“Der Beipert im Connewitzer Holz. Ever heard of it?” I ask. I am about to tell you its story. It is a forest but not just any forest. It’s Leipzig Riverside Forest. It is Europe’s largest intra-city riparian forest. It has developed along the White Elster river and its tributaries. These are the Pleiße and Parthe.
Leipzig itself has been a trade city since the Holy Roman Empire. Via Regia and Via Imperii crossed here. These were important medieval trade routes. Leipzig’s trade fair dates to 1190. Leipzig is often called Lindenstadt or Stadt der Linden. This means City of Linden Trees. This is because the city’s name likely comes from the Slavic word “lipa.” Lipa means linden tree.
You might also hear Leipzig called “Little Paris.” This comes from Goethe’s Faust I. Part of the play takes place in Auerbachs Keller. This was a famous Leipzig restaurant. In 1989, Leipzig played a big part in the fall of communism. Demonstrations started at St. Nicholas Church.
Leipzig is in the Leipzig Bay. This is the southernmost part of the North German Plain. The White Elster river flows through the city. The Pleiße and the Parthe join it here. This creates the Leipziger Gewässerknoten. This area has swampy areas. One such area is the Leipzig Riparian Forest. The landscape is mostly flat.
Leipzig has ten boroughs. Each borough has smaller localities. Some localities used to be outlying villages. Leipzig annexed these villages. Leipzig has an oceanic climate. Winters are cold. Summers are warm. Precipitation is less in winter than in summer.
Leipzig was first written about in 1015. Bishop Thietmar of Merseburg called it urbs Libzi. Otto the Rich gave it city and market privileges in 1165. Leipzig Trade Fair is the oldest surviving trade fair in the world. This helped Leipzig’s merchant class grow.
Commercial fishing on the Pleiße dates back to 1305. Margrave Dietrich the Younger gave fishing rights to St. Thomas Church. The University of Leipzig was founded in 1409. Leipzig became a center for German law and publishing.
Two battles took place outside Leipzig during the Thirty Years’ War. These were the battles of Breitenfeld in 1631 and 1642. The Swedish side won both battles. In 1839, Leipzig became a railway hub. The first German long-distance railway went to Dresden. Leipzig Hauptbahnhof is Europe’s largest terminal station by area.
In the 19th century, Leipzig was a center for German liberalism. The first German labor party was founded here in 1863. By 1907, the Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei was Europe’s largest cotton mill. Carl Friedrich Goerdeler became mayor in 1930. He opposed the Nazi regime.
During Kristallnacht in 1938, the Leipzig synagogue was destroyed. Thousands of forced laborers were in Leipzig during World War II. In 1989, Monday demonstrations helped bring down East Germany’s government. Leipzig has seen urban and economic renewal since the early 2000s.
Leipzig is called “The better Berlin” now. It’s known for its vibrant lifestyle. Leipzig Zoo is one of Europe’s most modern zoos. It ranks first in Germany. Leipzig is a major center for music. This includes classical and dark wave.
The Thomanerchor is a famous boys’ choir founded in 1212. The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra is one of the world’s oldest symphony orchestras. Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn worked in Leipzig. The University of Music and Theatre “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” was founded in 1843.
Der Beipert is just a small part of Leipzig’s amazing story. But it’s a vital part. It provides green space. It helps clean the air. It gives people a place to relax. So remember Der Beipert as you explore Leipzig. It’s a reminder of the city’s natural beauty.