Bad Schmiedeberg / Saxony-Anhalt
As a “facility of smallest version” with only 2100 seats, this Thingplatz was not intended for large celebrations, rather for visitors of the health resort and the surrounding area. However, one did not want to do without a parade ground in front, where up to 7000 people could stand. The design of the facility corresponded to the slope characteristic of Moshamer’s designs and was one of the Thing sites of the first construction program. After the war, around 1953, there were efforts to redo this former Thing site to use it as an open-air stage. However, these plans were not realized. Except for the corner of the former privy belonging to the Thingstätte, the site is completely overgrown.[1][2]
Start of construction / Inauguration
21.03.1934 / 16.09.1934
Architect
Ludwig Moshamer, Berlin
Designation historical / contemporary
Düben Heath
Use historical
On September 16, 1934, the dedication play “Deutsche Feier” by Rudolf Kempf was performed. Further performances are not known.[3][4]
Use contemporary
Part of the property is now privately owned and used as a dog kennel.
Except for a few parts of the former structure, nothing can be seen as decades of wild growth have covered everything.[5]
Facts:
With a construction time of just half a year and total costs of approx. 10,000 RM, the Bad Schmiedeberg Thingstätte was one of the fastest to be completed on schedule and also one of the cheapest in the Reich.
Since the village needed fuel at the end of the Second World War for the accommodation of the many refugees from the Eastern territories, the wooden elements of the benches were soon dismantled. Only the structural elements made of stone and concrete remained.
According to the town chronicler Felix Saul, it must be assumed that the town archives were “cleaned up” for the years 1933 – 1945, since hardly any material and not a single photo of the nevertheless so pompous inauguration ceremony can be found. There is also nothing in the district archives.
In the 1950s, the Thingplatz was still used as an outdoor playground for the local school.[6]
[1] Stommer, Rainer, Die inszenierte Volksgemeinschaft, Jonas- Verlag Marburg, 1985, p. 217
[2] Bosse, Katharina, Thingstätten, Kerber- Verlag, Bielefeld, 2020, p. 112-117
[3] Stommer, 1985, ibid.
[4] Bosse, 2020, ibid.
[5] ibid.
[6] ibid.