Jahrsau

Abandoned Village

A place lost to the border

Location: Jahrsau deserted village near Jeebel Duration: approx. 35 mins. Stops: 12 Walking distance: 1.9 km

Abandoned and silent, the remains of a village lie amongst the trees. The deserted village of Jahrsau, just a few hundred metres from the former inner-German border, is like an echo of a bygone era.

Like over 100 other villages in the GDR, Jahrsau disappeared after its inhabitants were driven out in the ‘Ungeziefer’ and ‘Kornblume’ operations.

Accompanied by a contemporary witness, the last resident of Jahrsau, we set out in search of traces of a vanished place and its history.

Even if it was small, it was our home.

— The last resident of Jahrsau

You cannot uproot an old tree

The memorial stone for the “abandoned village of Jahrsau” is the starting point of our multimedia tour. From here, several stops lead us to overgrown ruins and remnants of walls, and we learn more about the fate of the people for whom this place was once home.

Starting point: Memorial to the abandoned village of Jahrsau, 29410 Jeebel

Local partners:

BUND for Environment and Nature Conservation Saxony-Anhalt e.V