Dessau, Germany

Dessau
Stadtteil of Dessau-Roßlau
Market square with fountain
Coat of arms
Dessau
Coordinates: 51°50′N 12°15′E / 51.833°N 12.250°E / 51.833; 12.250Coordinates: 51°50′N 12°15′E / 51.833°N 12.250°E / 51.833; 12.250
Country	Germany
State	Saxony-Anhalt
District	Urban districts of Germany
Town	Dessau-Roßlau
Area
• Total	182.81 km2 (70.58 sq mi)
Elevation	61 m (200 ft)
Population (2006-12-31)
• Total	77,394
• Density	420/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	06811-06849
Dialling codes	0340
Vehicle registration	DE
Website	www.dessau.de

Dessau is a town and former municipality in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland (Federal State) of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it has been part of the newly created municipality of Dessau-Roßlau. Population of Dessau proper: 77,973 (June 2006).

Dessau is situated on a floodplain where the Mulde flows into the Elbe. This causes yearly floods. The worst flood took place in 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 ranks Dessau as one of the greenest towns in Germany.

Dessau was first mentioned in 1213. It became an important centre in 1570, when 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 Free State of Anhalt.

Dessau is famous for its college of architecture Bauhaus. 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 forced the closure of the Bauhaus in 1931, and it was not reopened until 1986.

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.