Bernsdorf (;

Upper Sorbian Upper Sorbian (), occasionally referred to as Wendish (), is a minority language spoken by Sorbs in the historical province of Upper Lusatia, today part of Saxony, Germany. It is a West Slavic language, along with Lower Sorbian, Czech, Poli ...

''Njedźichow'' ) is a town in the district of Bautzen, in

Upper Lusatia Upper Lusatia (, ; , ; ; or ''Milsko''; ) is a historical region in Germany and Poland. Along with Lower Lusatia to the north, it makes up the region of Lusatia, named after the Polabian Slavs, Slavic ''Lusici'' tribe. Both parts of Lusatia a ...

Saxony Saxony, officially the Free State of Saxony, is a landlocked state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Bavaria, as well as the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. Its capital is Dresden, and ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. The town has 6,427 residents. It is north of

Kamenz Kamenz () or Kamjenc ( Sorbian, ) is a town (''Große Kreisstadt'') in the district of Bautzen in Saxony, Germany. Until 2008 it was the administrative seat of Kamenz District. The town is known as the birthplace of the philosopher and poet Gotth ...

and southwest of

Hoyerswerda Hoyerswerda () or Wojerecy () is a major district town in the district of Bautzen in the German state of Saxony. It is located in the Sorbian settlement area of Upper Lusatia, in which the Upper Sorbian language is spoken in addition to German. ...

. The town Bernsdorf consists of Bernsdorf proper and the ''Ortschaften'' (municipal divisions) Großgrabe, Straßgräbchen, Wiednitz and Zeißholz.Hauptsatzung der Stadt Bernsdorf
December 2014.

History

Within Prussian Silesia (

Province of Silesia The Province of Silesia (; ; ) was a province of Prussia from 1815 to 1919. The Silesia region was part of the Prussian realm since 1742 and established as an official province in 1815, then became part of the German Empire in 1871. In 1919, as ...

1815–1919 and 1938–41,

Province of Lower Silesia The Province of Lower Silesia (; Silesian German: ''Provinz Niederschläsing''; ; ) was a province of the Free State of Prussia from 1919 to 1945. Between 1938 and 1941 it was reunited with Upper Silesia as the Province of Silesia. The capita ...

1919–38 and 1941–45), Bernsdorf was part of Landkreis Hoyerswerda. Within the

East German East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from its formation on 7 October 1949 until its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on 3 October 1990. Until 1989, it was generally vie ...

Bezirk Cottbus Cottbus was a Administrative divisions of the German Democratic Republic, district () of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). The administrative seat and main town was Cottbus. History The district was established, along with the othe ...

, it was part of Kreis Hoyerswerda. Following

German reunification German reunification () was the process of re-establishing Germany as a single sovereign state, which began on 9 November 1989 and culminated on 3 October 1990 with the dissolution of the East Germany, German Democratic Republic and the int ...

in 1990, Bernsdorf became part of

International relations

Bernsdorf is twinned with: * Quinsac (

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

), since 2006 *

Steinenbronn Steinenbronn is a town in the district of Böblingen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. The district has one public school and five kindergartens. The east side is industrial while the west side of the town is rather urban. Geography Steinenbron ...

(

), since

Sons and daughters of the city

* Gerhard Möhwald (1920–2012), former mayor and honorary citizen *

Christian Rudolph Christian Rudolph (born 15 February 1949) is a retired East German sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres hurdles. He won a silver medal at the 1971 European Championships. In semifinals of the 1972 Summer Olympics he tore his Achilles tend ...

(born 1949), athlete (hurdles)

References

Populated places in Bautzen (district) West Lusatia {{Bautzen-geo-stub