Otterwisch

Municipality in Saxony, Germany

Coat of arms

Location of Otterwisch within Leipzig district

(2022–29) Matthias Kauerauf^[1]Area

• Total22.74 km² (8.78 sq mi)Elevation

159 m (522 ft)Population

(2022-12-31)^[2]

• Total1,380 • Density61/km² (160/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)Postal codes

04668

Dialling codes034345Vehicle registrationL, BNA, GHA, GRM, MTL, WURWebsitewww.gemeinde-otterwisch.de

Otterwisch is a municipality in the Leipzig district in Saxony, Germany.

Geography and transport

The town is situated about 12 km southwest of Grimma and 10 km northeast of Borna. The Leipzig–Geithain railroad passes through the town and the national road B 176 transverses the south of the parish.

History

The first documented mention of Otterwisch was in 1269. The meaning of the place name is not known for certain but may be derived from Otter Wiese (otter meadow). Großbuch is a part of Otterwisch since 1970. Its foundation dates back to the year 1104 and Wiprecht of Groitzsch. Its central point is the church in whose massive tower three valuable bronze bells from pre-Reformation times still function.

Großbuch was the scene of witch trials in the period 1488–1489.^[3]

Sights of interest

Otterwisch House is in private ownership and is being renovated. It was built between 1727 and 1730 by Duchess Rahel Charlotte Vitzthum von Eckstädt in the Baroque style. It belonged to the von Arnim family from 1904 to 1945.^[4]

References

^ Gewählte Bürgermeisterinnen und Bürgermeister im Freistaat Sachsen, Stand: 17. Juli 2022, Statistisches Landesamt des Freistaates Sachsen.
^ "Einwohnerzahlen nach Gemeinden als Excel-Arbeitsmappe" (XLS) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt des Freistaates Sachsen. 2024.
^ Manfred Wilde: Die Zauberei- und Hexenprozesse in Kursachsen, Köln, Weimar, Wien 2003, S. 476.
^ "Geschichte von Schloß Otterwisch". Archived from the original on 2013-10-04. Retrieved 2013-10-04.