Leipzig - Specks Hof

Even before Leipzig was first mentioned in a document in 1015, a Slavic settlement existed here. The city was founded in 1165 when Margrave Otto the Rich of Meissen granted city and market rights to the city at the intersection of the Via Regia and the Via Imperii.

Leipzig was in the Margraviate of Meissen, which became part of the Electorate of Saxony in 1439. Leipzig then belonged to the Duchy of Saxony, whose capital was chosen to be Dresden, which had been insignificant compared to Leipzig or Meissen. Leipzig was often the place where the state parliament met, but Leipzig was never a residence city or a bishop's seat and has always been shaped by the urban bourgeoisie.

The University of Leipzig was founded in 1409 as "Alma Mater Lipsiensis" and was thus one of the three oldest universities in Germany. After being elevated to the status of "Reichsmessestadt" (imperial trade fair city) in 1497 and an extension of the staple right by the future Emperor Maximilian I, Leipzig became a trade fair city of European standing. It developed into the most important German trading center for the exchange of goods between Eastern and Western Europe. Alongside London, the Leipziger Brühl became the international trade center for the fur industry, and the important role played by the Leipzig Jewish community was closely linked to it.

In 1539, the Reformation was finally introduced in Leipzig by Luther and Justus Jonas. Over decades, the development of Leipzig was characterized above all by the constantly improving living conditions. As a trading and trade fair city of increasing importance, Leipzig benefited from the wealthy Leipzig merchant class.

The Thirty Years' War was a severe cut in the prosperous development of the city. Between 1631 and 1642 the city was besieged five times, from 1642 to 1650 it was occupied by the Swedes.

The "Völkerschlacht" (Battle of Leipzig) near Leipzig took place in 1813. In this battle, the allied armies of Austria, Prussia, Russia and Sweden defeated Napoleon's troops and their allies which ultimately led to Napoleon's banishment to the island of Elba.

Specks Hof

From about 1430 there was a large building which served as a residential house, brewery and wine cellar. The house was bought by Maximilian Speck von Sternburg in 1815 and from then on it was called Specks Hof.

Until 1908 the house passed through several hands until it was bought by Paul Schmutzler and architect Emil Franz Hänsel.

After three large construction phases, the newly built Specks Hof was the largest exhibition building in the city with an exhibition area of 10,000 m².

During WWII, the building complex was severely damaged in 1943 and lost its roof structures. Reconstruction began in 1947 and lasted until 1960. The arcade area was renovated in 1981/1982. Leipzig painters Heinz-Jürgen Böhme and Detlef Lieffertz restored the advertising scenes in Atrium C created by Otto Josef Olbers and Theodor Illing in 1927.

This work was lost during the extensive restoration of the building from 1993 to 1995 when Atrium C was enlarged. During this restoration, much of the artistic decoration of the atriums was created. Initially, the historic passages were to be eliminated, but opposition from the public and preservationists eventually led to the compromise of preserving the passages and one atrium and enlarging two atriums.