I wanted to see Markkleeberg, south of Leipzig, again. We lived there during the war years.

It would be interesting to see any changes in all those years gone by.

On the tram journey to Markkleeberg, Dieter told me about the 1953 uprising.  It happened in the very year I came to live in England.

He told me from his absconding from work to take part in the protest marching against the bad living conditions in Leipzig.  Also from all major towns people undertook to march towards the West-German border.  Eventually they were pushed back by Russian tanks. Some one had reported Dieter missing and he was suspected of taking part in the marching.  A guard was placed by the door to wait for his return.  By sheer luck Dieter returned when the guard had left for a few minutes.  Dieter was able to give a plausible explanation for his absence or he would have lost his job.

After marrying, Dieter moved from Markkleeberg and was now him self curious how he would find the village.

As we stepped from the tram in the lower part of Markkleeberg, we realised nothing had changed, only the houses looked the worse for wear.  Luckily the trees had grown a lot to hide the bleakness of the buildings.  Nothing had ever been painted, and bricks had fallen off.  The houses were crumbling.  Only the three public houses had undergone a facelift.  As we came to our former street, I noticed a wooded strip along the street, hiding the field from our view.  Dieter explained that he and father were able to make the authorities, after a lot of paper work and meetings, to agree to have a strip of quick growing trees planted in order to stop the coal dust reaching the residential area.  The field had been turned into a surface coal Plant since I had left.  From the top of our house I could see the chimneys of the Espenheim- Borna- and Boehlen Plants.  They created all the pollution which was very high indeed.  The rivers ! turned at times green thick yellow or even red.  Those Plants were then under Russian management.  At first all the upper areas of Markkleeberg was to be demolished.  People were to be evacuated.  Everyone rebelled and the work was stopped short where the new trees were planted.

As we came to the house where we once had lived, we had a shock.  It looked bleak like all the others.  The windows of the two verandas upstairs and downstairs were each divided as if an amateur had tried to fix them.  They used to be large windows reaching right across from side to side.  The small pine tree in front of the house had now grown into a monstrosity and added to the ugliness.  One of the garage doors still wore parts of the old paint from those many years before.

A week later we returned, this time by bicycle through the park, which runs from the center of the town to Markkleeberg.  We wanted to see the coal mining field from another angle, and also how much of the park was left after the coal field had been so hugely enlarged.

We crossed a canal and saw lots of fish swimming in it's now clear waters.  The frogs were making a concert, a true sign that at last the rivers and canals were not polluted anymore.  Nearly all the factories had been closed down.

We came to the edge of the coal field and had a pleasant surprise.  Trees had been planted no sooner the work had stopped there.  Being very hot, we felt thirsty and decided to go once again to Markkleeberg to buy a drink.  Almost over night two houses at the bottom of our street had suddenly changed into beautiful new looking buildings.  Thanks to Scottish and Irish builders the whole city was gradually transformed and no trace of neglect was then to be seen.

There is one place I just can't ignore to mention.  It is the Kulkwitzer lake.  He is near a small town called Markranstadt west of Leipzig.  As we rode our bikes towards the lake, passing empty fields along a country road, a huge pipe stretched for miles from a Chemical plant to the estate. This pipe is used to supply every household with heat and hot water.

Arriving at the lake, Dieter explained to me how how the lake was formed through surface coal mining.  He is shallow around the shore but deepens to 40 meters in the center.  Before any ground water had emerged, lots of sand had been placed over the surface so that the water sieved it's self clean of any coal substances before it filled the lake. Now the water is as clear as glass.  Water plants are growing in the deepest part.

On one side is a wood, and on the other side are grassy slopes with trees and shrubs surrounding the lake.  Hordes of people come to sunbath there.  Half of the population do nude sunbathing.  It seemed to be a natural thing top do in the former East German State.  On top of the verge leads a small path to Markranstadt.  Riding along there we met  several nude cyclists.  Seeing them for the first time made me nearly fall into the bushes, as the path was narrow at times.  There were also a few refreshment stalls.  Some people stood there quite happily without a stitch on.  They call persons who wear bathing suits "The Textiles."

This concludes my story about Leipzig, and I hope that it was interesting for everyone who read it.

Any comments and contact: you will find it under "Italian Village" on the home page.

 

(co) Gisela Cooper 2001