Hakenkrümme, River bend formation in Aue, Germany
Hakenkrümme is a narrow, almost circular bend of the Schwarzwasser River between Aue and Lauter in the Ore Mountains of Saxony. Two protected railway bridges of the Schwarzenberg-Zwickau line have crossed this curve since 1858, linking the surrounding communities.
Mining operations in the area began before the Thirty Years' War, with silver mines worked from the early 16th century onward. This mining heritage shaped the region for centuries before the site's purpose eventually shifted.
The bend served as a central gathering place for recreation and swimming among residents of the surrounding communities. An open-air swimming pool that opened here in 1921 became popular until it closed in 1945.
The bend is easily accessible from the railway bridges and offers a natural vantage point to view the river curve. The quietest visits tend to occur on days with fewer trains passing through, allowing you to better enjoy the surrounding landscape.
The site transformed from a mining location into a power generation facility in 1924, featuring an 800-meter tunnel system for hydroelectric production. This conversion reveals how industrialization and energy demands fundamentally reshaped the purpose of places like this.
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