Anno 1525
... the doctor and university professor Heinrich Stromer von Auerbach (1482-1542) sets up a wine bar for students in the wine cellar of his house, because "wine is an excellent prophylactic against many ailments, if used correctly." The city tax records prove that since that time he stored such a large amount of wine that it was not only for personal use, but also intended for sale and distribution. Therefore, 1525 can be considered as the founding year of Auerbach's Cellar.
Anno 1528
... are letting Stromer demolish the approximately 200-year-old house that he acquired through marriage to a woman from Leipzig in order to build a modern residential and exhibition building. In doing so, the basement retains its current dimensions: On three floors, there are the so-called witch's kitchen, the barrel cellar, the Luther room, and the Goethe cellar.
Anno 1531
... the main building of "Auerbachs Hof" on Grimmaische Gasse was completed as a modern exhibition hall. The house sign, a stone relief of the wine god Bacchus, which was attached to the facade at that time, can still be admired in the wine cellar today. In the renovated wine cellar, sales skyrocket, to the point that Heinrich Stromer paid almost a third of the city's entire wine tax in 1534.
Anno 1589
...for the first time, in the third reprint of the popular book "Historia von Dr. Johan Fausten," the story of Faust's barrel ride from a Leipzig wine cellar is told.
Anno 1625
... Johann Vetzer, the great-grandson of Heinrich Stroemer, has the story of the Fassritt and the subsequent joyful revelry of the students depicted on two paintings by the painter Andreas Bretschneider. Since then, the story has been closely associated with the venue "Auerbach's Cellar."
Anno 1631
... during the Thirty Years' War, the wine cellar and the paintings were heavily damaged, so much so that they had to be renovated in 1636, as can be read in one of the paintings. The two corner paintings, in their current state, are the oldest original furnishings of the cellar.
Anno 1732
... the cellar was taken over by the innkeeper Johann Jacob Key and operated until 1750, the year of Bach's death. While it is not proven that Bach visited the cellar, it is very likely since his path from the St. Thomas Church to the St. Nikolai and St. Johanniskirche led him past here several times a day for 27 years.
Anno 1765
.... Johann Wolfgang Goethe begins his studies in Leipzig. His stay at "Auerbach's Cellar" and especially the two old Faust paintings inspire him to write his Faust poetry.
Anno 1780
... Franciscus Venoni leases the cellar and makes it one of the first "Italian cellars" known in Leipzig.
Anno 1799
... his compatriot Pietro di Mainoni takes over the management. It is his merit to have established the tradition of eating oysters here.
Anno 1833
... the composer Albert Lortzing is often a guest in the cellar, working with his friends on the opera "Zar und Zimmermann" (The Tsar and the Carpenter), which premiered in Leipzig in 1837. Faust play.
Anno 1850
... the cellar is being carefully restored by the innkeeper Mr. Schultze and will be reopened on September 12th. The barrel cellar, which was previously only used as a dining area during fairs, will now be made available for daily guest operations.
Anno 1855
... the innkeeper Heinrich Schulze publishes the first reliable chronicle of Auerbachs Keller titled "Faust in Leipzig". Due to the numerous foreign guests, there is also an English version of the book.
Anno 1885
... the Japanese military doctor Mori Ogai (1862-1922) visited Auerbach's Keller during his study trip to Germany on December 27th. Here he received the inspiration to translate Goethe's "Faust" into Japanese. In his diary, he wrote that he had agreed to translate "Faust" into Japanese for fun. His translation, which is still valid today, was printed in 1913.
Anno 1902
... Gustav Wustmann, director of the Leipzig City Library and City Archive, published the only biography of Heinrich Stromer von Auerbach to date
Anno 1911
... the suitcase manufacturer Anton Mädler buys Auerbachs Hof, including the cellar, for demolition. After worldwide protests, Mädler decides to not only preserve the cellar but also expand it.
Anno 1913
... the enlarged cellar will be ceremoniously opened. The Great Cellar and the Wine Salon Alt-Leipzig have been added. On September 24th, the bronze sculptures by Mathieu Molitor will be placed at the double staircase in the Mädler-Passage. They depict Faust and Mephistopheles on one side and the enchanted students on the other. Since then, it has been a good tradition to polish Faust's shoe by hand in order to acquire the claim of being able to return to Leipzig again. Auerbach's Keller is officially admitted to the Lutherweg Society.
Anno 1922/23
On the menu dated May 10, 1923, Kellerwirt Bachmann announced: "A 10% surcharge will be applied to the prices, which will be solely used for the payment of the waiters. The tipping system has been abolished." The previous summer, waiters in Saxony had gone on strike in order to be compensated reliably according to a tariff, rather than solely depending on sales revenue.
Anno 1927
... the brewery Dortmunder Union takes over as the lessee of Auerbachs Keller. This ends the wine monopoly in the cellar. At the entrance to the Mädler-Passage, the sign "Auerbachs Keller" will be installed as Leipzig's first neon billboard.
Anno 1930
... a commemorative publication with a detailed history of the building will be written by the writer and painter Paul Daehne to celebrate Auerbach's Hof's 400th anniversary.
Anno 1945
... after the end of the war, the cellar serves as a food supply for refugees and those who lost their homes due to bombing, before it is taken over by the Soviet travel agency Intourist. During the trade fairs, the cellar is only open as a restaurant for Western visitors, who also have to pay in dollars here.
Anno 1949
... the state trading organization (HO) of the GDR takes over the management of the cellar.
Anno 1964
... Auerbach's Keller will be modernized for the 800th anniversary celebration of Leipzig. To lighten it up, some pictures will be partially painted over with white paint, and the decorative painting on the arches of the Grand Cellar will be removed. The seating capacity will be reduced from 700 to 450.
Anno 1989
... opens on March 11 the Mephisto Bar, the "above-ground part" of Auerbach's Keller in the Mädler Passage. Faust literature.
Anno 1990
... after the privatization of HO, a landlord from Hanover manages the historic inn and fails with his concept of wanting to sell "East-level" at "West prices."
Anno 1995
... Auerbach's Keller had to file for bankruptcy and close on the "Black Thursday," September 28th. Real estate agent Schneider had integrated Auerbach's Keller into his vast corporate empire within the Mädler-Passage. When the fraudulent loans from various banks burst in April 1994, the collapse was inevitable. The American newspaper "The New York Times" commented on the situation: "The restaurant survived almost 500 years with wars, plagues, and dictatorships, but the arrival of capitalism in East Germany was too much."
Anno 1996
... experienced innkeeper Ulrich Reinhardt reopened Auerbachs Keller on April 12th, the same day as the New Leipzig Trade Fair, for the people of Leipzig and their guests. He runs the restaurant as a family business and energetically preserves its historical substance. This allows him to regain the lost reputation and international appreciation of Auerbachs Keller. Artist Volker Pohlenz is copying the painting from the Cranach workshop, "Young Man in the Green Coat," which identified Heinrich Stromer von Auerbach as the founder of the wine cellar named after him in 1525, based on the seal ring and inscription in the picture. It has found its place in the wedding room.
Anno 1997
... and after the reopening of the restaurant, Auerbachs Keller publishes a promotional brochure from the year 1863. In the afterword, city historian Bernd Weinkauf emphasizes the historically significant value of Auerbachs Keller for the present.
Anno 2000
Leipzig is celebrating the 475th anniversary of wine service in Auerbachs Keller with a three-day "Schlampamp" in the "Mephistodrom" tent on the market square. In a spectacular event called "Fassritt, der zweite" (Barrel Ride, the Second), a new intricately crafted barrel is magically brought back to the cellar. To further commemorate this special occasion, the painter Volker Pohlenz has created a painting to complete the "Faust Gallery" in the Grand Cellar. The sculptor Bernd Göbel has created two bronze sculptures, "Faust with Gretchen" and "Mephisto with Frau Marthe," for the vestibule. Bernd Weinkauf presents the original artworks in the restaurant's rooms in his book "Treasure Chamber of Auerbachs Keller," highlighting their incomparable art historical value to the establishment since 1625. The Grand Cellar has been home to the most extensive collection of panel paintings depicting scenes from Goethe's "Faust" since 1913. Innkeeper Ulrich Reinhardt ensures that the works are continuously restored.
Anno 2001
The gastronomy historian Herbert Pilz explains in his book "Gastlicher Auerbachs Keller" how the gastronomic values that have developed over centuries are currently utilized and maintained in the kitchen and cellar.
Anno 2006
... Christine and Bernhard Rothenberger, from Münster, will take over the historic restaurant on April 15th, following the end of Ulrich Reinhardt's lease agreement. They will operate under the name Auerbachs Keller Rothenberger Betriebs GmbH.
Anno 2007
... the collaboration with the Theater im Gewölbe from Weimar begins. In January, the play "Faust I for Two" will be staged for the first time. In the summer, to commemorate the 175th anniversary of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's death, the second performance titled "Goethe Live - The Great Interview" will follow.
Anno 2008
... in February, the general smoking ban for gastronomic establishments will be introduced in Saxony, including Auerbachs Keller. As a result, a smoking lounge with leather armchairs and infrared heaters will be set up in the vestibule before the Great Cellar. Four picture panels will also inform smokers about the history and significance of the restaurant. In the Great Cellar, a new lighting system will highlight the valuable old paintings and painted arches. In August, the "Kellerkurier," the in-house magazine of Auerbachs Keller, will be published for the first time.
Anno 2009
... in January, "Faust - The Rock Opera" is performed in Auerbach's Keller with resounding success. The classic masterpiece provided the inspiration for a modern musical adaptation that stays true to Goethe's original text. Since February, wine has been flowing once again from a "Wooden Table," transporting guests to the world-famous cellar scene from Goethe's "Faust." In addition, a new painting by Volker Pohlenz will be installed in the Grand Cellar as a tribute to the Japanese translator of Faust, Mori Ôgai.
Anno 2010
... At the beginning of the year, there will be a new edition of "Faust - The Rock Opera", this time with a total of five sold-out performances. In February, 150,000 € will be invested in a new dishwasher and in the restoration of the parquet flooring in the restaurant Großer Keller. 650 square meters of parquet floor will be sanded and sealed, a total of 100 tables and 550 chairs will be moved. In July, Theater im Gewölbe from Weimar will perform in Auerbachs Keller for the sixth time and captivate the audience with the play "Lotte in Weimar". In addition, house historian Bernd Weinkauf will begin evaluating the historical guest books of Auerbachs Keller. He will be searching for interesting guests from the time period of 1856 to 1912.
Anno 2011
... 17 employees will celebrate their 10th, 15th, 20th, and even 40th anniversary of service in 2011. "Faust - The Rock Opera" becomes a regular event in January, and the performers impress the audience with seven shows this year. In July, the Chinese and Japanese translations of the Auerbachs Keller Leipzig website will go live, catering to around 4,500 Asian guests per year. On November 10, 2011, the newly designed Luther Room will be ceremoniously opened. The highlight of this beautiful room with its arched ceiling is a new painting by Volker Pohlenz, which was unveiled on the occasion. It depicts "The Secret Meeting," a historically unrecorded but highly probable encounter between Martin Luther and Dr. Heinrich Stromer on the evening of December 3, 1521.
Anno 2012
During his stay in Germany, Dr. Professor Mori Chisato from Chiba University in Japan also visited Auerbachs Keller. The great-grandson of the doctor, poet, and translator of Faust, Mori Ôgai, conducted research at authentic locations for a biography about his famous ancestor. At the same time, a TV team from the Japanese TV company NHK was filming at Auerbachs Keller. The segment is aimed at viewers in Japan who are learning the German language in preparation for a visit to Germany. Auerbachs Keller is inviting interested guests to join architect Hieronymus Lotter on a city tour for the first time. Lotter, who built the Old Town Hall in 1556, was a neighbor of Heinrich Stromer von Auerbach. Karsten Pietsch, playing the role of Lotter and dressed in historical costume, expertly and anecdotally tells stories about Goethe, Lotter, and Martin Luther. Because, as they say: "People who are believed to be dead sometimes live longer, and those who are silenced always find a way to get involved again..."
Anno 2013
... the Lutherweg Society welcomes Auerbachs Keller as its first restaurant member. The official membership certificate was presented to tenant Bernhard Rothenberger by Church Councilor Jürgen A. Dittrich, President of the Lutherweg Society. The Lutherweg is a collaborative project of churches, tourism associations, municipalities, and other organizations, aimed at pilgrims, hikers, and visitors interested in the history of Martin Luther and the Reformation.
Anno 2014
... we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Mephisto Bar. The restoration of the ceiling paintings in the wine cellar begins, and Auerbach's Keller becomes an official Lutherwegs station.
Anno 2015
... as part of the Leipzig Book Fair, the book "Guests in Auerbach's Keller Leipzig" by Bernd Weinkauf will be released. Volker Pohlenz paints the picture "Goethe's Faust Inspiration" on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of Goethe's enrollment at the University of Leipzig, and a new exhibit in the Luther Room celebrating the Leipzig Disputation is introduced.
Anno 201
... "The Luthers Private" our popular theater dinner is being performed for the first time.
Anno 2018
... the current head of gastronomy, René Stoffregen, will succeed Christine and Bernhard Rothenberger as managing director. The complete chronicle of Auerbachs Keller Leipzig by Bernd Weinkauf is published, and the world premiere of the Christmas musical "In the Name of Love" featuring Christian Venzke and Maria Kempken debuts in the "Great Cellar."
Anno 2019
... and supported by funding from the Sächsische Aufbaubank and the European Social Fund, our managing director and our operations assistant Daniela Mietzke were able to deepen their knowledge in the field of personnel and labor law in a 2-day practical seminar and refresh it according to current legal regulations.
Anno 2020
In January 2020, the premiere of the magician show "Die des Dr. F" took place at Auerbachs Keller. Volker Maaß, the cellar master since 1971, retired. His guided tours in the barrel cellar were world-famous and many guests only booked the event when "their" cellar master was on duty. Then he would hop with them in the witch's kitchen on one leg and perform the legendary jump from the barrel. To ensure that Volker Maaß has a dignified place in "his" Auerbachs Keller Leipzig forever, he was immortalized in the famous painting by Volker Pohlenz. With Hartmut Müller and Karl Karliczek, two new cellar masters join our sanctuary. They continue the long-standing tradition and captivate our guests. Unfortunately, our doors remained closed from the end of March to the end of May due to the coronavirus.
Anno 2023
...Start of the anniversary-triennium
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