Düben Castle

The castle was first mentioned in 981. During the autumn campaign in 1813, Napoleon Bonaparte established his headquarters here from October 10 to October 14, 1813.

Düben Castle was first mentioned in 981 in the chronicle of Thietmar of Merseburg when the diocese of Merseburg was dissolved, still under the Slavic name "Dibni". The location for the construction of the castle was favorable because of the ford over the Mulde on an old trade route. This is how a Slavic settlement was established next to the castle.In the course of German colonization of the East, Flemish immigrants founded the community of Neumark next to the castle around 1200. Later, Franconian and Saxon settlers took over the old Slavic farmsteads and thus formed the town of Düben. In 1017, Düben Castle was owned by Count Albi, who was followed shortly afterwards by Count Friedrich von Eilenburg. In connection with the Battle of Welfesholz, Wiprecht von Groitzsch conquered the castle in 1115 and from here took over several manor houses in the area. Margrave Otto the Rich was also imprisoned here for a time. In 1291, the castle came into the possession of the Thuringian Landgraves through an inheritance contract, who gave it as a fief to their followers.In 1450, the castle was completely destroyed during a feud between the brothers Friedrich and Wilhelm of Thuringia. From 1530, the castle was the seat of the Electorate of Saxony's Düben office. The castle became famous beyond the region during the Kohlhase disputes with the nobleman von Zaschwitz and the Elector of Saxony, which began in 1532 and lasted until 1540 (negotiations in Düben in 1533). The most famous head of the office was probably Philipp Melanchthon junior in 1554. During the Thirty Years' War, on September 15, 1631, the Swedish King Gustav II Adolf, the Brandenburg Elector Georg Wilhelm and the Saxon Elector Johann Georg I formed an alliance against the Catholic Emperor Ferdinand II and defeated the imperial troops of the general Tilly in the Battle of Breitenfeld. The alliance did not help the city of Düben, which was destroyed three more times (1631, 1637 and 1641) by passing mercenary armies.One of the last witch trials in Germany also took place in Düben Castle. In addition to several stories, tradition tells of a witches' cellar in the castle, of torture (which was banned in Saxony in 1783), a witches' grave and a witches' dance floor.During the Seven Years' War, the Prussian King Frederick II stayed in the castle and set up his army's largest supply depot in Saxony here, which was guarded by 5,000 soldiers. As a result, the Battle of Torgau took place on November 3, 1760, which Frederick II was able to win despite heavy losses.
Source de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_D%C3%BCben

During the Wars of Liberation from October 10, 1813 to October 14, 1813, Napoleon set up his headquarters in Düben Castle. According to his own account, he spent the most terrible days of his life here due to the uncertainty of the military and political situation. After 1815, the castle, as well as the town of Düben, became part of Prussia. The justice and revenue office that had existed in the castle in 1780 was dissolved in 1942.After the Second World War, a landscape and local history museum about the town of Bad Düben and the Düben Heath was set up under the leadership of local historian Willy Winkler until 1953. Exhibits on the history of the castle and town of Düben as well as the economic development of the region can be seen.During renovation work in the castle tower in October 2017, a wall frieze by Paul Haffner (* 1874; † 1965) was discovered behind loose paint residues in the interior of the half-timbered floor. In the early 1950s, Haffner played a key role in the exhibition design of the Landscape Museum. In addition to numerous wall paintings and illustrations that served to better understand the museum's contents, Haffner, who worked in the printing shop for museum founder Willy Winkler, drew the inventory cards for the collection objects, made many drawings and preparatory work for the museum and was involved in the backdrop painting for the local theater.[1] Due to extensive renovation and reconstruction work, the Landscape Museum in the castle is currently closed and is expected to reopen its doors to visitors in April 2019. The area around the castle, including the ship mill, is still accessible.
Source de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burg_D%C3%BCben