Schleiz

Schleiz (German pronunciation: [ˈʃlaɪts] ^ⓘ) is a town in the district of Saale-Orla-Kreis in Thuringia, Germany. The former municipality Crispendorf was merged into Schleiz in January 2019, and Burgk in December 2019.

Schleiz
Town
Church in Schleiz
Coat of arms
Location of Schleiz within Saale-Orla-Kreis district
Schleiz Show map of Germany Schleiz Show map of Thuringia
Coordinates: 50°35′N 11°49′E
Country	Germany
State	Thuringia
District	Saale-Orla-Kreis
Subdivisions	15
Government
• Mayor (2024–30)	Marko Bias[1] (CDU)
Area
• Total	108.21 km2 (41.78 sq mi)
Elevation	432 m (1,417 ft)
Population  (2024-12-31)[2]
• Total	8,501
• Density	79/km2 (200/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	07901–07907
Dialling codes	03663
Vehicle registration	SOK
Website	www.schleiz.de

Postcard picture of Schleiz in 1908

Former mint building (called "Alte Münze"-"Old Mint")

Dragon fountain

Location

Schleiz is in the Thuringian Vogtland area, an area of wooded hills on the borders of Thuringia, Saxony, Bavaria and the Czech Republic. The city is located in a valley with the river Wisenta near the motorway A 9 (Berlin – München).

Neighboring parishes

Crispendorf (6 km)	Görkwitz (2 km)	Oettersdorf (3 km)	Löhma (5 km)	Kirschkau (6 km)	Zeulenroda-Triebes (14 km)
Remptendorf (12 km)		Pausa (13 km)
	Saalburg-Ebersdorf (12 km)	Tanna (10 km)	Mühltroff (9 km)

Distances calculated as between town centers.

Subdivisions

Schleiz includes the following subdivisions:

• Möschlitz
• Grochwitz
• Oberböhmsdorf
• Lössau
• Langenbuch
• Wüstendittersdorf
• Dröswein
• Gräfenwarth
• Oschitz
• Heinrichsruh
• Crispendorf
• Burgk

History

Schleiz can be traced back to a settlement established about 1200 ("Altstadt") and a separate "Neustadt" that was established next to it. The "Neustadt" had a castle and a city wall. Until 2 December 1482 they were totally separate communities after which they combined to one city.^{[citation needed]} There was a settlement of the Teutonic Order here, and for some years previous to 1848 the town was the capital of the small principality of Reuss-Schleiz. In the vicinity a battle was fought, between the French and the Prussians on 9 October 1806.^[3]

Within the German Empire (1871-1918), Schleiz was part of the Principality of Reuss-Gera.

20th Century

During World War II hundreds of women and men from several nations, including the Soviet Union were transported to Schleiz as forced laborers. At least 60 of them died there.

The palace was destroyed April 1945.^[4]

Climate

Climate data for Schleiz (1991–2020 normals)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	1.6 (34.9)	3.2 (37.8)	7.2 (45.0)	12.9 (55.2)	16.7 (62.1)	20.5 (68.9)	23.0 (73.4)	22.5 (72.5)	17.7 (63.9)	12.3 (54.1)	6.1 (43.0)	2.8 (37.0)	12.2 (54.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−0.7 (30.7)	0.2 (32.4)	3.4 (38.1)	8.0 (46.4)	12.0 (53.6)	15.4 (59.7)	17.6 (63.7)	17.4 (63.3)	13.2 (55.8)	8.6 (47.5)	3.5 (38.3)	0.8 (33.4)	8.4 (47.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−3.1 (26.4)	−2.6 (27.3)	−0.1 (31.8)	3.1 (37.6)	6.8 (44.2)	10.5 (50.9)	12.5 (54.5)	12.2 (54.0)	9.0 (48.2)	5.4 (41.7)	1.2 (34.2)	−1.6 (29.1)	4.4 (39.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	32.9 (1.30)	30.0 (1.18)	40.0 (1.57)	39.4 (1.55)	64.6 (2.54)	73.7 (2.90)	89.9 (3.54)	72.3 (2.85)	58.2 (2.29)	46.0 (1.81)	43.0 (1.69)	43.0 (1.69)	649.8 (25.58)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	16.9	15.2	17.1	13.3	14.8	14.2	15.2	14.3	12.7	14.3	14.9	18.0	183.6
Average relative humidity (%)	87.4	83.2	79.3	72.0	72.6	73.5	71.9	71.7	77.7	84.4	89.2	88.5	79.3
Mean monthly sunshine hours	57.4	78.1	121.2	180.8	205.6	205.0	219.6	210.4	160.6	110.1	58.5	47.9	1,673.8
Source: World Meteorological Organization[5]

Population

Trend of population figures:

1834 — 1995 1834 - 4619 1890 - 4928 1933 - 6505 1939 - 6828 1960 - 7933[6] 1994 - 8567[7] 1995 - 9163

1996 — 2002 1996 - 9528 1997 - 9375 1998 - 9389 1999 - 9336 2000 - 9309 2001 - 9268 2002 - 9223

2003 — 2009 2003 - 9100 2004 - 9069 2005 - 9012 2006 - 8932 2007 - 8868 2008 - 8824 2009 - 8717

Recreation

Schleiz is also the site of the Schleizer Triangle motor racing track.

Commemorative plaque for Johann Friedrich Böttger

Notable people

• Johann Friedrich Böttger (1682–1719), alchemist and co-inventor of European porcelain
• Heinrich Gottfried Piegler (1797–1849), probably the largest manufacturer of Döbereiner's lamps
• Richard Barthold (1855-1932), US-american politician
• Kurt Holzschuher (1873-1945), owner of the oldest factory in Schleiz (Gebr. Holzschuher) and German politician (DVP)
• Theodor Piegler (1904-1991), great-grandson of H.G. Piegler, co-owner of the internationally active metal goods factory for hairdressing articles "Gebr. Piegler" in Nuremberg
• Joachim Blechschmidt (1912-1943), German pilot and fighter ace in World War II
• Bernhard Klee (born 1936), conductor
• Juergen K. Klimpke (born 1963), mayor of the city of Schleiz from 2012-2018, member of political committees of the city of Schleiz, author ("Schleizer Heimathefte"), founding member and longtime chairman of the "Geschichts- und Heimatverein zu Schleiz e.V." and photographer