DEUTSCHLAND	GERMANY
Bundesland: Freistaat Sachsen	Saxony
Landkreis: Mittelsachsen

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Döbeln is located at an elevation of 168 m on the river Freiberger Mulde, with its historic old town situated on an island between two brances of the river. The municipality has a population of about 23,500 (2020). The town's popular nickname 'Stiefelstadt' ('boot town') was coined for a giant boot (4.6 m high) that was made in 1925 for the 600 year anniversary of the bootmakers' guild of Döbeln. Until 1996 the boot remained the world's largest example of its kind.

The region was first settled by Slavic Sorbs in the 8th century; German settlers followed in the 10th century. Doblin caste was first mentioned in a document of AD 981, a deed of donation for the monastery of Memleben. A 'districtus' Döbeln was mentioned in 1350 and Döbeln itself was mentioned as 'civitas' in 1351. The district Döbeln was incorporated into the district Leisnig in 1588. The railroad from Riesa to Döbeln was completed in 1847, the onward section to Chemnitz was finished in 1852. The railroad from Dresden to Leipzig via Döbeln followed in 1868. The historic town survivied World War II with almost no damages, but was affected severely by floodings in 2002 and 2013. The modern district Döbeln was formed in 1990 and existed until 2008 when it was merged with the districts Freiberg and Mittweda to become the current district Mittelsachsen (Central Saxony); the seat of the administration of the district is in Freiberg.

The town hall [left, no. 2942, and right, no. 4093] was built in 1910–1912 in Renaissance revival style. Since 1997 the municipal museum is located in the tower of the town hall. The 'giant boot of Döbeln' is exhibited in the town hall.

The Königliche Realschule (Royal secondary modern school) [near left, no. 4057] was founded in 1869. The building depicted on glass no. 4057 was built in 1871. In 1938 the school was renamed Staatliche Oberschule für Jungen und Staatliche Höhere Landwirtschaftsschule zu Döbeln (State High School for Boys and State Higher Agricultural School in Döbeln), in 1947 Lessing-Oberschule (Lessing High School) and in 1992 Lessing-Gymnasium (Lessing Grammar School).

The Nicolaikirche (Church of St. Nicholas) [left, no. 4411: right, and below, no.࿭: bottom right picture]was built in the 14th century in early Gothic style in place of an older church that had been destroyed by a large fire in 1333. In 1479 it was remodeled into a late Gothic hall church. The upper parts of the tower were created after another fire in1730 had partly destroyed the old tower of which only the lower parts still remain.

The Schlossbergschule ('Castle Hill School') [left, no. 4411: left] was built in 1867–1869 in Historistic style on the site of the former castle, which had been founded in in the 14th century but had become derelict by the 17th/18th century.

The top picture on glass no. 4077 [near left] shows a view of Königstraße (King Street). The representative street was laid out in 1875 and replaced the former Weg zur Haltestelle ('Way to the stop'). During the period of the Weimar Republic (1919–1933) it was named Rathenaustraße, honouring Walter Rathenau, the German Foreign Minister assassinated in 1922. During the Nazi period, the street was renamed for Adolf Hitler. After World War II it was first renamed for Josef Stalin in 1945. Since 1954 it is named Straße des Friedens (Peace Street).

The Amtsgericht (district court) [near left, no. 4077: bottom left picture] was founded in 1879 and replaced the former judicial office Döbeln. The building depicted here on the glass was built around 1900.

[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%B6beln; https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Döbeln; http://www.doebeln.net/wiki/Rathaus; http://www.doebeln-entdecken.de/doebeln/strassen.html; https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_der_Kulturdenkmale_in_D%C3%B6beln; https://www.architektur-blicklicht.de/artikel/touren/schlossbergschule-doebeln/]