Leipzig Leads the Way for Former East

As much as anything else right now, Leipzig is a city under construction.

Building work dominates center stage and the tuneless tones of banging and drilling fill the air. But come Friday evening, all that will grind to a halt as residents and visitors from all over the world flock to the city gates to honor one of the most high-profile moments in Leipzig's modern history. Being selected as the location for the World Cup final draw serves as a symbol of recognition and, some even say, a unified Germany.

It was certainly not the only city in the running. Given its modest population of less than half a million and the fact that for many in the outside world, it doesn't feature on the radar in the same way as Munich, its main contender in the selection race, being chosen was a bit of a coup for Leipzig.

Christopher Hansel, who heads the department of urban planning for Leipzig's World Cup Office, believes it was a good choice of location for the final draw. "Leipzig is representative of the changes which have taken place since reunification," he said. "And for a very short period of time, we will be in the headlines the world over."

Embracing challenge and change

To an extent, the city is headline news in itself. Not only is it the only place in the former eastern Germany where soccer matches will be held during the championships next summer, but a solid city which has proved its mettle in rising to the challenges of reunification.

"Leipzig is a city of change, people are very tolerant of that. We stick our necks out and try things which other cities wouldn't dare do," said Hansel.


It is precisely that attitude which led the authorities there to place a bid for the 2012 Olympics. And although the attempt, which failed at the first hurdle, drew ridicule from some quarters, it was a clear "watch this space" statement from a city in a region generally equated with industrial and economic depression.

It is in that same vain that the city has managed to draw corporate giants such as BMW, DHL and Porsche to set up nearby plants. The city has also added a rebuilt stadium and one of the most modern exhibition centers in Europe to its list of credentials, and created a pretty inner city with a marked cafe society flair.

Building on history

Marita Müller, who has lived in Leipzig since the seventies, believes the characteristics of the people and the events of the city’s recent past contribute significantly to the changing face of the place. She cites the peaceful "Monday Demonstrations" which ultimately secured an end to the Communist era as a strong platform for a belief in the ability to bring about change.

"But there is more to it than that," she said. "Even during the GDR, when Leipzig was the only city with an exhibition center, inhabitants had regular contact with foreigners. This encouraged a sense of openness and tolerance, it broadened their horizons and enabled them to maintain a lively spirit."

Stefan Heinig, of the Leipzig city planning department, says that lively spirit which can bubble over into wild ambition is sometimes read as megalomania. "Maybe there's an element of such, but this city riding on a tradition of self-belief," he said. "People here are not afraid of setting their sights high and mucking in to help achieve their goals."

A creative city

Even unemployment rates of 20 percent don't seem enough to dampen the mood. Heinig says recent surveys show that those who live in Leipzig are actually happier than the economic situation should allow for. So much so in fact, that people have begun moving into the city rather than simply leaving in droves.

"This is a place that supports creativity," Heinig says. "We have room here to encourage projects which go against lineal thinking. We are not stuck in our ways."


Certainly the provincial city, which dates back to the Middle Ages and can boast centuries of rich cultural and musical tradition, cannot be accused of dragging its heels when it comes to promoting its own evolution. Hansel says Leipzig is neither shy of flaunting its assets nor bearing its faults.

"Anyone who comes to the city can see very well what we are doing. There are construction sites everywhere, but we don’t try to hide them or make them look nice," he said. "It's a period of unfinished change and we have already achieved a great deal in a very short space of time."