Bautzen

About

Perched on a hilltop overlooking the Spree River, Bautzen is permanently posing for pictures and is home to some spectacular architecture, including The Reichenturm, one of the steepest leaning towers north of the Alps. Behind its charming façade, Bautzen offers a rich history for those who desire to delve deeper. The first written evidence of the town dates back to 1002AD, and the first recorded battle only 13 years later, which kicked-off a long history of military importance, including battles in the Napoleonic Wars and World War II. During Nazi occupation Bautzen housed a subcamp of the Groß-Rosen concentration camp, and after the division of Germany, was infamous throughout East German for its penitentiaries. Bautzen I was an official prison, nicknamed Gelbes Elend ("Yellow Misery"), whereas the secret Bautzen II was used for prisoners of conscience. Today, Bautzen I is still in use, and Bautzen II serves as a memorial.