CHEMNITZ, a town of Germany, in the Land of Saxony, the capital of a governmental district, 5o m. W.S.W. of Dresden and 51 S.S.E. of Leipzig. Pop. (1933) 350,657.
Chemnitz (Kaminizi) was originally a settlement of the Sorbian Wends and became a market town in I143. Its municipal consti tution dates from the 14th century, and it soon became the most important industrial centre in the mark of Meissen. A monopoly of bleaching was granted to the town, and thus a considerable trade in woollen and linen yarns was attracted; paper was made here, and in the 16th century the manufacture of cloth was very flourishing. In 1546 the Benedictine monastery, founded about 1136 about 2 m. north of the town, was dissolved. During the Thirty Years' War Chemnitz was plundered by all parties and its trade was completely ruined, but at the beginning of the 18th century it had begun to recover. Further progress was made dur ing the century, especially after 1 834 when Saxony joined the German Zollverein.
The town lies 95o ft. above sea, in a fertile plain at the foot of the Erzgebirge, watered by the river Chemnitz, an affluent of the Mulde. It is the chief manufacturing centre in the kingdom and ranks next to Dresden and Leipzig in point of population. It is well provided with railway communication, being directly connected with Berlin and with the towns of the Erzgebirge and Vogtland. The centre of the town is occupied by the market square, with the mediaeval Rathaus, now superseded by a modern building in the Post-strasse. The old inner town is within the old fortifications, and beyond lies industrial Chemnitz. There is an ancient Gothic church dedicated to St. James. To the north west of the town is the Gothic church of a former Benedictine monastery, dating from 1514-1525, with a tower of 1897. The in dustry of Chemnitz has gained for the town the name of "Saxon Manchester." First in importance are its locomotive and engineer ing works. Next come its cotton-spinning, hosiery, textile and glove manufactures. It also has considerable dyeworks, bleach works, chemical and woollen factories. The local communications are maintained by an electric tramway system. Chemnitz is a favourite tourist centre for excursions into the Erzgebirge.