The observation tower at Lake Goitzsche

1 - Bitterfeld is a district of the city of Bitterfeld-Wolfen, which has a total population of almost 38,000. The city is in the southeast of the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The Großer Goitzschesee stretches out east of Bitterfeld, with its northeastern bay known as Bernsteinsee.

2 - This large lake has only existed for a few years. It was created by people, not by nature. Covering an area of 13.3 square kilometres, it is Germany’s third-largest artificial lake. The only larger artificial lakes are the Cottbus Baltic Sea in Brandenburg, which has not yet been completely filled, and Lake Geiseltal, also in Saxony-Anhalt.

3 - One of the landmarks of Lake Goitzsche is the water-level tower. This tower is made of steel. It is 26 metres high and has two spiral staircases with 144 steps each: one leads up, the other back down. It was opened on 9 June 2000. The tower floats on the surface of Lake Goitzsche. As the water rises, the tower rises too; when the water level falls, the tower sinks too. It is reached via a 190-metre-long bridge made up of several sections called pontoons. From the top, you can enjoy a wide view of Lake Goitzsche and the towns of Friedersdorf, Bitterfeld, Mühlbeck and Pouch. On a clear day, you can even see Leipzig on the horizon.

4 - Before the lake was created, huge quantities of lignite were mined here. Mining began at the Leopold open-cast mine in 1908. The coal was used for heating and generating electricity. Lignite was formed mainly during the Tertiary period, which began about 65 million years ago and ended around 2 million years ago. During this time, vast swamps and marshes covered the land. When trees and shrubs died, they turned into peat and were eventually buried under thick layers of mud and sand. The pressure from these layers compressed the peat into lignite.

5 - In Germany, lignite is mined in Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt and North Rhine-Westphalia. In 2021, around 126 million tons of lignite were still mined. In 1990, the amount was almost three times as high. Germany has decided to phase out the use of hard coal and lignite as quickly as possible. No coal is to be used after 2038 at the latest, because burning it produces many pollutants, especially carbon dioxide, which is responsible for the Earth's increasing warmth.

5 - Giant bucket-wheel excavators are used to mine lignite. Since lignite lies close to the surface, it is mined in open pits. First, the overburden above the coal seam has to be removed. The lignite is transported in railway wagons to briquette factories or power stations, where it is processed further or burned.

6 - What remains is a barren landscape. During the operation of the Goitzsche open-cast mine, the villages of Paupitzsch, Niemegk, Döbern and Seelhausen, as well as parts of Petershausen and Sausedlitz, disappeared. About 3,800 people had to leave their homes and were resettled. The course of the Mulde River was diverted over a length of 11 km. The flooding of an open-cast mine created the Muldestausee reservoir.

7 - The Goitzsche open-cast mine was shut down in 1991. In the years that followed, all the mines around Bitterfeld closed. It took seven years to dismantle all the heavy machinery, railway installations, rail vehicles and pipelines. The slopes were secured, and forests and green spaces were created. A lake was created too: the Großer Goitzschesee.

8 - The plan was to fill the lake with water over several years. But in the summer of 2002, it rained for days in eastern Germany. The peaceful Mulde River became a raging torrent. The water destroyed dams and dikes. Eventually, it found an inlet to Lake Goitzsche. The lake filled within two days, and the water rose higher than it was ever supposed to. The town of Bitterfeld was narrowly saved from flooding.

9 - The lake is now part of a peaceful landscape. Natural areas have been created, and numerous waterbirds have settled here. Children and adults go boating on the lake. They visit the beaches, cycle or skate along the shore, or explore the area on foot. Little remains to remind visitors of the days of lignite mining.