The New International Encyclopædia/Bautzen
BAUTZEN, bout'sen, or BAUDISSIN,
bou'dḗ-sḗn (Wendish Budyśin, hut-city, from Slav.
buda, hut, tent. Engl. booth). The capital of the
Circle of the same name in the Kingdom of Saxony,
and a thriving manufacturing town, known for its
products of woolens and other textiles, leather,
paper, metallic goods, etc. (Map: Germany,
F 3). It is situated on rising ground overlooking
the river Spree, about 30 miles east-northeast
of Dresden, and surrounded by a wall and moat.
The Cathedral of Saint Peter is used by both
Protestants and Roman Catholics, the church
being divided into two parts by a grating for
that purpose. The Castle of Ortenburg, often the
residence of the kings of Bohemia, is now occupied
by Government offices. The city's affairs
are administered by a municipal council of 24
members and an executive board of 7. (See
, Local Government.) There are
numerous schools, three public libraries, a museum,
and an art gallery. Bautzen is a place of considerable
antiquity, and was first made a town
under Otho I. in the Tenth Century. It suffered
greatly in the war with the Hussites, and still
more during the Thirty Years' War. It is
celebrated as the place where Napoleon, with an
army of 130,000 men, after an obstinate resistance,
won a barren victory over 90,000 of the
allied Russians and Prussians on May 20-21,
1813. The Allies lost in the two days 12,000 in
killed and wounded, in addition to 1500 taken
prisoners. The French left 5000 dead upon the
field, and had over 15,000 wounded. Population,
in 1890, 22,000; in 1900, 26,000.