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CHEMNITZ.
The “ Saxon Manchester ” and “ the most important industrial city in
Germany ” are expressions frequently applied to Chemnitz. Opinion would
probably be divided as to how far the latter is justified, but the former is
generally accepted as appropriate, and still occurs in German and English
gazetteers. Apart, however, from the difference in population of the two towns
(Manchester having 544,000 and Chemnitz only 245,000 inhabitants), the
appellation “ Saxon Manchester,” if it ever was, is now no longer applicable
to Chemnitz, for Manchester is now primarily a trading centre with few
factories, while Chemnitz is a factory town of the most pronounced type.
Chemnitz has not kept its factories well on its outer borders, as is the case
in many German towns, and it is only since a comparatively recent date that
the municipality has decided that certain areas shall be kept free from such
buildings. There are few parts of the town, therefore, which do not afford
a view of one or more factory chimneys, while from any point outside the town
they are to be seen in countless numbers. The atmosphere is, however, not
smoke-laden, probably because there is little opportunity for smoke to settle
over a town situated one thousand feet above the sea level, and exposed to
strong winds. Most of the buildings of the town are somewhat sombre, owing
to the brick being exposed, instead of being covered with the ornamental stucco
work so common in other German towns. Generally speaking, the streets are
wide, clean, and paved with granite setts, only a very few of the narrower streets
in the very centre of the old town being asphalted. For public lighting
purposes gas is still used, although the municipality owns a large electrical
power generating and distributing station. The town is practically devoid of
slums, and at the same time well provided with public parks and recreation
grounds. Two of the best of these, the “ Schlossteich ” and the “ Kiichwald,”
the former with an extensive lake, lie close to the chief north-western workingclass
suburb of Schlosschemnitz. Another, called the “ Zeisigwald,” is equally
conveniently situated for the working-class district of Sonnenberg on the
north-east.
The growth of Chemnitz since 1871 has been rapid. The population at
the date of the census and the intercensal increases have been as follows :—
Year of Census.
1871
1875
1880
1885
1890
1895
1900
1905
Population.
68,229
78,209
95,135
110,817
138,954
161,017
206,913
244,927
Intercensal
Increase.
Intercensal Increase
per cent.
9,980
16,926
15,682
28,137
22,063
45,896
38,014
14 6
216
16 5
25 4
15-9
285
18*4
The following Table shows the mean annual birth-rates, death-rates and
rates of infantile mortality during the period 1901-5 :—
Year.
Birth-rate per 1,000
of Population.
1901
1902
]903
1904
1905
38-7
36 8
35 0
35 7
340
Death-rate per 1,000
of Population.
24 2
2T5
212
22 0
202
Infantile Mortality
per 1,000 Births.
344
284
291
307
286
During the period both birth and death rates have declined considerably,
the latter much more rapidly than the former. The fall in the death-rate is to a
great extent to be attributed to the decline in the infant mortality rate. During
1901-05 the annual number of infants dying before reaching one year of age for
