View source for Zschopau

{{for|the river of Saxony, Germany|Zschopau (river)}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox German location
|type              = Stadt
|image_photo       = Zschopau13.jpg
|image_caption     = Market square
|image_coa         = DEU Zschopau COA.svg
|coordinates       = {{coord|50|45|N|13|04|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan        = Zschopau in ERZ.png
|state             = Sachsen
|district          = Erzgebirgskreis
|Verwaltungsgemeinschaft  = Zschopau
|elevation         = 350
|area              = 22.79
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 14 5 21 690
|postal_code       =  09405, 09434 (Krumhermersdorf) 
|area_code         = 03725
|licence           = ERZ, ANA, ASZ, AU, MAB, MEK, STL, SZB, ZP
|website           = [http://www.zschopau.de www.zschopau.de]
|mayor             = Arne Sigmund<ref>[https://wahlen.sachsen.de/download/Buergermeister/statistik-sachsen_wahlen_buergermeister_uebersicht_aktuell.xlsx Gewählte Bürgermeisterinnen und Bürgermeister im Freistaat Sachsen, Stand: 17. Juli 2022], Statistisches Landesamt des Freistaates Sachsen.</ref>
|leader_term       = 2022&ndash;29
|party             = Independent

}}

'''Zschopau''' ({{IPA|de|ˈtʃoːpaʊ|-|De-Zschopau.ogg}}), is a town in the [[Erzgebirgskreis]] district of [[Saxony]], [[Germany]].

The town grew around the castle, which was built in the mid-12th century to protect the [[Salt Road]], which crossed the Zschopau River here. Mining was also practiced from the 14th century onward, and in 1493, Zschopau was granted the privileges of a "[[Mining community#Germany|Freie Bergstadt]]" However, its importance always lagged behind the major mining towns in the [[Ore Mountains]].

The development of crafts and trades was favored by the trade route; in 1451, Zschopau was granted market rights and in 1466, [[brewing right]]s. The first guilds of weavers and calico printers were founded as early as 1529. Later, textile factories and spinning mills developed, which favored Zschopau's early transformation into an industrial city at the beginning of the 19th century.

[[MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk|Motorcycles have been built in Zschopau since 1922]]. The world's first motorcycle assembly line was located here in 1926, and the ''Zschopauer Motorenwerke'', with its [[DKW]] brand, was the world's largest motorcycle factory for the first time, with a production of around 60,000 units in 1928. Even during the GDR era, the motorcycle factory was one of the world's largest motorcycle producers in terms of production volume.

==Geography==
The town is located on the northwestern slopes of the [[Ore Mountains]], on both [[Bank (geography)|banks]] of the [[Zschopau (river)|Zschopau River]], about {{convert|9|mi|km}} south-east from [[Chemnitz]]. The highest point is Mt. [[Pilzhübel]] with an elevation of {{convert|597.8|m|ft|abbr=on}}. The municipal area comprises the village of [[Krumhermersdorf]], incorporated in 1999. Since [[German reunification]], Zschopau has lost about one fourth of its population.

Zschopau has a handsome parish church dedicated to St Martin, a town hall and a [[Wildeck Castle|castle]] (Schloss Wildeck), whose construction started in the twelfth century.

==Historical population==
{|class=wikitable
|-
! Year !! Population{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}
|-
| 1750 || 4,300
|-
| 1841 || 6,100
|-
| 1871 || 7,877
|-
| 1890 || 7,441
|-
| 1900 || 6,748
|-
| 1910 || 6,732
|-
| 1925 || 7,455
|-
| 1939 || 8,854
|-
| 1946 || 8,983
|}

==Notable people==
* Heinz Auerswald (1891-1974), painter not to be confused with [[Heinz Auerswald]] German lawyer, Nazi party, 1908 - 1970
* [[Marcus Burghardt]] (born 1983), bicycle racer
* [[Ulf Findeisen]] (born 1962), ski jumper
* [[David Füleki]] (born 1985), comic artist and non-fiction author
* [[Rebekka Haase]] (born 1993), athlete (sprinter)
* [[Axel Jungk]] (born 1991), skeleton racer
* [[Walter Kaaden]] (1919–1996), engineer
* [[Karl Kröner]] (1887–1972), painter
[[File:Fotothek J 1065 14.jpg|left|thumb|180px|Karl Kröner 1955]]
* [[Claudia Nystad]] (born 1978), cross country skier
* [[Karl Schmidt-Hellerau]] (1873–1948), furniture manufacturer and social reformer
*[[Stefan Semmler]] (born 1952), rower
* [[Frank Uhlig]] (born 1955), footballer
* [[Roland Wieser]] (born 1956), racewalker

==People who worked in the area==
[[File:Clara Zetkin.jpg|thumb|150px|Clara Zetkin 1897]]
* Carl Hahn (1894-1961), German-Austrian automobile builder and entrepreneur, father of VW manager [[Carl Hahn]]
* [[Walter Kaaden]] (1919-1996), engineer
* [[Christian Liebe]] (1654-1708), composer
* [[Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen]] (1878-1964), Danish engineer and industrialist
* Hermann Weber (1896-1948), Constructor
* [[Valentin Weigel]] (1533-1588), mystical theosophical writer, priest and natural philosopher
* [[Clara Zetkin]] (1857-1933), socialist politician and women's rights activist

==Pictures==
[[File:Zschopau - Neues Rathaus.JPG|left|thumb|160px|Zschopau - New Town hall]]
[[File:Zschopau13.jpg|thumb|190px|Zschopau (yellow building=old town hall]]
[[File:Schloss Wildeck - Innenhof (2).jpg|left|thumb|190px|Wildeck Castle - Inner court]]
[[File:Zschopau, Blick zur Wiesenstraße.jpg|thumb|220px|Zschopau]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
* {{HOV}}
* {{HOV|Ganshäuser|Ganshäuser}}
* {{HOV|Wilischthal|Wilischthal}}

==External links==
{{commons-inline|Category:Zschopau, Germany|Zschopau, Germany}}
* http://www.zschopau.de/ Official city homepage
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Zschopau |short=x}}

{{Cities and towns in Erzgebirgskreis}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Erzgebirgskreis]]
[[Category:Zschopau| ]]


{{Erzgebirgskreis-geo-stub}}
{{Ore-mountains-stub}}