Some thirty years later, Elector August of Saxony had the Schlösschen torn down and the stones used to build Lichtenburg Castle, which centuries later would become infamous.

The Antonian monastery of Lichtenbergk was witness to an historic occasion when in 1518, Martin Luther and Georg Spalatin met in Elector Frederick the Wise's presence for consultations.

Two years after this came a dramatic discussion, in Philipp Melanchthon's presence, between Luther and the Papal envoy Karl von Miltitz.

After a period of decay, the palace blossomed once again under Electress Hedwig, who built the "Hedwigsburg", and who had been granted the palace as her "widow's seat" (Witwensitz) after her husband Christian II, Elector of Saxony died in 1611, whereupon she also found herself running the Ämter of Annaburg, Schweinitz (with Prettin and Lichtenburg), Seyda and Schlieben, even having a small army at her disposal.

After a short time being part of the newly minted Kingdom of Saxony, this town on the Elbe had to be ceded to Prussia, thanks to Napoleon (1807).

After World War II, Prettin was incorporated into the Province (since 1947, State) of Saxony-Anhalt from 1945 to 1952 and the Bezirk Cottbus of East Germany from 1952 to 1990.