History

Early Times

First traces of settlements in the area of the Elbe valley go back to the neolithic period. In the 6th century BC Germanic settlers reached the Elbe lowlands and settled temporarily. However, the majority of them left this area one millennium later and so Slavonic tribes took possession of this land peacefully. The Slavonic settlement Drezdany, situated at the place of the present Frauenkirche forms the origins of Dresden's name. Also, the marking of some quarters in Dresden, such as Zschertnitz or Gompitz hark back to its Slavonic roots.

Middle Ages and Renaissance

After 900 AD, the first German settlers came to the area of Dresden, founding the castle of Meissen in order to underline their claim of ownership. The rule of the noble family Wettin, who dominated Saxony's history for the next few centuries, began with Duke Conrad of Wettin in 1123. The first mention of Dresden appearing in a document was in 1206, whereas it was in 1216 that Dresden was first described as a city. This is also considered to be the founding date. The plague of 1349 is also reported in the chronicle. After the Leipzig separation, Dresden became the residential city of the principality of Saxony, under Prince Albert. The upswing, which was connected with this, allowed for Dresden's expansion. In 1539, the reformation was officially introduced to Saxony. Over the centuries Saxony gradually came to be considered a Protestant principality. In the 16th century, the city walls were reinforced in the face of growing danger from Turk invasion.

Baroque and Rococo For many citizens of Dresden, the period in which the city flourished began in the baroque age, when Dresden became one of Europe's most glamorous royal capitals. The public face of the City was heavily influenced by the erection of an array of buildings by acclaimed architects and the establishment of the Großer Garten. This epoque was responsible for some of Dresden's undeniably beautiful buildings such as the Zwinger, Hofkirche or the Taschenbergpalais. Saxony started to gain importance politically and a refined reputation throughout Europe. Prince George III, declared war on the Polish king, Jan Sobieski, and beat the Turks at Vienna, which marked the end of the Muslim invasion in Europe. Moreover, his grandson Friedrich August I, better known as August the Strong, became a well-loved historical personality and his memory grew into a legend that today is common knowledge to every child in Dresden. Reasons for his fame are his dissolute lifestyle, his reputation with women, and his alleged strength. August the Strong soon came to power and in order to secure the crown of Poland, and changed his creed from Protestant to Roman Catholic. August succeeded and became August II, King of Poland, in 1697. The union of Saxony and Poland lasted until 1763, and this period is nowadays called the Augustian Age. In this era, great developments took place, particularly in the fields of economy and culture. For example, the alchemist Johann Freidrich Böttcher invented European-style porcelain in 1709; the first European porcelain enterprise was founded only one year later, in 1710. Meißen porcelain is today a brand of international fame. In the art world, the Green Cave (or "Grünes Gewölbe"), the world famous jewelery collection, was founded. During the Seven Years War, Dresden was attacked by Prussian cannons and suffered heavy damage. The Prince and his ministers fled to Poland.

Finally, in 1763, August the Strong died. His estate, baroque Dresden, with its French and Italian influences, proved to be one of Europe's leading and most beautiful residential cities. Dresden was also dubbed the Florence of the Elbe at this time.

Modern Age

Under the rule of August III, Saxony became a Kingdom through an act of mercy by Napoleon. After Napoleon was defeated in 1813, the Saxon King became prisoner and a Russian governor ruled Dresden until the Congress of Vienna in 1815. In the age of industrialization, Saxony took a leading position within Germany. In 1835, the Dresden-born professor Johann Andreas Schubert constructed the first German locomotive. Saxony's infrastructure was characterized by excellence, thanks to the new railroad and steamships. The waves of the 1848 revolution reached the city with many terrible consequences. In the uprisings of May 1849, bloody battles were fought and the skirmish ended with a monarchist victory. The famous composer Richard Wagner took part in these fights. He escaped from the city after the defeat of the rebels.

With the foundation of the German Empire, Saxony lost its political independence, yet Dresden remained a city of central importance in Germany. At the turn of the last century, Dresden blossomed into a metropolis with 517,000 inhabitants by 1905. During World War I, Dresden escaped damage. The November Revolution of 1918 led to the end of the monarchy, and the last Saxon King, Friedrich, was forced to abdicate. Dresden became the capital of the federal state of Saxony in the interim between the wars. By 1930, 632,710 people lived in the city.

The Destruction

In contrast to other German cities, Dresden did not see Allied bombs until 1945. This created the impression amongst citizens that Dresden would escape air raids due to its international reputation. On the eve of the destruction, many additional refugees from the eastern parts of Germany had flooded into the city. Neither war-important industry nor air defense was based in Dresden. On 13th February, at 10:13pm, the first bombs were dropped on the Saxon capital. In different waves of attack, British and American Bombers dropped more than 3,000 tons of explosives on Dresden in a space of fourteen hours. The result was disastrous. It is estimated that approximately 35,000 people were killed in the firestorm. Buildings of great historical and cultural value were lost. The Florence of the Elbe, one of the most beautiful cities in Germany, was destroyed in just one night.

Reconstruction and Socialism Under Soviet military command, the survivors began to rebuild the city. According to the new GDR government, the rise of a Socialist metropolis was planned, not the reconstruction of the baroque ensemble. Some of the historical sights like Semperoper, Zwinger or Hofkirche were reconstructed. But on the other hand, a handful of ugly, concrete buildings were established, especially in Johannstadt. Later, the authorities started to build this kind of housing along the outskirts of the city. Gorbitz and Prohlis are examples of this period. The Communist rulers neglected the reconstruction of the only lightly-damaged part of the inner city. The Neustadt and the Hechtviertel remained run-down quarters of the city until reunification.

The political change and present time With the political change in 1989 and the ensuing German reunification, Dresden was on the brink of a new era. In but one decade, many new buildings were commissioned, others reconstructed, particularly in the inner city. Conservation of old buildings was given priority and as a result, Dresden appears in new glamour ten years after the reunification. Of course, some mistakes were made in the dynamic process of reconstruction. Yet Dresden continues its glorious past as the capital of the re-established federal state of Saxony!