unharmed, although air raids targeting the town's train station started in March 1945. Kronach refused to surrender to the advancing US Army, and was attacked by the 11th Armored Division of the Third Army under George Patton on the morning of April 12, 1945. After heavy fighting that resulted in the destruction of 15 buildings, the Americans marched into the town square in the evening of the same day. After the end of the war, Kronach received thousands of East German emigrants, it also hosted deported Sudeten Germans from the former Landkreis of Podersam. The town hosted the Bavarian Regional Garden Show in 2002, and celebrated its millennial anniversary in 2003. Notable people Lucas Cranach the Elder (ca.1472–1553), a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving. Burchard Kranich (ca.1515 – 1578), (also known as Doctor Burcot) a mining engineer and physician who was involved in mining ventures in Derbyshire and Cornwall Maximilian von Welsch (1671–1745), a German architect, construction director and fortress master builder. Johann Kaspar Zeuss (1806–1856), a German historian and founder of Celtic philology. Josef Stangl (1907–1979), a Roman Catholic bishop of Würzburg, Germany; he consecrated Father Joseph Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI, as a bishop in 1977. Heinrich Setz (1915–1943), Luftwaffe military aviator during WWII, and a fighter ace Gloria Friedmann (born 1950), a German-French sculptor and installation artist Sebastian Borger (born 1964), a German journalist and author based in London. Axel Kober (born 1970), a German conductor and music director of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein since 2009. Kristian Böhnlein (born 1990), a German professional footballer with over 250 club caps Jessica Wich (born 1990), a football striker, she plays for Bayer 04 Leverkusen (women) Sights Heunischenburg, a prehistoric hillfort nearby Festung Rosenburg, the historic fortress that dominates the city Twin towns – sister cities Kronach is twinned with: Hennebont, France Kiskunhalas, Hungary Rhodt unter Rietburg, Germany References External links Official website Kronach (district)