1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Dresden
DRESDEN, Saxony (see 8.574). — The pop. of Dresden, according to the census of 1919, was 529,326; in 1910, without some suburbs since incorporated, it was 548,308. Dresden was perhaps harder hit by the World War than most other towns in Germany. The whole structure of its economic life had been dependent upon visitors, especially foreigners, and the outbreak of the war brought this to a sudden stop. In addition, the shortage of food, serious everywhere, was more especially felt in Saxony and her capital, which were dependent mainly upon industry. Lastly, the revolution swept away the life of the Court, which meant a great deal for Dresden. With the revolution came the development of extreme political tendencies among the working classes of Dresden, which led to constant disturbances, strikes, etc., although the violent and sanguinary encounters associated with the insurrectionary movement in western Saxony, were less widespread in Dresden. But the assassination of Neuring, the majority Socialist Minister of War, on April 12 1919, and the sanguinary street fighting of Jan. 9 and 10 of the same year, are sufficient proof that the capital of Saxony was not immune from scenes of violence. After 1914 the expansion of the city came to a complete standstill, and in 1921 Dresden, like other towns, was suffering severely from lack of housing accommodation. After the revolution there was a majority of extremists in the Municipal Council, and the financial position of the city had become very precarious.
The collections and museums will doubtless maintain the reputation of Dresden as a centre of art. The Royal Opera, which enjoyed a world-wide reputation before the World War, has not been able as a State Opera to maintain its high artistic level. Industry came to a complete standstill during the war — the manufacture of cigarettes, for instance, which was very flourishing, had to be cut down owing to lack of raw material — but by 1921, some recovery had taken place and Dresden showed signs of returning prosperity as a resort for visitors. (C. K.*)