Panel 4 The Old and the New Castle, City Charter

In 1591, historical sources report the construction of an iron hammer mill by Sebastian Köppel at the confluence of the streams Döbra and Zwota, called “Hellhammer”. (Remark: At that time, “Helle” meant a deeply cut valley) In 1604, the name “Klingenthall” was used for the settlement for the first time.
In 1621, Georg Christoph von Boxberg became the owner of the “Hammer and forest estate”.
In 1628, the hammer mill and manor house burned down. Georg Christoph von Boxberg built a new manor house on this hill, which from then on was called “Castle”.
In 1704, by inheritance division of the Boxberg property, a distinction is made between the “Hammer and forest estate 1st and 2nd part”.

The Estate 2nd Part
In 1729 the Royal Polish and Electoral Saxon Chief Forester Ludolph Kasten acquires the estate 2nd part from the Boxberg heirs.
In 1731, a building adjacent to the already existing one was erected for the lordship of the manor and from then on it was called “New Castle”.
In 1835, the then owner, the physician Dr. Andreas Kasten, sold the estate to four Klingenthal residents. The building was probably converted into an inn in the same year.
In 1847, the “New Castle” burned down and was subsequently rebuilt.
In 1887/88 the inn with a hall was operated as the “Schützenhaus” and later as the “Klingenthaler Hof”.
In 1987/88, the demolition took place during the winter together with the 1st part.

The Estate 1st Part:
In 1800, the von Boxberg family sold the 1st part to 14 Klingenthal residents; the manor building became an inn.
In 1832, the building was “almost demolished”, it was rebuilt and continued to operate as “Leidert'scher Gasthof” - named after the owner at that time, now with a large hall, and in later years the inn received the name “Zum Alten Schloß”.
In 1939/40, extensive structural changes to the entrance area, such as the addition of the porch and the construction of a stone wall encompassing the entire building with a walkway behind it, ensured the appearance that was to remain until its later demolition.
In 1945, the inn “Zum Alten Schloß” was sold and became a union house, a district culture house, later also a culture house of the VEB Klingenthaler Harmonikawerke and under the different ownerships it continued to be used as an inn, a dance hall and a place for various cultural events.
In 1987/88, the front part of the building, the actual inn, fell victim to demolition.
In 1994, the last part of the “Old Castle” disappeared from the cityscape along with the hall.


Klingenthal’s attempts to become a city

The “Castle” is closely connected with the efforts of the inhabitants of Klingenthal to obtain the city charter.

1st attempt (1656-1660)
Since 1620 there was a large increase in the population due to the influx of religious exiles from neighbouring Bohemia to Klingenthal. Moreover, the arbitrarily imperious behaviour of the lord of the manor, Georg Bernhard von Boxberg, causes great resentment among the subjects. The chronicler Arthur Müller reports about it this way: “The reason for this was at that time - 1656 - towards the feudal and judicial lord Georg Bernhardt von Boxberg auf Klingenthal, to evade the oppressive performance of compulsory services and payment in kind, as well as the unjust and barbaric handling of the jurisdiction.” The only way out: The inhabitants could have freed themselves from their compulsory services by buying the estate, but the subjects, and thus the municipality, lacked the financial means to do so.

2nd attempt (1874)
Due to the reorganisation of the municipal system that had taken place in Saxony, the Klingenthal Municipal Council once again saw an opportunity to request the city charter for Klingenthal by adopting “the city ordinance for medium-sized and smaller cities”. But the responsible Ministry of the Interior had reservations. The attempt failed.

3rd attempt (1895-97)
There was a third and last unsuccessful attempt to obtain the city charter. According to the chronicler Kurt Erich Dörfel, the Local Councils gave as reasons the further increase of the population, the growing production of musical instruments with the emergence of larger industrial enterprises and the generally good business situation. In addition, Klingenthal had an extensive infrastructure corresponding to that of the bourgeoisie, with a district court, post office and customs administration, as well as schools, a central transport connection and even a water pipeline. Disagreements in the Local Council did not allow the petition to reach Dresden until 1897. But again there was a rejection.

On December 20, 1917, the Local Council passed a unanimous resolution to submit another application for the introduction of the Revised City Charter for Klingenthal. This time it was successful: Klingenthal received the city charter as of October 1, 1919.