Bad Schmiedeberg

Bad Schmiedeberg is a small town in the district of Wittenberg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It lies within the Düben Heath Nature Park.

History
The town was first mentioned in 1206 as Smedeberg. In 1350, it was granted town rights.

Geography
The town Bad Schmiedeberg consists of the following Ortschaften or municipal divisions:


 * Bad Schmiedeberg
 * Korgau
 * Meuro
 * Pretzsch
 * Priesitz
 * Schnellin
 * Söllichau
 * Trebitz

Main sights

 * The Evangelical Town Church was consecrated in 1453 as a Gothic hall church.
 * Art Nouveau Kurhaus ("spa house") built in 1908.
 * Bundesradfahrerdenkmal (Federal Cyclists' Memorial), endowed by the Bund Deutscher Radfahrer (League of German Cyclists), dedicated on 17 June 1923 in honour of fallen and missing club members and sportsmen.

Cultural events

 * Schmiedeberger Margarethenfest, honouring Electress Margaret of Austria. In 2006, the festival marked its 575th year, and also the town's 800th anniversary of first documentary mention.

Town council

 * CDU 6 seats
 * FDP 3 seats
 * PDS 3 seats
 * SPD 1 seat
 * Agriculture, environment nature 1 seat
 * Pro Bad Schmiedeberg 1 seat
 * independent 1 seat

Mayor
Stefan Dammhayn was elected mayor on 3 April 2005. In April 2016 Martin Röthel (SPD) was elected mayor for seven years.

Sons and daughters of the town

 * Johann Nicolaus Anton (1737-1813), Lutheran theologian
 * Ernst Theumer (1890-1978), Austrian politician (SPÖ)
 * Heinrich Schütz (1906-1986), concentration camp doctor

Personalities related to city

 * Oskar Benecke (1874-1957 / 60), local historian and chronicler, conservationist and archive keeper,