SAXONY-ANHALT
- Alex P
- Oct 9
- 3 min read
Saxony-Anhalt combines the seemingly incompatible: the birthplace of Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism, and the mystical "witches' mountain" Brocken.
SAXONIA-ANHALT: THE MOST INTERESTING
Saxony-Anhalt (Sachsen-Anhalt) is a state in central Germany. Its capital is cozy Magdeburg, with its famous water bridge, cathedral, and leafy embankments. The historic towns of Wernigerode and stunning Quedlinburg, with its over 1,200 half-timbered houses — the most in Germany — offer a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in history and fairy tales simultaneously.
The Protestant reformer Martin Luther was born and died in Eisleben. In his honor, the town is now called Lutherstadt Eisleben.
The highest peak in the Harz mountain range is Mount Brocken. It is shrouded in numerous legends and mystical stories. According to legend, every Walpurgis Night, from April 30th to May 1st, witches gather at the summit to hold a sabbath. Today, this night is celebrated with great fanfare: tourists and locals dress up as witches and devils, and costumed parades and concerts take place at the summit.
SAXONY-ANHALT: HISTORY OF THE COAT OF ARMS
In the 10th century, almost the entire territory of modern-day Saxony-Anhalt was part of the Grand Duchy of Saxony, part of the Holy Roman Empire. After the Napoleonic Wars, it was captured by Prussia, and the Prussian Province of Saxony was created.
…and why, with all the wealth of toponyms in Germany, do three federal lands contain the word "Saxony": Saxony, Lower Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt? Let's go back to the mid-19th century. Back then, two territories coexisted with the same name and identical coats of arms: the Kingdom of Saxony and the Province of Saxony. For this reason, a black Prussian eagle was sometimes added to the coat of arms of the Province of Saxony to distinguish documents bearing the coat of arms and to avoid confusing citizens — the jurisdictions and laws differed, which meant fraud schemes could arise.
In 1947, part of the province was ceded to the land of Lower Saxony within the Federal Republic of Germany, while the other part, through the annexation of Anhalt, became the land of Saxony-Anhalt within the German Democratic Republic. The Saxon heritage is reflected in the upper part of the coat of arms.
Anhalt, despite its small size and geographical location within Saxony, has undergone a long history, from principality to duchy, and from duchy to Free State. The Free State's coat of arms is depicted at the bottom of the coat of arms of Saxony-Anhalt. A bear is believed to roam the ruins of Anhalt Fortress, the ancestral seat of the Ascanian princes, which gave the region its name.
SAXONIA-ANHALT: THE FUN FACTS
The Principality of Anhalt was formed back in the 12th century. Although modest in size, it nevertheless repeatedly fragmented into numerous other states due to hereditary divisions. One of these was the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst.
By the mid-18th century, despite the strong dynastic connections and nobility of the Anhalt-Zerbst family, the principality was a provincial backwater. One of the owners' primary concerns was the successful arrangements for their daughters. This gamble paid off, and how. The modest Sophia Augusta Frederica was married to the heir to the Russian imperial throne and went down in history as Catherine II of Russia or, Catherine the Great. Well, that's certainly an accomplishment.
Interestingly, when young Sophia and her mother crossed the border of their future domain in 1744, they were met by an honor guard under the command of Lieutenant Baron von Münchhausen. The very same one known for telling fantastical, exaggerated stories, described by writer Rudolf Raspe in the 1785 book Baron Munchausen's Narrative of His Marvellous Travels and Campaigns in Russia.
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