part of the D52 motorway of the Czech Republic. Also, there

4920-423: The opening, availability of high-powered vehicles and a 54% increase in motorized traffic led to a doubling of annual traffic deaths, despite "interim arrangements [which] involved the continuation of the speed limit of 100 km/h (62 mph) on autobahns and of 80 km/h (50 mph) outside cities". An extensive program of the four E s (enforcement, education, engineering, and emergency response ) brought

5002-574: The outbreak of World War II in Europe in September 1939. During World War II, many of Germany's workers were required for various war production tasks. Therefore, construction work on the autobahn system increasingly relied on forced workers and concentration camp inmates, and working conditions were very poor. As of 1942, when the war turned against the Third Reich , only 3,800 km (2,400 mi) out of

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5084-659: The politician and women's rights activist Clara Zetkin (1857-1933), is located on the southwestern edge of the Stadtbezirk Mitte - about two kilometers (1.2 mi.) southwest of the city center on the edge of the Musikviertel . The park represents the connection between the northern and southern parts of the Leipzig Riverside Forest . The Clara-Zetkin-Park is divided by the Elsterflutbett (the flood channel of

5166-460: The previous sub-areas of Palmengarten , Klingerhain , Johannapark and Richard-Wagner-Hain would get their old names back. Since then, the former König-Albert-Park (later Albertpark ) has been called Clara-Zetkin-Park together with the previous Scheibenholzpark , because this name has caught on with the population. By the act of renaming the Clara Zetkin memorial is no longer in Clara Zetkin Park , but in Johanna Park . From 1950 to 1958,

5248-445: The remaining original Reichsautobahn , a section of A 11 northeast of Berlin near Gartz built in 1936—the westernmost remainder of the never-finished Berlinka — was scheduled for replacement around 2015. Roadway condition is described as "deplorable"; the 25 metres (82 ft)-long concrete slabs, too long for proper expansion, are cracking under the weight of the traffic as well as the weather. Germany's autobahn network has

5330-541: The rest of the road network are usually closed to general traffic. Apart from rare exceptions, the autobahn must not be left nor entered at rest areas. Truck stops (German Autohof ( German: [ˈaʊ̯toˌhoːf] ), plural Autohöfe ( German: [ˈaʊ̯toˌhøːfə] )) are large filling stations located at general exits, usually at a small distance from the autobahn, combined with fast food facilities and/or restaurants, but have no ramps of their own. They mostly sell fuel at normal price level while

5412-437: The road network was based on the Reichsautobahn of Nazi-Germany just like in West Germany, and thus were in a good state. Speed limit violations on the autobahns of the GDR were rare because most cars had not the engine power to go much faster than the set limit. For example, the most common car of the GDR, the Trabant , could reach a maximum of only 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph). The last 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) of

5494-413: The same numbers as trains could, and the autobahns could not be used by tanks as their weight and caterpillar tracks damaged the road surface. The general shortage of petrol in Germany during much of the war, as well as the low number of trucks and motor vehicles needed for direct support of military operations, further decreased the autobahn's significance. As a result, most military and economic freight

5576-422: The smoking ban in restaurants." The Weimar Republic had no federally required speed limits. The first crossroads-free road for motorized vehicles only, now A 555 between Bonn and Cologne, had a 120 km/h (75 mph) limit when it opened in 1932. In October 1939, the Nazis instituted the first national maximum speed limit, throttling speeds to 80 km/h (50 mph) in order to conserve gasoline for

5658-422: The spirit of the culture park movement of the time by incorporating cultural and sports facilities. It is probably the first large plant in Germany that was designed according to these aspects and thus served as a role model. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on 8 January 1955, and the park was inaugurated as early as 1 May 1955, which in the sense of the propaganda of the time was praised as "fulfillment of

5740-445: The suburbs, whereby Leipzig exceeded the 100,000-inhabitant mark in 1870 and became a big city. Due to incorporations, the urban area was soon no longer limited to Alt-Leipzig . In the census of 1895, a distinction was made between Alt-Leipzig with 183,000 people and Neu-Leipzig (New Leipzig) with 207,000 people. The population density was three times as high as it is today in the borough of Mitte, whose developed structure around 1900

5822-442: The supply chain for construction equipment, steel, concrete, signage, maintenance equipment, etc. In rural areas, new camps to house the workers were built near construction sites. The job creation program aspect was not especially important because full employment was almost reached by 1936. However, according to one source autobahn workers were often conscripted through the compulsory Reich Labor Service (and thereby removed from

5904-414: The total length of the German autobahn network has no speed limit, about one third has a permanent limit, and the remaining parts have a temporary or conditional limit. Some cars with very powerful engines can reach speeds of well over 300 km/h (190 mph). Major German car manufacturers, except Porsche , follow a gentlemen's agreement by electronically limiting the top speeds of their cars—with

5986-438: The unemployment registry). The autobahns were not primarily intended as major infrastructure improvement of special value to the military as sometimes stated. Their military value was limited as all large-scale military transportation in Germany was done by train to save fuel. The propaganda ministry turned the construction of the autobahns into a major media event that attracted international attention. The autobahns formed

6068-543: The war effort. After the war, the four Allied occupation zones established their own speed limits until the divided East German and West German republics were constituted in 1949; initially, the Nazi speed limits were restored in both East and West Germany. In December 1952 the West German legislature voted to abolish all national speed limits , reverting to State-level decisions. National limits were reestablished incrementally. The 50 km/h (31 mph) urban limit

6150-491: The war. During the 1950s, the West German government restarted the construction program. It invested in new sections and in improvements to older ones. Finishing the incomplete sections took longer, with some stretches opened to traffic by the 1980s. Some sections cut by the Iron Curtain in 1945 were only completed after German reunification in 1990. Others were never completed, as more advantageous routes were found. An example

6232-565: The world without blanket speed limits for cars and motorcycles. As such, they are important German cultural identifiers, "often mentioned in hushed, reverential tones by motoring enthusiasts and looked at with a mix of awe and terror by outsiders." Some speed limits are implemented on different autobahns. Certain limits are imposed on some classes of vehicles: Additionally, speed limits are posted at most on- and off-ramps and interchanges and other danger points like sections under construction or in need of repair. Where no general limit exists,

6314-446: Was approximately 160 km/h (99 mph) in flat country but lower design speeds were used in hilly or mountainous terrain. A flat-country autobahn that was constructed to meet standards during the Nazi period could support speeds of up to 150 km/h (93 mph) on curves. The current autobahn numbering system in use in Germany was introduced in 1974. All autobahns are named by using

6396-695: Was called Zentraler Kulturpark Clara Zetkin (Clara Zetkin Central Culture Park). The name was changed in 2011 and since then the Johannapark and the Palmengarten have officially been considered independent parks (previously they belonged to the Clara Zetkin Central Culture Park). Since 2011, only the previous Scheibenholzpark and König-Albert-Park (named after Albert of Saxony ) are called Clara-Zetkin-Park . The park, named after

6478-402: Was carried by rail. After the war, numerous sections of the autobahns were in bad shape, severely damaged by heavy Allied bombing and military demolition. Furthermore, thousands of kilometres of autobahns remained unfinished, their construction brought to a halt by 1943 due to the increasing demands of the war effort. In West Germany (FRG), most existing autobahns were repaired soon after

6560-556: Was controlled by conservative parties , successfully resisted the imposition of a permanent mandatory limit supported by Chancellor Brandt . The upper house insisted on a 130 km/h (81 mph) recommended limit until a thorough study of the effects of a mandatory limit could be conducted. Accordingly, the Federal Highway Research Institute conducted a multiple-year experiment, switching between mandatory and recommended limits on two test stretches of autobahn. In

6642-452: Was enacted in 1956, effective in 1957. The 100 km/h (62 mph) limit on rural roads—except autobahns—became effective in 1972. Just prior to the 1973 oil crisis , Germany, Switzerland, and Austria all had no general speed restriction on autobahns. During the crisis, like other nations, Germany imposed temporary speed restrictions; for example, 100 km/h (62 mph) on autobahns effective 13 November 1973. Automakers projected

6724-478: Was roughly as it is today. However, this does not change the fact that, as Sebastian Ringel proves, hardly one stone has been left unturned and many buildings have been replaced by new ones over the course of time. Starting with the construction of the main train station, through the bombing of Leipzig in World War II (degree of destruction in the Mitte borough between 34 and 52%) and the changing reconstruction in

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