Fire disaster in Dresden: Old state operetta in ruins!

Fire disaster in Dresden: Old state operetta in ruins!

A devastating fire caused the former state operetta in Dresden to go up in flames and deeply affected the hearts of its citizens. The building in Leuben, which had been unused since the State Operetta moved in 2016, is now completely burned out. This tragedy has not only caused consternation among city councilors, but also a storm of indignation at the city administration's inaction. How Sächsische.de reported, the Left City Council faction expressed sharp criticism of the administration, which had been informed about increasing vandalism in the building since January 2025, but remained inactive.

The citizens' initiative “Alte Operette - Revitalize Leuben”, which has been fighting for the revival of the empty building since 2023, had previously warned of damage and destruction. Your heart is bleeding because the fire could have been prevented with timely safety measures. So reported Day24 that the Leuben city district advisory board had already called for protective measures in February. But there was no response from the city administration while the building continued to be at the mercy of vandalism.

Political reactions and responsibility

City councilors from the various parties are united in their displeasure. Holger Zastrow from Team Zastrow points to over 400 unimplemented resolutions and the general inaction of the administration. The CDU parliamentary group also holds the city administration responsible for not responding to the urgency of the situation. The SPD criticizes the lack of deployment of a security service, which is perceived as particularly careless given the increasing number of vandalism cases.

The Green Group is calling for an inventory of the cultural use of the area, but sees austerity measures as a serious obstacle. The AfD is also concerned about the consequences of the fire disaster and warns of rising construction costs in the event of a possible reconstruction. Cultural Mayor Annekatrin Klepsch was dismayed by the loss of cultural heritage and the lack of revitalization of the former gem.

Fire protection in historical buildings

The fire in the old operetta also highlights the challenges of fire protection in historical buildings. These often have to live with outdated security systems and are often listed buildings, which makes it difficult to implement modern fire protection measures. After Fire defiance Fire protection measures must always be carried out in accordance with existing protection, which sometimes leads to serious complications.

The tragedy in Leuben could serve as an instructive lesson: historic buildings need not only love and attention, but also appropriate security measures. Failure to respond early to the vandalism could potentially have saved the city's heritage. In the future, for better or worse, those responsible will have to rethink their strategy and ensure that something like this doesn't happen again.