Aschersleben () is a town in the Salzlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated approximately 22 km east of Quedlinburg, and 45 km northwest of Halle (Saale).
Geography
Aschersleben lies near the confluence of the rivers Eine and Wipper. The town Aschersleben consists of Aschersleben proper and the following Ortschaften or municipal divisions:
Drohndorf
Freckleben
Groß Schierstedt
Klein Schierstedt
Mehringen
Neu Königsaue
Schackenthal
Schackstedt
Westdorf
Wilsleben
Winningen
History
Pre-20th century
Aschersleben was first mentioned in 753, making it the oldest town of Saxony-Anhalt. The Latin name of the town's castle, Ascharia, provided the name of the House of Ascania. It obtained municipal status in 1266 and achieved the right to build a city wall with defense towers in 1322. Nearly the whole medieval city wall is well-preserved and 15 towers can still be visited today. From 1252–1315 Aschersleben was the capital of Anhalt-Aschersleben, after which it passed to the Bishopric of Halberstadt. In 1426 Aschersleben became a member of the Hanseatic League and due to hop trade an economic boom started. The soil around Aschersleben was very good for cultivating hop, and a special market place (Hopfenmarkt, Hop Market) was laid out for hop trade. In the centre of Aschersleben a place called Hopfenmarkt still exists today. After the 1648 Peace of Westphalia, it became part of the Principality of Halberstadt. Aschersleben became part of the Prussian Province of Saxony in 1815.
Nazi Germany
A Junkers serial fuselage production facility was located in Aschersleben during the time of Nazi Germany. In April 1935 tools were transferred to Aschersleben, and by May 1935 the first fuselages were built there. The facility was located in the Wilslebener Strasse 9 near the so-called Seewiesen, where an airfield was erected as well. The Aschersleben shop area reached 564,000 square metres and about 6,000 people were employed at it.
During World War II, a subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp was located in the town. It was established to provide slave labour for Junkers (aircraft) and Motorenwerk (automotive). Aschersleben suffered considerable bomb damage from 1940 to 1945, especially on 31 May 1945 when the railway station, several factories and the residential area Johannisvorstadt were destroyed. About 20% of the town were destroyed during nine air raids.
Since July 1944 about 950 KZ prisoners were forced to work at the Junkers Flugzeugwerke in Aschersleben. In April 1945 the production was ceased. On 17 April U.S. forces occupied Aschersleben, but on 23 May the town was handed over to the British forces and later on 1 July it was finally handed over to the Soviets.
Aschersleben was bombed on the following dates during the war: 1 April 1942 first British bomb attack 16 January 1945 14 February 1945 20 February 1944 U.S. day attack, failed target due to cloudy weather 27 February 1945 20 March 1945 31 March 1945, more than 80 persons lost their lives 11 April 1945, 17 persons lost their lives in the hospital which was heavily damaged by bombs, and 22 died when a house in Blumenstraße was hit by bombs. 14 April 1945
At the end of World War II Junkers-Aschersleben was mostly intact and the production was just changing for the production of the jet fighter Heinkel He 162. Most installations were dismantled and transferred to Kiev in the Soviet Union by the Soviets in 1946. The remaining facility buildings at Aschersleben were later used by VEB Kombinat Fritz Heckert. Today the area is used by Schiess AG.
Post-1945
Aschersleben was part of East Germany until 1990, when it became part of Saxony-Anhalt during German reunification. On 1 January 2008, the former municipalities of Drohndorf, Freckleben and Mehringen were incorporated into Aschersleben. On 1 January 2009, the former municipalities of Groß Schierstedt, Neu Königsaue, Schackenthal and Westdorf were absorbed, and the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Aschersleben/Land was disbanded. On 1 January 2010 Schackstedt was incorporated.
Architecture and Sights
Several architectural styles are represented in Aschersleben. The historic centre is dominated by romanesque (Grauer Hof), gothic (St. Stephani Church), renaissance (Town hall, Krukmannsches Haus) and baroque architecture.