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The stunning view of the Glass Hall by night Love at first sight
<strong>focus</strong> on...
Fairs and conventions in Leipzig
>> For nearly a millennium, the
very name Leipzig has been
synonymous with fairs of all
descriptions.
In fact there can hardly be any
other city whose development has
been so closely intertwined with the
local fair. Back in the eleventh century,
Leipzig profited from its location
at the crossroads of two major
trade routes, the Via imperii and Via
regia. More and more merchants
made Leipzig the centre of their
activities, paving the way for its
international reputation as a city
where some of the most important
fairs of the day were held. By
1710, Leipzig had even eclipsed
the leading imperial fair in Frankfurt
am Main and continued to consolidate
its growth in the following centuries.
German reunification and
the introduction of the free market
in 1990 seemed to jeopardise the
continued existence of the Leipzig
Dirk Brzoska hits the floor
>> <strong>focus</strong> on...
Fair. Fortunately, however, Kurt
Schoop (one of the most eminent
figures in the German trade show
scene) came to the rescue when
Kurt Biedenkopf, at that time the
Prime Minister of Saxony, appealed
to him to come to Leipzig. As CEO
and President of the Leipzig Fair
from December 1990 until June
1991, Herr Schoop laid the foundations
for the continuation of the
oldest fair in the world and won
political backing for the construction
of a new exhibition centre.
Tenth anniversary
It’s now nearly a decade since the
exhibition centre was opened on
12 April 1996. We therefore
thought it was about time to congratulate
the Leipzig Fair by dedicating
this issue’s cover story to it.
Photo call
Of course, the cover story needed
"Can’t you say anything apart from ‘cheese’, Dirk?!”
some pictures to go with it, and so
we set off to the Leipzig Fair for our
photo call. When we arrived, to our
dismay dismantling work was still
under way after the Final Draw for
the 2006 World Cup. However, we
found a jolly fellow languishing in
the corner – the Leipzig Fair’s mascot
– and we part-time models all
fell in love with him straightaway!
Even Dirk Brzoska, our photographer,
got on like a house on fire
with our new friend and promptly
decided to give him the starring
role. After we’d slipped into the uni-
forms currently worn by the Leipzig
Fair’s hostesses, we strolled
around the exhibition centre with
the mascot. "Time flies when
you’re having fun,” they say, and
we certainly did! It was only when
our feet began aching due to the
unfamiliar footwear that we
sneaked a glance at the time – only
to discover that we’d been smiling
non-stop for five hours! It was time
to say goodbye to our pipe-smoking
companion – and to take in the
breathtaking view of the brightly lit
up Glass Hall for the last time....
Weinstock Restaurant
The Weinstock Restaurant enjoys
a charming setting on the historical
market place in Leipzig. It
has seating for 75 diners, an
exclusive wine cellar with capacity
for another 50 guests, and
120 places outside on the summer
terrace.
Herbert Englert has been in
charge since April 2004 and conjures
up magnificent creations.
His previous restaurant experience
includes working for Käfer, a
first-class restaurant company in
Munich.
His passion for cuisine and the
creativity it entails is virtually limitless.
A constantly changing range
of fresh seasonal dishes – which
have doubtless delighted some of
the most demanding palates – is
augmented by an exquisite selection
of wines.
Two-course lunches and the
menu of the day are followed by
the relaxing evening atmosphere
with live piano music ranging from
classical to jazz.
The Weinstock’s rooms are of
course also available for private
functions of any description.
We look forward to seeing you!
The final shot – one last
smile
Contact:
Restaurant Weinstock
Markt 7,04109 Leipzig, Germany
Tel: +49 (0) 341 1406 0606
Fax: +49 (0) 341 225 2365
>> NÄHER dran
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