Chemnitz

Chemnitz is a city in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It lies in the western part of Saxony on the Chemnitz River and is the third-largest city in the state, after Dresden and Leipzig.

The city has a long industrial history. It developed as a center of engineering, textiles, and machine-building in the 19th and early 20th centuries. World War II damage led to extensive postwar reconstruction. In 1953 the East German government renamed Chemnitz Karl-Marx-Stadt, a status retained until German reunification in 1990 when the historic name was restored.

As of the early 2020s, Chemnitz has a population of around 250,000. It is the site of Technische Universität Chemnitz and several other higher education institutions, contributing to research and technology in the region. The city maintains cultural and recreational facilities, including opera and theatre, museums, and historic landmarks such as the Red Tower and the Old Town Hall. The Karl-Marx Monument, a large sculpture in the city center, remains a notable landmark.

Economy and transport: Chemnitz has a diversified economy with engineering, automotive components, electronics, and services. It is a railway hub with the Hauptbahnhof as a major junction, and it is connected by road to other Saxon cities and neighboring states.