Road of the German language (Straße der deutschen Sprache)

Today, Köthen is the seat of the New Fruitbearing Society (Neue Fruchtbringende Gesellschaft), continuing the tradition of the first German language society founded in 1617 by Prince Ludwig von Anhalt-Köthen. The society invites visitors to the exhibition German Language Experience (Erlebniswelt deutsche Sprache) in the castle and to many events aimed at the advancement of the German language. 

Eike von Repgow was the creator of the most important legal book of the Middle Ages, the Sachsenspiegel, the oldest major language monument in German prose. Reppichau with its "Art Project Sachsenspiegel" is an open-air museum for medieval legal history and unique in Germany.

Under Prince Leopold III Frederick Franz of Anhalt-Dessau (1740-1817), creator of the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Kingdom (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Dessau became a center of Enlightenment, reaching new highs in terms of culture, economy and contemporary pedagogy.

Wittenberg (also known as the Lutherstadt, or Luther’s city) became the center of written High German through Luther’s translation of the New and Old Testaments. The city is home to many places of historic importance.

Gräfenhainichen, on the edge of the Düben Heath, is the birthplace of Paul Gerhardt, a protestant hymnodist second only to Martin Luther himself. His verses, whose linguistic beauty shines to this day, found their way into the songbooks of Christians all over the world.

Mühlbeck-Friedersdorf is Germany’s first book village, the local mission being the collection, preservation and distribution of German-language texts. The village boasts ten antiquarian bookshops at seven locations. Readings and other cultural events take place regularly.