Schwarzenberg/Erzgeb. is a large district town in the Saxon Erzgebirge district. Built in the 12th century as a fortification to protect a trade route, the small mountain town developed into the center of the lordship of the same name and later the Schwarzenberg district. By the end of the GDR, the city had developed into the most important washing machine production location in Eastern Europe. Schwarzenberg became known nationwide in 1984 through Stefan Heym's novel of the same name, which takes place in the post-war period in the city that was unoccupied for several weeks. With around 16,500 inhabitants, Schwarzenberg is now the location of medium-sized companies and, as the Pearl of the Ore Mountains and a member of the Silberberg Association of Cities, is developing tourism. The abbreviation "Erzgeb." in the place name stands for "Erzgebirge". Wikipedia