Perspektive

The first time I hiked around the Halde Trages near Espenhain, I thought that change could not be better described than this. Before the reunification Espenhain was infamous for being the most polluted place in the GDR. The lignite-fired power plant VEB BV Espenhain polluted the city and the population actually marked a loss of expectancy of life. In the 1980s Environmental activists headed by the local church created the probably first crowd founding campaign called “1 Mark für Espenhain” (Spend a mark for Espenhain). It was more of a protest against GDR authorities than actual funding, because signing the check meant open critique on the environmental and economic politics. Political change meant economic change and thus relief for the city with the closure of the coal power plant. As a result, in 2004 Espenhain opened the biggest solar power plant worldwide at that time.
Surprisingly, today “Halde Trages” is a nice escape from the city. Sallow thorn bushes flier in the sun in their orange and grey and birds tweet all around.
Visitors can climb a pretty adventurous 33 meter high look-out at top of the former mining heap. Not hikers enjoy the re-born heap as a recreation area. 73 breeding bird species have been registered so far. A quarter of them are on the red list of endangered species in Saxony.
While the city of Leipzig failed to open a monument for the peaceful revolution 25 years ago – the small town Espenhain, 20 kilometers south of Leipzig is an eye-opener of its own. Leaving the city with its imposing Gründerzeit buildings and rich culture that attracts more and more guests and coined the nick-name “Hypezig” you drive through an area called “Neuseenland”. As the name indicates the area is full of new, meaning artificial, lakes linked by roads for bikers or pedestrians. And in its green heart lies Espenhain.