Project objective of the UNESCO Initiative

Objective of the Leipzig UNESCO Initiative is the application for admittance to the UNESCO World Heritage List on the basis of the authentic sites of composers' life and work.

This page contains information about:

for the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Rationale

Since the 17th century, Leipzig has evolved into one of Europe's foremost musical metropoli. Its prominence in the fields of commerce (leading international trade fair), academia (second-oldest German university) and publishing (world's oldest music publisher) drew artists, particularly musicians, from the furthest reaches of the German-speaking world. In addition, Leipzig is home to two educational institutions of the highest repute, both operating on a base of unparalleled history and tradition - St. Thomas' Choir and Germany's oldest conservatory.
During two periods of its history, Leipzig has stood at the forefront of the musical world: during the baroque with Bach and Telemann, then later in the course of the romantic epoch with Mendelssohn, Schumann and Wagner. The subsequent chronicle of eminent composers whose activities, at least for a time, focused on Leipzig extends into the 20th century: Edvard Grieg, Gustav Mahler, Leos Janacek, Max Reger.
The majority of the homes and workplaces of these composers are still standing today. This is unrivalled in Germany and, in international terms, is second only to Vienna. Unique in Leipzig, however, is the proximity of these sites, allowing one to experience 300 years of musical history during the course of a short walk through the city.
The unique concentration of activity and creativity, living musical tradition and publishing, as well as production and architecture comprises, together with the preserved domiciles of the numerous composers active here, a musical heritage object of immense value.
Comparable, for instance, with how Weimar's association with the creation of much of the central, classical German literature, or the towns' of Eisleben and Wittenberg connection with the life and work of Martin Luther have resulted in the award of World Heritage status, Leipzig is a living exhibition of the significance of the relationship between the creation and location of German music of the 18th to the 20th centuries.
Admittance to the ranks of UNESCO sites would enable Leipzig both to nurture its musical heritage with greater intensity and also to anchor it more deeply in the consciousness of the broader population.

Criteria for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List

Inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List is dependent on the fulfilment of at least one of the ten criteria stated in the "Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention". The Leipzig nomination is based primarily on criteria III and VI:

"Nominated properties shall...
(III) bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;
...
(IV) be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (...)"

Leipzig's nomination is, therefore, based on the following:

("...unique...exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition")

The sites of the musical activity of celebrated composers from the baroque to historism, mostly still preserved today
Groups of buildings and original locations from the early renaissance to historism, documenting 300 years of musical history.

("associated with...artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance")

The connection between "intellect and locality" through the association between German music of the baroque and romantic epochs and the authentic Leipzig music sites, connected by the Music Trail
The respective association between particular works and constellation of buildings, comparable to that established in the Martin Luther towns, Eisleben and Wittenberg
the universal significance of the output of Leipzig's composers and the resulting exceptional cultural historical value of their sites of activity, as well as the importance of the related research resources for both the present and future generations.

Scope of the nomination

The following sites are of greatest cultural historical importance:

The "Composer Houses"

Bose House / Bach Museum - baroque; residence of Bach's friends, the merchant Bose and family.
Mendelssohn House - classical
Schumann House - classical
Grieg Memorial House - neo-renaissance; residence of the significant music publisher, Peters, also home to and workplace of Edvard Grieg

Furthermore:

The churches of St. Thomas and St. Nicholas - both of romanic-gothic origin; both played host to the first performance of many of Bach's works
"Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum" coffee shop - renaissance/baroque; oldest coffee shop in Germany, favoured meeting place of Robert Schumann's "Davidsbündler" and intellectual epicentre of the "Neue Zeitschrift für Musik" (New Musical Journal)
Conservatoire of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" - neo-classical; Max Reger's domain

Possible additions:

House of Gustav Mahler - historism; stands in the Waldstraße Quarter, one of the largest monumental expanses in Germany
Old St. Nicholas' School - renaissance; school of the young Richard Wagner
"Gedächtniskirche" (Commemoration Church) in Leipzig-Schönefeld - classical; wedding venue of Robert and Clara Schumann