The Free State of Saxony
Saxony, situated in the very East of Germany, is a large land-locked state at the conjunction of many trade routes through central Europe. With a land area of 18,413 square kilometers and 4.4 million inhabitants Saxony represents the tenth-largest in area and sixth-largest in population among Germany's sixteen states. Saxony was and is highly influenced by a thousand year old history as a duchy, an electorate of the Holy Roman Empire and as a kingdom. In 1918 the monarchical system collapsed and a republic was proclaimed. Occupied and abolished by the Soviet Union after World War II Saxony was re-constituted in October 1990 during the reunification of East and West Germany. Today, Saxony can be seen as one of the most charming areas in Germany combining tradition and future in a unique way.
Dresden, Capital of Saxony and Host City
Dresden has a long history as the capital and royal residence for the Kings of Saxony, who for centuries furnished the city with cultural and artistic splendour. The controversial bombing of Dresden in World War II, plus 40 years in the Soviet bloc state of East Germany, changed the face of the city broadly. Since German reunification in 1990, Dresden has emerged as a cultural, political, and economic centre in the eastern part of Germany.
