Greiz

As with other nearby settlements, the place name (originally Grouts) is of Slavic origin and means gord. The first documented mention of the settlement dates from 1209. The prime location of Greiz on the confluence of the White Elster river and its tributary Göltzsch helped to make it a fast-growing town. It was recognized as a town in the 13th century. Later the House of Reuss, a ruling German dynasty whose male members were all named Heinrich, built 2 castles in Greiz: the "Oberes Schloss" (Upper castle) and the "Unteres Schloss" (Lower castle). Both were built by famous architects and are still considered unique. Greiz became the capital of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz (until 1918).

Greiz town center

Between 1934 and 1943 809 people were forcibly sterilized by Nazis in the district hospital in WichmannstraßeThe local old folk's home and the care home submitted 122 sick people to the euthenasia program Aktion T4.

During World War II hundreds of prisoners of war as well as men and women from countries occupied by Nazi Germany worked as forced laborers in Sorgwald near Thalbach, a village about 2 km south-east of Greiz and in other enterprises. At least 102 of them died. There is a memorial for them in the Old Cemetery.

There is also a monument to the officer Kurt von Westernhagen, who refused orders in April 1945 to blow up the bridge and defend the town, for which he was shot by the Gestapo[3]

During World War II, Greiz did not suffer much damage, although 3 of the 5 bridges in town were destroyed. In 1941, Ulf Merbold , who became in 1983 the first astronaut from West Germany was born in 1943.

Greiz has a population of about 20,400 people. The former municipality Neumühle/Elster was merged into Greiz in December 2019.

In addition to a chemical works and a disused paper factory there are mechanical engineering operations, plastics manufacturing businesses, wood machining enterprises, medical technology, suppliers to the automobile industry, printing houses and breweries. In recent years various high tech businesses (sensor technology, climate simulators, micro-chip production) and environmental technology companies developed.

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  Upper castle
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  Upper and lower castles
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  Lower castle
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  View over the town
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  The VEB chemical factory at Greiz-Dölau 1979
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  The old paper factory

The following are the districts adjacent to Greiz:

• In the Greiz district: Zeulenroda-Triebes, Langenwetzendorf, Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf, Berga/Elster
• In the Vogtlandkreis district (Saxony): Reichenbach im Vogtland, Netzschkau, Elsterberg, Pöhl, Plauen, Rosenbach/Vogtl.

Adjacent towns include:

• Elsterberg
• Reichenbach im Vogtland
• Hohenleuben
• Werdau

Greiz station is on the Gera Süd–Weischlitz railway.

The current population is about 20,400. Like many towns in the former East Germany, Greiz has suffered from population decline in recent years.

Historical population

Number of inhabitants (since 1960 as of 31st December):

Population from 1800 to 2016

1800 - 1950 1800: 4,000 1833: 5,600 1885: 17,288 1905: 23,114 1931: 39,281 1946: 45,410 [note 1] 1950: 42,520 [note 2]

1960 - 1999 1960: 39,097 1971: 38,608 1981: 36,684 1984: 35,822 1994: 30,206 1995: 29,402 1996: 28,610 1997: 27,992 1998: 27,324 1999: 26,706

2000 - 2009 2000: 26,177 2001: 25,605 2002: 25,037 2003: 24,591 2004: 24,199 2005: 23,764 2006: 23,368 2007: 22,936 2008: 22,548 2009: 22,150

2010 - 2019 2010: 21,792 2011: 21,310 2012: 21,580 2013: 21,284 2014: 21,111 2015: 21,042 2016: 20,920 2017: 20,517 2018: 20,103 2019: 20,392

Data source since 1994: Thüringian Federal Bureau of Statistics

• Media related to Greiz at Wikimedia Commons

• Town of Greiz