SchillerGarten

Blasewitz and the "Blue Wonder"

Blasewitz, a suburb dominated by exclusive villas and mansions, and Loschwitz, on the other bank of the Elbe, are a must-see for tourists.  In a romantic riverside setting, the two districts are linked by the “Blue Wonder”, a marvel of 19th-century engineering. The imposing steel bridge with a span of 280 metres is so named due to its eye-catching bright blue paint. The toll for crossing (two pfennigs per pedestrian, cyclist, chicken or goose; ten for draft animals) was abolished in 1921; today, modern weighing systems instead monitor the bridge, to preserve it for as long as possible. Numerous rowing clubs and boathouses occupy the Blasewitz riverbank; the section of the Elbe upstream of the Blue Wonder is used for regattas and water sports events. Peace, quiet and relaxation are found not just on the cycle path or the grassy fields along the river, but also in the Waldpark, not far away in Blasewitz.

Loschwitz and its hillside railways

Loschwitz, on the other side of the Elbe, is an idyllic spot with little lanes and pubs, set against the backdrop of the hillside and vineyards. It was the summer residence of big names such as Augustus the Strong’s brilliant court goldsmith Johann Melchior Dinglinger, or the artists Ludwig Richter or Karl and Gerhard von Kügelgen. Every year at the end of June, the famous Dresdner Elbhangfest is held along the Elbe from Loschwitz to Pillnitz: a festival with a unique atmosphere. The base stations of two monuments to engineering history – the funicular railway and the suspension railway (image: Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG) – are found close together in Loschwitz. The Standseilbahn funicular, built in 1895, is one of the oldest hillside railways in Europe. It takes passengers almost 100 metres higher on its 545-metre journey to Weißer Hirsch, where they can enjoy a wonderful view of the city. The Schwebebahn was built at the turn of the 20th century, making it Europe’s first hillside suspension railway. On its 280-metre trip to Oberloschwitz, it overcomes a height difference of 84 metres.

Regional history

On 20 pages and coming out once a quarter, over the years, Potz Blitz has become a popular district magazine with a wide readership. 

Potz Blitz always appears on the 10th of February, May, August and October, and the printed magazine is available free of charge in the SchillerGarten. You can also browse through every issue since 2005 on the special Potz Blitz website: www.potz-blitz-blasewitz.de 

Where did Potz Blitz get its name?

That is a very simple story. From 1783 to 1785, the poet and playwright Friedrich Schiller lived in Loschwitz with his friend and patron Christian Gottfried Körner. He often crossed the river to spend time at the restaurant now known as the SchillerGarten. Its proprietor, Johanna Dorothea Segedin, had a pretty daughter: Johanne Justine, known as “Gustel”. Legend says that Schiller had a liaison with her. Later, he immortalised her in his play “Wallenstein's Camp”, inserting the lines: “Zounds, how now? Gustel of Blasewitz here, I vow!” In German, “zounds” is “Potz Blitz”, literally meaning the speaker is thunderstruck. The perfect name for our magazine.