Just under a year ago, the decision was made to establish the German Centre for Astrophysics in Lusatia, Saxony. This decision was the result of a historically unique open competition to establish two large research centres in Saxony.

The German Centre for Astrophysics will have a large research campus in Görlitz and an underground laboratory in the Lusatian granite between Hoyerswerda and Bautzen and will employ 1000 people when completed. In addition to astrophysics, the focus will be on technology development and digitalisation in order to contribute to solving the major challenges facing not only astrophysics, but society as a whole.

An important task will be to strengthen astronomy, astrophysics and astroparticle physics in Germany and in a central region of Europe.

In my lecture I will give an overview of the status of the preparations for the foundation of the centre and the plans for the coming years.