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From the Smithsonian

Lecture: “Cultural

Capitals of Former East

Germany”

Leipzig

NordNordWest (CC BY-SA

3.0)

What springs to

mind for many

people when they

hear the name

“Leipzig”?

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The composer J.S.

Bach is likely the first

name to be given. The

composer Felix

Mendelssohn or

Leipzig’s famous

concert hall, the

Gewandhaus, may also

be mentioned.

bieldelcw (CC BY-

SA 3.0)

http://bit.ly/16osvy

M

Carol Reynolds (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://professorcarol.com

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But fewer people are

likely to point to the

East German political

police – the “Stasi.”

And even fewer will

mention the

Montagsdemonstration

en (Monday

Demonstrations) or

name Leipzig as home

of the movement to

reunify Germany. Yet,

each of these is an

important part of

Leipzig’s story.

Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-1990-0922-002 / CC-BY-SA http://bit.ly/1wT9IHH

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Bach came to Leipzig in 1723 and

spent the last 27 years of his life there.

It was his final “station” or site of

employment, and perhaps his most

important. It certainly was his longest.

Many of the general associations we

have of Bach stem from this period.

He was hired as music director of the

principal churches and Cantor of the

boys’ school at the St. Thomas Church.

Portrait of J.S. Bach

Elias Gottlob Haussmann

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Perhaps the most

beautiful of the

churches Bach served

was St. Nicholas

Church with its unusual

décor based on the

palm-shaped capitals.

This church would play

a critical role centuries

later in bringing an end

to Communism in East

Germany.

Appaloosa (CC BY-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/1DBTWnM

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The St. Thomas Church (Thomaskirche)

is the church most people associate with

Bach’s career in Leipzig. Not only is he

now buried there, but one of the

magnificent stained glass windows

incorporates his portrait into the center.

Also here he directed the world-

renowned Leipzig St. Thomas Boys’

Choir (Thomanerchor), which traces its

roots back to 1212. His work at this

school is well documented and has much

in common with duties of the present-day

cantor.

Zarafa (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1H95meX

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The Statue of Bach outside the St.

Thomas Church is a popular spot for

visitors. It was created in 1908 by Leipzig

artist Carl Seffner who gave Bach a

turned-out coat pocket to symbolize a

paycheck far too low to support Bach’s

large family.

Zarafa (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1v9e86Y

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A particularly poignant church in

Leipzig stood outside of Bach’s

direct administrative control. It was

founded as a Dominican Cloister in

1409 and rededicated as the

Paulinerkircher by Luther himself in

1545.

In Bach’s day, St. Paul’s Church had

one of the best organs around. On

occasion he played and led special

services there.

Das Furstenhaus und die Paulinerkirche in Leipzig um 1710 http://bit.ly/1zJc6ju

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Before World War II, the church stood in

good condition next to the University of

Leipzig, opposite the long façade of the

royal palace.

During the war, the entire square

(Augustusplatz) was bombed, and yet the

Paulinerkirche survived.

This was seen as a miracle for Leipzig.

Deutsche Fotothek (CC BY-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/1xw8q5f

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Yet, in one of the saddest chapters of

Leipzig’s history, the church became a

victim of politics under the East German

Communists. Over enormous world-wide

protests and amidst great anguish of the

Leipzig people, the Paulinerkirche was

dynamited in 1968. A monument to Karl

Marx was erected on the site.

After the Fall of Communism in 1989 (Die

Wende), Leipzigers were divided about

whether to restore the original historical

structure, build an architecturally modern

church, or use the space for other

purposes.

Karl Marx Relief. Dsa66503 (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/13xkBl2

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Ultimately, after

competition among

radically different

designs, an ultra-

modern concept was

chosen. It preserves the

original Paulinerkirche

in position and size, but

was cast in striking

panels of glass. It is

harmoniously unified

with the façade of the

rebuilt University of

Leipzig’s main building.

Polybert49 (CC BY-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/1Anls4C

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Quite a different aspect

of Leipzig’s “Bach

Identity” has to do with

the new Coffee Culture.

Leipzig was a prime spot

during Bach’s lifetime for

the new Coffee Houses.

According to one legend,

coffee was introduced to

Europe when it was

found in the abandoned

Turkish camps following

the Siege of Vienna,

1683. Professor Carol

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The love of this new beverage spread like wildfire,

and trendy establishments sprang up wherever

coffee was sold. The most prominent coffee house

in Bach’s time, Zimmermann’s, was linked both to

concerts of the Collegium Musicum and to Bach’s

jolly composition known as “The Coffee Cantata.”

Engraving by Georg Schreiber

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“If I couldn't, three times a day,

be allowed to drink my little

cup of coffee, in my anguish I

will turn into a shriveled-up

roast goat.”

Christian Friedrich Henrici,

librettist

Coffee Cantata, BWV 211, 1732-35

Keenan Browe (CC BY-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/1CwHAsD

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Zimmermann’s was not rebuilt after the

bombing in World War II, but another

historic coffee house Zum arabische Coffe

Baum, has survived and become a cultural

landmark for Leipzigers. In addition to great

coffee and sumptuous pastries, it features

a charming coffee museum in its upper

floors.

Appaloosa (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1ACxFAA

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Mendelssohn (1809-1847) came to

Leipzig in 1835 to be the conductor of

the city’s famous Gewandhaus

Orchestra. For the remainder of his life,

he built this organization through

visionary ideas about conducting and

sheer hard work.

His name will always be linked to Leipzig

and to the music of this city.

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When Mendelssohn arrived, concerts were

being given in a commercial building known

as the Gewandhaus (Trading House for

Cloth Merchants) built in 1781. Here Mozart

performed once, and Liszt, Berlioz, and

Wagner would also conduct.

Watercolor by Felix Mendelssohn (1836)

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The orchestra outgrew

this venue and a new

hall was built by the

architect Martin Gropius

(famous later for the

architectural school

known as the

Bauhaus). It opened in

1884.

Postcard c. 1900-1910

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After the destruction of

the Second Gewandhaus

in World War II, a

grandiose modern hall

opened in 1981.

Incorporating striking

facets of Socialist

architecture, the guiding

spirit of the third

Gewandhaus was

conductor Kurt Mazur

who would later become

an outspoken supporter

of German unity.

Professor Carol

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At night, a fantastic

mural called the Song

of Life (Gesang vom

Leben) by Sighard Gille

can be seen across the

square. It serves as a

dramatic backdrop as

streams of concert-

goers arrive.

Dierk Schäfer (CC BY 2.0) http://bit.ly/1E3FDZh

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Mendelssohn’s last

residence is a large,

graceful apartment in

classic Biedermeier

design.

Geisler Marin (CC BY-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/1DST1iL

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You can see excellent

examples of

Biedermeier furnishings

throughout the

apartment.

Mendelssohn’s work

room is a special

highlight of the visit.

Andreas Praefcke (CC BY-SA 2.5) http://bit.ly/1r9pZpn

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Perhaps the

best reflection of

Biedermeier style is

found in his wife

Cecile's sitting room.

We can imagine her

warm smile as she

seated her guests.

Professor Carol

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The atmosphere in

Mendelssohn’s House

reminds us of a most

beloved painter of the

same era, Carl

Spitzweg.

His paintings reflect

simple daily scenes and

intimate moments in

domestic life.

Die arme Poet (1839)

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Leipzig needed

much rebuilding

after World War II.

Although

liberated by US

troops, Leipzig was

given to Soviet

forces in 1945 and

became a key city

in East Germany (the

Deutsche

Demokratische

Republik).Deutsche Fotothek (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1AzNeuN

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The East German Secret Police was an

insidious and omnipresent organization

from 1950 until the end of Communism. It

was known as the Stasi, or, officially, the

Ministry for State Security or

Staatssicherheitsdienst (SSD).

jgaray (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1JJOVtM

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While similar to the

better-known KGB, the

Stasi employed an even

higher ratio of

informants and these

people often turned out

to be relatives and

friends of people who

had no idea they were

being watched.

Hajothu (CC BY 3.0) http://bit.ly/1CfzBjD

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The small museum

known as the Museum

Runde Ecke offers

visitors the chance to

experience Leipzig’s

Stasi headquarters.

You’ll also find the

antiquated spy

technology both quaint

and chilling.

Appaloosa (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1CfzWmo

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When Communism fell

in East Germany,

citizens tore into this

building, seeking to find

their personal records

among the millions of

papers and learn

whether they had been

spied upon. The sight

of documents blowing

out into the street

became an iconic

image of this

tumultuous period.

Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-1990-0116-114 / CC-BY-SA http://bit.ly/1v9lKWp

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After visiting the Runde

Ecke, try to visit the

exhibit known as

Zeitgeschichtliches Forum

Leipzig (Forum for

Contemporary History). It

opened in 1999 and entry

is free. It presents the

history of Germany’s

division, an overview of

the DDR period, the story

of the demonstrations that

led to the tearing down of

the Wall, and the story of

Reunification.Appaloosa (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/13LaYA5

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Outside of this museum

you’ll find Der

Jahrhundertschritt (The

Century Step), a

striking monument

designed by Wolfgang

Mattheuer (1927-2004)

and erected in 1984 as

a dramatic symbol of

resistance to Fascism

and all forms of

dictatorship.

Professor Carol

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In 1989, prayer

meetings began to be

held on Monday

evenings. The central

church for these was

one of Bach’s: the St.

Nikolai Kirche.

Sermons, hymns,

prayers, and speeches

drew increasingly big

crowds. The police

were unable to contain

the momentum.

Appaloosa (CC BY-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/1DBTWnM

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The momentum

demanding

dissolution of the

Wall and

Reunification was

felt everywhere in

East Germany, but

was particularly

intense in Leipzig.

Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-1990-0922-002 / CC-BY-SA http://bit.ly/1wT9IHH

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Quickly Leipzig

sprang to the

forefront of the

new era.

The tone was set

in part by

Leipzig’s Kunst

im öffentlichen

Raum or Art in

Public Spaces.

Sculpture: Unzeitgemäßen Zeitgenossen by Bernd Göbel, 1986-89. Photo: Professor Carol

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Leipzig drew from its past as a Free Trade City

and Market Center and began building a strong

commercial center.

The beautiful central train station was

refurbished and an attractive modern shopping

mall was added.

Polybert49 (CC BY-SA 2.0) http://bit.ly/13mwIRD

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Leipzig was filled once again with

bustling commerce. A beautiful

new arcade was built in the

historic trade passage that stood

over the famous spot known as

Auerbach’s Keller. This

underground pub (and large

restaurant today) is the site where

Goethe placed the action of a key

scene in Faust.

Appaloosa (CC BY-SA 3.0) http://bit.ly/1r9q1xB

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Leipzig built upon its history as a Messestadt (Trade Fair City) and crafted a

beautiful new Fair Grounds. Its famous annual book fair is the second largest

in Germany, after Frankfurt’s.

Alexander Mitew (CC BY 3.0) http://bit.ly/1JwMc6K

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Leipzig’s elegant past

can be felt in many

places today, including

the art nouveau shop

Ricochet and the cafes

around the beautifully

restored Baroque Stock

Exchange.

jaime.silva (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) http://bit.ly/1ACMdQG

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Old and new, tragic and

victorious, Leipzig is

alive today, filled with

student life and cultural

activities and the

promise of the future.

Lutz536 (CC BY-NC 2.0) http://bit.ly/1wVrUND

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Culture,

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