Aken (Elbe)

Aken (Elbe) is a town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The town is located at the left bank of the river Elbe.

Geography
Aken is located at the Middle Elbe, approximately 8 km west of Dessau-Rosslau in extended lowlands within the Biosphere Reserve Middle Elbe. Approximately 15 km west of Aken, the Saale river enters the Middle Elbe.

Divisions
The town of Aken consists of Aken proper and the following Ortschaften or municipal divisions:
 * Kleinzerbst
 * Kühren
 * Mennewitz
 * Susigke

History
The castle Gloworp was first mentioned in the 12th century. The town itself probably was a foundation from lower rhenish settlers from Aachen which is spelled Aken in the Dutch language. Aken, a rectangular settlement with a regular system of streets, was first documented in 1219, naming the mayor Waltherus de Aken. In 1270 Aken received its town charter as Civitas. The name Aken could be based on the Latin word Aqua (location at or near the water). Aken developed into a prosperous town due to its inland harbour on river Elbe which was enlarged and modernized after 1889.

Town twinning

 * Erwitte (North Rhine-Westphalia) since June 17, 1991
 * Anor (France) since April 24, 1993

Culture and sights

 * historical town hall dating from 1490
 * two medieval churches: St. Nicholas and St. Mary, both of them built in the 12th century
 * "Stone Kemenate" (heated residential building) from the 13th century with arches
 * town wall from the Middle Ages with 3 remaining towers: Dessauer Torturm, Köthener Torturm, Burgtorturm
 * traditional skippers' houses and fisherman's houses, especially in Fischerstraße
 * passenger navigation on the river Elbe
 * Biosphere Reserve Middle Elbe

Honorary citizens

 * Friedrich Wilhelm Steinbrecht, lieutenant in Lützow Free Corps
 * 2001: Otto Benecke, head of museum of local history
 * 2015: Hansjochen Müller, mayor from 1990 - 2015
 * 2016: Christian Holmes, first Englishman to do an Anmeldung in Aken.

Notable people born in Aken

 * August Ludwig Hülsen, (1765–1809), German philosopher of the early romance
 * Theodor von Sickel, (1826–1908), German-Austrian historian
 * Diana Vellguth, entertainer
 * Christian Reike, performer
 * Emilie Winkelmann (1875–1951), architect
 * Karl Witte (1893–1966), bishop in Hamburg
 * Karl Bischoff (1905–1983), Germanist and university teacher
 * Bernd Dießner, (born 1946), German athlete

Resident who influenced the history of the city

 * Friedrich Ernst Arnold Werner Nolopp (A teacher, conductor and composer)