Looking down from a height of seven meters (23 feet) and weighing an impressive 40 tons, the face of Karl Marx has a grim demeanor that reflects an image many recognize from history books.

There was a time when this huge bust of Karl Marx, located in the heart of Chemnitz, embodied the spirit of socialism. Today, it's little more than a perch for pigeons. As tourists stop to photograph this relic, skateboarders cruise back and forth across the plaza in front of the city hall, indifferent to Karl Marx's impassive face.

Marx kept his head

Over time, the citizens of Chemnitz have come to accept this monumental bronze cast as part of the cityscape. This was not always the case.

Soon after German unification, the city itself was renamed, from Karl-Marx-Stadt back to Chemnitz. The streets and alleys bearing the name of the revolutionary philosopher were rechristened.

Some demanded not just his name but Marx's head as well. However, fervent appeals to destroy the bust were not heeded. The sculpture still stands today, and souvenirs of the bust are sold to tourists.

The Manchester of Saxony

The more recent history of Chemnitz -- Karl Marx and his socialist legacy -- tends to overshadow the many others who have contributed to making the city a flourishing center of innovation.

The industrialization of Chemnitz, Saxony's third largest city, began in the year 1779. As the supply of silver in the surrounding Erzgebirge Mountains was exhausted, workers were forced to seek other sources of income. They began to focus on technology.

Talented engineers soon started building better machines than their English counterparts, one of which was the first fully automated cotton mill. Chemnitz grew to become one of the most important centers of the German textile industry and was referred to as the "Manchester of Saxony."

In 1862, a metal-works machine produced by the Zimmerman company of Chemnitz was the first German product to win a gold medal at the world fair in Paris.

Katarina and computers

Ice skater Katarina Witt is the best known athlete of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). The "prettiest face in the east," as she was called, lived and trained in the Karl Marx City. The fact that she won two Olympic gold medals, four world and six European championships was largely due to the GDR's focus on promoting its athletes.

The city still profits from this promotion of athleticism. World discus throwing champion Lars Riedel and swimmer Stev Theloke both hail from Chemnitz.

The future of the Saxon region, however, rests with the thinkers and innovators. Chemnitz has recently discovered another lucrative branch of the economy: information technology, or IT.

Approximately 200 IT businesses have settled in Chemnitz and are strengthening the resolve of this city to become one of Germany's most important high-tech centers. The University of Technology is the life-force of this "workshop of innovation" known as Chemnitz.