"No violence" and "We are the people" were the slogans chanted on the streets of Leipzig on the 9th of October 1989. Over 70,000 people turned up to stage a peaceful protest against the East German regime. If any shots had been fired on that day, German history could have taken a different turn. But this Monday in October remained free of violence - and the Berlin Wall fell not long after. One year later, Germany was united again and the Cold War came to an end.

A new beginning with obstacles

To this day, the people of Leipzig are proud of their contribution to the fall of the Berlin Wall, even though the reality they faced afterwards didn't match a lot of their expectations. Many people lost their jobs and had to start from scratch. The city's buildings were in a terrible state and thousands of houses had to be renovated, torn down or rebuilt. This massive renovation project is not fully finished yet. Leipzig's city center may have a fresh new look, but in less attractive districts - such as Reudnitz, Sommerfeld and Stoetteritz - there are still many old buildings in desperate need of renovation.

Nothing seems impossible

Leipzig likes to take on ambitious projects, even those that seem impossible at first glance. In 2003, under the slogan "One Family," the city was in the running to become the host of the 2012 Olympic Games, but failed. Despite this setback, the atmosphere in the city was euphoric during this time and the attempt in itself indicates that Leipzig sees itself as a worldly city without limits. Since 2004, a 700-million-Euro ($925 million) building project has been underway which aims to construct a tunnel through the city center. The construction site is one of the most expensive and complex in Germany.

"I am fond of my Leipzig! It's Little Paris and it educates its people."

Leipzig was officially established in 1165 and is one of the oldest cultural centers in the world. The city is proud of its wealth of art and culture. The most famous personalities of this metropolis include poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) and baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Goethe studied poetry here for four years and gave the city the nickname of "Little Paris." He also included Leipzig in one of the scenes of his tragic play "Faust I," which is set in the now-famous restaurant, Auerbachs Keller.

Leipzig is music

Many tourists come to Leipzig each year to see the Thomaskirche church, where Bach worked as a cantor from 1723 until his death. They also come to see the Bach Museum and the Gewandhaus concert hall. However, what many don't know is that the city was also home to other famous musicians and composers in the past, including Richard Wagner, Edvard Grieg, Robert Schumann and Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy.

Author: Ronny Arnold
Editor: Greg Wiser