Saxony wine revived once again
Despite these efforts, viticulture in Saxony was on the brink of extinction after the turn of the century. The year 1907 marked a significant turning point when Reinhold Bahrmann replanted the first vineyards in Diesbar-Seußlitz with grafted plants. This gave other winegrowers the courage to try a new start. The achievements of agricultural councillor Carl Pfeiffer, who modernized viticulture in Saxony at the beginning of the 20th century, are particularly noteworthy.
The winegrowing industry in Saxony experienced a new upswing in 1929 with the founding of the “Kleinweinbauverein”. The association grew to several hundred members within a short space of time. Vineyards, some of which had already gone wild, were replanted with phylloxera-resistant rootstock vines. The Sächsische Winzergenossenschaft, founded on May 9, 1938, developed into the foundation of viticulture in Saxony and was intended to solve the problems of marketing small quantities.
Saxony wine within the GDR
During the GDR period, viticulture in Saxony was confronted with new challenges. In the 1950s, securing the supply of basic foodstuffs took priority, which is why winegrowing was initially of lesser importance. However, the GDR government showed interest in the ownership structure of winegrowers. As private companies did not fit into the concept of the socialist planned economy, the Freyburg winegrowers' association, for example, which was founded in 1934, was forced to give up its independence in 1951 and join the “Vereinigung der gegenseitigen Bauernhilfe (VdgB)”.
Private winegrowers who were not part of the cooperative were also affected by the nationalization policy. They had to cede their vineyards, which had a long tradition, to regional agricultural cooperatives. Large private winegrowers were also expropriated, as the example of the Kloster Pforta vineyard, from which the VEG Weinbau emerged in 1952, shows.
Despite these restrictions, there were no sales problems for winegrowers on the Saale and Unstrut rivers in the GDR. The quantities produced for the GDR market were too small, and experts estimate that not even two percent of the GDR's wine requirements could be covered by domestic products. In the Thuringian Saale valley, for example, only three hectares of vines were cultivated in the 1950s, and the total area under vines in the Saale and Unstrut region was less than 200 hectares.
In the period before and after German reunification
In order to better meet the increasing demand, new areas were only designated for winegrowing following a decision by the Council of Ministers in 1963. Nevertheless, it was not easy for the citizens of the GDR to enjoy a drop from the Saale or Unstrut. The wines were not available in conventional HO stores, but only in delicatessen stores, Interhotels or occasionally at drinks stands. The cooperatives were not allowed to sell on their own responsibility, and selling to private individuals, even to wealthy guests from the West, was a criminal offense.
Viticulture in Saxony experienced a revival after the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification. Numerous private wineries were established and the quality of the wines improved considerably. The fact that Saxon wines have been awarded prizes for years is testament to the high quality of the products. Although the area under vines has increased since then, it has remained relatively small compared to the growing regions in western Germany.
