As a musical centre Leipzig is known all over the world for its associations with J. S. Bach, its excellent conservatorium, and for the series of concerts given annually in the Gewandhaus. The Prominence of the publishing interest has attracted to Leipzig a large number of authors, and made it a literary centre of consid erable importance. Hundreds of newspapers and periodicals are published here, and the city has always been distinguished for its cosmopolitan spirit.
Commerce.—The outstanding importance of Leipzig as a com mercial town is mainly derived from its great fairs, which annu ally attract merchants from all parts of Europe, and from Persia, Armenia and other Asiatic countries. The most important fairs are held at Easter and in September, and are said to have been founded as markets about i i 70. The smaller New Year's fair was established in 1458 and there are still others. Under the fostering care of the margraves of Meissen, and then of the electors of Saxony they attained great popularity. In 1268 the margrave of Meissen granted a safe-conduct to all frequenters of the fairs, and in 1497 and 1507 the emperor Maximilian I. greatly increased their importance by prohibiting the holding of annual markets at any town within a wide radius of Leipzig. During the following centuries on account of the wars the trade of the Leipzig fairs considerably decreased, but it recovered after the accession of Saxony to the German Customs Union (Zollverein) in 1834. Since then wares that can be safely purchased by sample appear at the fairs in steadily diminishing quantities, while others, such as hides, furs and leather, which require to be actually examined, show as marked an increase. The principal commodity is furs (chiefly American and Russian) ; other articles disposed of are leather, hides, wool, cloth, linen and glass.
In the trades of bookselling and publishing Leipzig occupies a unique position being said to take the first place in the world for the number and total value of its sales. Leipzig contains about 200 printing-works, some of great extent, and a corresponding number of type-foundries, binding-shops and other kindred indus tries.
Other industries include the manufacture of artificial flowers, wax-cloth, chemicals, various oils and essences, beer, mineral waters, tobacco and cigars, paints, cardboard, musical and surgical instruments, textiles (cotton and hosiery), machinery, lace, india rubber wares, rush-work and paper, the preparation of furs, and ironfounding. These industries are mostly carried on in the sub urbs.
Leipzig possesses one of the largest railway stations in the world and from it radiate lines to all the great German cities—to Berlin, Frankfort on the Oder, Breslau, Dresden, Regensburg, Cassel and Magdeburg.
History.—Leipzig owes its origin to a Slav settlement between the Elster and the Pleisse, which was in existence before the year 000, and its name to the Slav word lipa, a lime tree. There was also a German settlement near this spot, probably round a castle erected early in the loth century by the German king, Henry the Fowler. The district was part of the mark of Merseburg, and the bishops of Merseburg were the lords of extensive areas around the settlements. In the iith century Leipzig is mentioned as a fortified
place and in the 12th it came into the possession of the margrave of Meissen, being granted some municipal privileges by the mar grave, Otto the Rich, before 119o. Its favourable situation in the midst of a plain intersected by the principal highways of central Europe, together with the fostering care of its rulers, cooperated toward raising Leipzig to the position of a very important commercial town. Powers of self-government were acquired by the council (Rat) of the town, the importance of which was en hanced during the 15th century by several grants of privileges from tht emperors. When Saxony was divided in 1485 Leipzig fell to the Albertine, or ducal branch of the family, whose head, Duke George, gave new rights to the burghers.
During the Thirty Years' War Leipzig suffered six sieges and on four occasions was occupied by hostile troops, being retained by the Swedes as security for the payment of an indemnity from 1648 to 165o. After 165o its fortifications were strengthened ; its finances were put on a better footing; and its trade, especially with England, began again to prosper, important steps being taken with regard to its organization. Towards the end of the 17th cen tury the publishing trade began to increase very rapidly, partly because the severity of the censorship at Frankfurt-on-Main caused many booksellers to remove to Leipzig. Since 1825 it has become the general headquarters of the German book-trade; and its annual fair, attended by booksellers of all nations, has attained a world-wide importance.
The immediate neighbourhood of Leipzig has been the scene of several battles, two of which are of more than ordinary impor tance. These are the battles of Breitenfeld, fought on Sept. 17, 1631, between the Swedes under Gustavus Adolphus and the im perialists, and the great battle of Leipzig, known in Germany as the V olkerschlacht (Battle of the Nations) (see below).
In the German Revolution which followed the end of the World War Leipzig was the scene of much bloodshed. Further disturb ances continued for several days during the formidable revolu tionary agitation which recurred in the Spring of 1920. See also SAXONY.
Towards the middle of the 18th century Leipzig was the seat of the most influential body of literary men in Germany, over whom Johann Christoph Gottsched, like his contemporary, Samuel Johnson, in England, exercised a kind of literary dictatorship. Then, if ever, Leipzig deserved the epithet of a "Paris in minia ture" (Klein Paris) assigned to it by Goethe in his Faust. The young Lessing produced his first play in the Leipzig theatre, and the university counts Goethe, Klopstock, Jean Paul Richter, Fichte and Schelling among its alumni. Schiller and Gellert also resided for a time in Leipzig, and Sebastian Bach and Mendelssohn filled musical posts there. Among the celebrated natives of the town are the philosopher Leibnitz and the composer Wagner.