Leipzig

History

First documented in 1015, and endowed with city and market privileges in 1165, Leipzig has always been known as a place of commerce. The Leipzig Trade Fair became an event of international importance; especially as a point of contact to the East-European economic bloc (Comecon) of which East Germany was a member.

Related Topics:
1015 - 1165 - Leipzig Trade Fair - Comecon - East Germany

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The foundation of the University of Leipzig in 1409 initiated the city's development into a center of the publishing industry, and towards being a location of the German National Library (founded in 1912). Johann Sebastian Bach worked in Leipzig from 1723 to 1750, at the St. Thomas church. In 1813, the Leipzig region was the arena of the Battle of the Nations. In 1913 a monument, the Völkerschlachtdenkmal, celebrating this event was finished.

Related Topics:
University of Leipzig - 1409 - German National Library - 1912 - Johann Sebastian Bach - 1723 - 1750 - St. Thomas church - 1813 - Battle of the Nations - Völkerschlachtdenkmal

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Having been a terminal of the first German long distance railroad (1838, to Dresden, the capital of Saxony), Leipzig became a hub of Central-European railroad traffic, with a renowned station building, now the largest passenger train station in Europe. Leipzig expanded rapidly towards one million inhabitants. Huge Gründerzeit areas were built, which survived, for the greater part, the War and after war demolitions. Nowadays these areas are unique in modern Germany. The decline of the number of inhabitants however remain a threat to these precious rich decorated remains of once Imperial Germany. Source: Press

Related Topics:
Railroad - 1838 - Dresden

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The first German labour party, the General German Workers' Association (in German Allgemeiner Deutscher Arbeiterverein, ADAV) was founded in Leipzig on 23 May 1863 by Ferdinand Lassalle; about 600 workers from across Germany travelled to it using the new railway line.

Related Topics:
Labour party - General German Workers' Association - 23 May - 1863 - Ferdinand Lassalle

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Nobel prize laureate Werner Heisenberg worked as a physics professor at Leipzig University from 1927 to 1942.

Related Topics:
Nobel prize - Werner Heisenberg - Leipzig University - 1927 - 1942

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On November 9, 1938, on a night now known as Kristallnacht, Nazis in Leipzig destroyed Jewish synagogues and establishments in Leipzig as they did all over Germany. A U.S official in Leipzig described what he saw of the atrocities. "Having demolished dwellings and hurled most of the moveable effects to the streets," he wrote, "the insatiably sadistic perpetrators threw many of the trembling inmates into a small stream that flows through the zoological park, commanding horrified spectators to spit at them, defile them with mud and jeer at their plight."

Related Topics:
Kristallnacht - Nazis - Jewish - Synagogues - Germany

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The city was heavily damaged by Allied bombing during World War II.

Related Topics:
Allied - World War II

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American troops of the 69th Infantry Division captured the city on April 20 1945, Adolf Hitler's 56th and final birthday. The US later ceded the city to the Red Army, and it was one of the major cities of East Germany.

Related Topics:
American - April 20 - 1945 - Adolf Hitler - US - Red Army - East Germany

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In 1989 after prayers for peace at the Nikolai Church (established in 1983 as part of the peace-movement) the Monday demonstrations started as the most prominent mass event that led to democratisation and later on to the German reunification.

Related Topics:
1989 - Prayer - Peace - Nikolai Church - Monday demonstrations - German reunification

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Leipzig was also the German candidate for the 2012 Summer Olympics, but didn't make it into the final list of bidders.

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