The first written document mentioning "Frates de Radegiz" dates from 1244. In the following centuries, the ownership changed a few times, which was mentioned in some documents. In 1612, Radegast became a princely office. In 1727 the village received market and city rights from
Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau, but the city rights were not exercised until 1852. From 1685 to 1688, a dam was built in the lowland of the river Fuhne between Radegast and Zörbig, which created an important trade-route between the cities of
Magdeburg and
Leipzig. In 1688 a boundary stone named the "Theure Christian" was set at this route. It marked the boundary between the former countries of
Saxony and
Anhalt-Dessau. In 1702 Radegast became a market-town, and in the same year the building of Radegast's first church began. The church-tower collapsed in 1752 and was rebuilt subsequently. Two historical guesthouses were built at that time; both of them exist today. From 1780 on a
counterfeiter named Ziervogel did his foul work in the town, until he was imprisoned in 1786. In 1820 the imperial post office was opened. In the first years of its existence it was a simple post station for the town of Radegast and the villages Wehlau, Lennewitz, Riesdorf, Cosa, Fernsdorf, Station Weißandt, Priesdorf and Cösitz. In 1929 a telephone exchange was installed. The post office was closed on April 6, 1999. In the following years the town expanded. The number of inhabitants was 885 in 1867. Already in 1859 a liqueur factory was founded, followed by a sugar-refinery in 1860, where up to 120 people worked at its best times. In 1930 the refinery was closed and most of the buildings were pulled down, but some of them exist until today. In 1871 an oak tree was planted at the market-place as a symbol for the end of the war between Germany and France, which lasted from 1870 to 1871. The tree called "Friedenseiche" ("oak of peace") is a mark of Radegast today and a natural landmark. Two years later, in 1873, the
fire-brigade of Radegast was founded. In 1874 the nave of the church was rebuilt. The tower of the church was raised to a height of 35 m. A railway was opened in 1897 and extended in the following years, but at the end of
World War II the railway history of Radegast came to an end because the railway was disassembled as reparation payment to the Soviet Union. Since 1939 it had transported goods but no more passengers between the towns of Radegast and Zörbig. Culture developed in the small town: In 1911 a football team named "Britannia" was founded, followed by a gardeners' club in 1919. In 1925, 911 people lived in the town. Also in this year a new town hall was established. In 1934 the construction work on a new school house started. Only one year later the new school was inaugurated. Students were taught here until the late 1990s. After World War II ended, a new sector of the economy was opened up, as the horse-breeding started at the Radegast domain in 1951. The Radegast stud farm created a lot of prize-winning, successful saddle and sports horses in its history which is rich on tradition. From 1991 on the stud farm was called "Landgestüt des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt" ("official stud farm of Saxony-Anhalt"), but in 1997 the farm was closed, and the "Landgestüt" moved to Prussendorf. In 1999 the Radegast stud farm was sold to private owners. On April 1, 1994 Radegast joined the "Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Gölzau-Görzig", which was renamed to "Anhalt-Süd" on the same date. Since January 1, 2005 it is called "Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Südliches Anhalt".
Coat of Arms The coat of arms of Radegast has a silver background and shows a red tower on the right side. Nearby the tower there is an ascending red wall with a closed golden gate. Upon the wall there walks a black bear with a crown on its head and a collar around the neck. By giving Radegast the market and city rights, Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau also gave the town this coat of arms, which is similar to that of
Bernburg. Older versions of the Radegast coat of arms seem to be reversed, because they showed the tower on the left side and the wall on the right. == Culture and Tourism ==