Leuna

Leuna is a municipality in the Saalekreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It lies in central Germany, near the Saale river, between Merseburg and Schkopau, southeast of Halle. The town's growth has been closely tied to the nearby chemical industry complex known as the Leuna works.

The Leuna works were established in the 1920s by IG Farben to produce synthetic fuels and chemicals, forming one of Europe’s largest chemical production complexes. During World War II, the plant contributed to the war economy and suffered Allied air raids. After the war, the facility came under Soviet and later East German administration and was reorganized as part of the country’s planned economy. Following German reunification in 1990, the site was privatized and restructured, with many facilities repurposed or modernized.

Today the Leuna chemical complex remains a major industrial site in the region, hosting multiple facilities and serving as a hub for chemical and petrochemical production, logistics, and related services. The town’s economy continues to be heavily influenced by the complex and its supply chains. Leuna is connected to the regional transport network by road and rail, supporting industry and commuting.

The Leuna works are a prominent feature in the history of German industry and have shaped the development of the town and surrounding area, reflecting broader changes in the national chemical sector across the 20th and 21st centuries.