Bitterfeld-Wolfen (German pronunciation:[ˈbɪtɐfɛltˌvɔlfn̩]ⓘ) is a town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated in south-eastern Saxony-Anhalt, west of the river Mulde, in an area dominated by heavy industry and lignite mining. The town was formed by merger of the towns of Bitterfeld and Wolfen and the municipalities of Greppin, Holzweißig and Thalheim on 1 July 2007.
Geography
Bitterfeld-Wolfen is 25 kilometres (16 mi) northeast of Halle (Saale) and about 35 kilometres (22 mi) north of Leipzig. Eastward lies the Muldestausee lake, southward the Goitzsche lake with docks and westwards the lido of Sandersdorf. The town lies in a nature reserve, Bitterfelder Bergbaurevier.
The average air temperature in Bitterfeld is 10.0 °C (50.0 °F) and the yearly rainfall 518 millimetres (20.4 in).
History
Town fusion
On 1 July 2007 the independent towns of Wolfen and Bitterfeld and the municipalities of Greppin, Thalheim and Holzweißig were merged to form the present-day town of Bitterfeld-Wolfen. Bobbau was absorbed in September 2009.[4]
Historical Population
(of the present-day town)
Year/Date
Inhabitants
1964 ¹
74,747
1971 ¹
74,369
1981 ¹
73,719
31 December 1985
75,274
31 December 1989
76,147
3 October 1990
72,218
31 December 1990
71,916
31 December 1995
67,060
Date
Inhabitants
31 December 2000
57,435
31 December 2001
55,200
31 December 2002
53,457
31 December 2003
52,013
31 December 2004
50,779
31 December 2005
49,899
31 December 2006
49,030
31 December 2007
47,928
31 December 2008
46,971
31 December 2009
45,968
Date
Inhabitants
31 December 2010
45,171
31 December 2011 ²
42,800
31 December 2014 ³
41,793
¹ Census results
² 2011 Census
³ Source: Bitterfeld-Wolfen Town Hall
Wolfen has approximately 24,000 inhabitants (2006). It is located north of Bitterfeld. Wolfen was first documented around 1400. The discovery of lignite in 1846 and the construction of an Agfa dye factory in 1895 brought industry and population growth.
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