Five hundred years of cellar history become tangible

Book presentation at Auerbachs Keller Leipzig

BERND WEINKAUF PUBLISHES "THE CHRONICLE OF AUERBACHS KELLER"

Leipzig - If the walls of Auerbachs Keller Leipzig could speak, they would surely have a lot to tell: about the eventful history since its founding in 1525, about war, plague, and dictatorships, about famous and "ordinary" guests, about innkeepers and other changes. But since the walls cannot speak, the author and house historian Bernd Weinkauf had to take action: he spent months researching historical documents and conducting interviews with eyewitnesses. The result is a 180-page "Chronicle of Auerbachs Keller". 

"It is surprising that the history of Auerbachs Keller has never been fully presented before," says managing director René Stoffregen. "We are grateful that Bernd Weinkauf has now closed this gap." In the chronicle, Weinkauf has compiled news about events and individuals, including, of course, the founder Heinrich Stromer von Auerbach. Mention is also made of the magician Faust, the painter Andreas Bretschneider, the poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the Japanese Mori Ôgai, and the suitcase manufacturer Anton Mädler, among others. The chronicle presents the most important protagonists in clearly structured time periods, each on a double page. 

Many original quotes and numerous, often unpublished photo documents make five hundred years of history come alive. The book clarifies some historical misunderstandings, such as the significance of the underground secret passages, who was exhibited as Faust in Auerbachs Keller for centuries, how the wine-giving table in Goethe's "Faust" came about, or whether there is a promissory note from Goethe here. Furthermore, the chronicle illustrates the often tense relationship between the history of the house and the city of Leipzig. 

The author Bernd Weinkauf was born in Küstrin in 1943 and studied German literature and art history in Erfurt. Since 1971, he has been conducting research on the history of Leipzig. Since 1996, he has been working as a house historian for Auerbachs Keller. As part of this work, he has already published the publications "Schatzkammer Auerbachs Keller" and "Gäste in Auerbachs Keller 1851 - 1912". 

The book "Chronicle of Auerbachs Keller" has 180 pages illustrated throughout in color and costs 19.90 euros. It is available in bookstores and in the souvenir shop of Auerbachs Keller. ______________________________________________

Auerbachs Keller in the Mädler Passage is the most famous traditional restaurant in Leipzig. Wine was already being served to students here in 1525. The name of the establishment comes from its founder, the physician and university professor Heinrich Stromer von Auerbach (Upper Palatinate). In 1625, his great-grandson Johann Vetzer had the ride on the barrel by Faust painted on two panels in the cellar vault. These later inspired Johann Wolfgang von Goethe to write Faust and brought world fame to the former student pub. 

www.auerbachs-keller-leipzig.de

Caption: Former managing directors Christine and Bernhard Rothenberger, house historian and author Bernd Weinkauf, and managing director René Stoffregen at the presentation of the book "Chronicle of Auerbachs Keller" in Leipzig (from left).

Photo: Christian Modla/Free of charge for publication

Auerbachs Keller Leipzig GmbH
Mädler-Passage (Entrence A)
Grimmaische Straße 2-4
04109 Leipzig

www.auerbachs-keller-leipzig.de

Contakt: Heike Weiss
Telefon 0341-2161014
Fax 0341-2161026
h.weiss@auerbachs-keller-leipzig.de