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Zschortau is a small village in Saxony.Zschortau is one of 7 districts of the Rackwitz municipality with a very good infrastructure. The village lies on the B 184, about 12 km north of Leipzig, and approximately 6 km south of Delitzsch. In the vicinity are former coal mines, the mining areas are being flooded, so Schladitzer and Werbeliner lakes formed. The land is flat and is part of the Leipzig lowland bay and is traversed by Lober. With the new lakes are located in the main weather direction and divide by its thermals, the clouds, it is often drier than in the surrounding area. The place is used primarily as a residence.
Country: Germany | State: Saxony | District: Nordsachsen | Municipality: Rackwitz | Area: ?? km² | Population: 1,700 |
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The name Zschortau was given by the Slavic founding farmers. The meaning of the name is derived from Zschorny = Schwarz, Teufel (Black, Devil).
The German settlement probably took place since the Slavic migration of the area around 1200. In the Lehnbuch of Friedrich dem Strengen (Frederick the Strong) the village Czorttow is first time mentioned in 1349. In 1442 lived in Zschortau 22 families. Along the years the village had various names (1350: Czortow, Schortowe (LBFS 13, 113); 1404: Czortow; 1442: Czschortow, Czorttow; 1445: Czortaw, Czortow; 1464: Zschortaw; 1487: Scortte; 1551: Schortau (LSR 350); 1551: Zschorttaw (LSR 334); 1570: Tzschortaw; 1753 : Zschortau).
In 1547, two manors were mentioned. A school was founded in 1590. The local church had in 1726 a clock tower. The Scheibe-organ of the church was examined in 1746 by J.S. Bach. Johann Jacob Volkmann, Erbherr to Zschortau and Biesen, built in 1764 on the Obergut (upper part) a Baroque manor house and created the park in English style.
Zschortau had in 1800 300 inhabitants. During the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the village was ceded to Prussia. The connection to the railway network was held in 1859 A year later, the Volunteer Firemen of Zschortau was founded. In 1900, lived in Zschortau 999 residents. On May 5, 1902 there was an accident of the D-train 21 from Leipzig to Bitterfeld in Zschortau.
At the end of World War II the village was occupied in April 1945 by the Americans. From June, the Russians marched in and Zschortau was connected to the Soviet zone. In the Obergut (upper part) was an agriculture college, and the Untergut (lower area) was the state-owned property. In 1952 the village was added to the city of Leipzig as a district. A new school was completed in 1968 A gymnasium was built in 1976 and 1977.
After the unification of Germany, Zschortau belonged from 1990 again to the state of Saxony. The former Obergut (upper part) was completely renovated in 2003 and then serves as a training ground for engineers in the context of development co-operation. In 2004, Zschortau was integrated into the municipality of Rackwitz. |
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In 1746, while he was serving in Leipzig, J.S. Bach visited Zschoratau to examine the new organ at Nikolaikirche. Since the organ from 1700 was beyond repair, the organ-builder Johann Scheibe was appointed to create a new one (17 stops, 2 sections). J.S. Bach was very content with Scheibe's work. The organ is still preserved. This is one of the last reported tours of J.S. Bach’s organ projects & examinations. |
