Thum

Thum
Coat of arms
Thum
Location of Thum within Erzgebirgskreis district
Coordinates: 50°40′16″N 12°57′5″E / 50.67111°N 12.95139°E / 50.67111; 12.95139Coordinates: 50°40′16″N 12°57′5″E / 50.67111°N 12.95139°E / 50.67111; 12.95139
Country	Germany
State	Saxony
District	Erzgebirgskreis
Government
• Mayor	Michael Brändel
Area
• Total	18.89 km2 (7.29 sq mi)
Elevation	550-630 m (−1,520 ft)
Population (2015-12-31)
• Total	5,303
• Density	280/km2 (730/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	09419
Dialling codes	037297
Vehicle registration	ERZ
Website	www.stadt-thum.de

Thum is a small town in the district of Erzgebirgskreis, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Thum has a population of about 5800.

Thum is situated in the Erzgebirge, 10 km northwest of Annaberg-Buchholz, and 19 km south of Chemnitz. The Jahnsbach, a tributary to the Zschopau River runs through the town. To the north is Gelenau, east is Drebach, south of Thum is the town of Ehrenfriedersdorf. The Greifensteine area lies to the south west, and Hormersdorf and Auerbach are to the west.

Thum was first mentioned 1389 in historic records of the archdiocese of Prague. From the 14th century, mining in the once densely forested Erzgebirge steadily increased, and a history book of 1445 describes Thum as a small mining town. Several placer deposits, two stamp mills and 27 mines were in the area of Thum. Considerable amounts of Axinite were found, which initially was given the name Thumit. In 1469 the citizens of Thum acquired township.

The last battle of the Thirty Years' War in Saxony was fought on January 15, 1648 near Thum. The destruction caused by the war resulted in mining no longer being sustainable. With the run-down of ore-mining in the area, Thum (like many other towns and villages in the Erzgebirge) turned to wooden toy manufacture - such as Schwibbogen and Christmas pyramids - as well as "klöppeln" as a matter of economic survival. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the textile industry was the main source of income for Thum.