City mayor Barbara Ludwig was clearly delighted by the surprise result, saying that “this will do the city so much good. What an amazing feeling.”

Chemnitz probably isn’t on many people’s radars. Here are five things that have marked the city's rocky history.

1. The Saxonian Manchester

The golden days for the city of Chemnitz came in the 19th century when it was one of the first German cities to embrace the revolutionary technology of steam power.

It won the moniker “Saxonian Manchester.” This nickname wasn’t just a reference to the manifold factory chimneys, it was also a comment on the poor air quality in its streets. Just like in the English town, textiles were a central pillar of the local economy.

The city was a hub of invention – six times more patents were registered than the German average. And as industry took off, so too did the population. Chemnitz achieved the status of a Großstadt in 1883 when its population topped 100,000.

2. It is the original home of Audi

The luxury car maker is normally associated with the city of Ingolstadt. But it was actually founded in Chemnitz in the 1930s when four major car companies of the time were united under one brand – Auto-Union (hence the four rings joined together.)

After the war, when the communist rulers in East Germany started seizing the wealth of private companies, the engineers at Auto-Union fled to Bavaria, bringing their know how with them. It was one of several such stories that still have an effect on employment in the city today.

3. A famous name change

The city cente in 1910 (right and 1977 (left). Photos: Wikipedia Commons 

Chemnitz was an important centre of military production during the war, with Auto-Union’s Siegmar factory being used to produce engines for the Wehmacht’s tanks. The allies flattened the city centre in the last few months of the conflict, leaving much of its historical architecture completely destroyed.

In 1953, the communist leadership of the GDR renamed the city Karl Marx Stadt, saying that the city deserved the honour due to its history of active political engagement among its proletariat. There is still a huge granite bust of the 19th century economist in the city centre.

The city that was rebuilt would have been barely recognisable to someone who grew up in Chemnitz in the late 19th century. The opulent Gründerzeit architecture was replaced by endless rows of Plattenbau.

The name was changed back to Chemnitz almost immediately after reunification when three quarters of the population voted in favour of the original name.

Photo: DPA

4. At the foot of the Erzgebirge

The history of Chemnitz isn't just rocky in the metaphorical sense, it has quite literally been influenced by the rock of the Ore mountains.

When we think of German cities with a mountain view the mind obviously springs to Munich. But Chemnitz is one of the few other Großstädte that sits at the foot of a mountain range.

From the city one can travel up into the Ore Mountains, which are largely untouched by tourism.

The thick forests and steep valleys make for some impressive views. As the name suggests the mountains are a rich vein of ore and contributed to the transformation of mining in the early modern era.

5. A neo-Nazi march

In recent history, Chemnitz is best know for a neo-Nazi march which took place there in 2018 after a local man was stabbed to death by a refugee.

There was local unrest over several days and neo-Nazis descended on the city where they also attacked migrants and gave the Hitler salute.

A mass concert in the aftermath with people coming from across the country to stand against right-wing extremism.

READ MORE: Chemnitz: Portrait of a city shaken by anti-foreigner riots