Leipzig is the most populous city in the federal state of Saxony, Germany. It is Germany’s tenth most populous city and located about 160 kilometres (99 mi) southwest of Berlin at the confluence of the White Elster, Pleiße and Parthe rivers at the southern end of the North German Plain.
Leipzig has been a trade city since at least the time of the Holy Roman Empire. The city sits at the intersection of the Via Regia and the Via Imperii, two important medieval trade routes. Leipzig was once one of the major European centers of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing.
Leipzig in the early 1980s
Leipzig became a major urban center within the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) after the Second World War, but its cultural and economic importance declined. It has long been a major center for music, both classical as well as modern “dark alternative music” or darkwave genres. The Oper Leipzig is one of the most prominent opera houses in Germany, the third oldest opera venue in Europe after La Fenice (Venice, Italy) and the Hamburg State Opera (Hamburg, Germany)
Since the reunification of Germany, Leipzig has undergone significant change with the restoration of some historical buildings, the demolition of others, and the development of a modern transport infrastructure.
These fascinating photos were taken by Erhard K. that show street scenes of Leipzig from 1981 to 1984.
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