Back in Leipzig since Thursday: the Market Criers’ Guild is putting on a fish market at the Völki

Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar: Zum deutschen Artikel.

The Market Criers’ Guild – the ‘Genuine Market Criers’ Guild’ – has been in existence for 56 years. After all, they had to fend off the competition, who had suddenly realised that the concept worked. In the past, people who wanted to experience real market criers would make the pilgrimage to the fish market in Hamburg-Altona. That was the great inspiration, which the Market Criers’ Guild then expanded into a travelling market show that visits the major cities across Germany – Bremen, Hanover, Dresden, Munich and – now a tradition – Leipzig too. They’ve been back since Thursday, 6 August.

They’ve set up their carts on Straße des 18. Oktober, within sight of the Monument to the Battle of the Nations. And because they want to pay a little tribute to their great inspiration, the Hamburg fish market, the organiser promises there’ll be a small fish market this time too. The organisers are also confident they have the best market criers in the country on board. With their sales trolleys packed to the brim. Because here, it’s the crowd that drives sales. Here, the show becomes the incentive to buy. And every trader on their trolley has their own show, their own way of whipping up the shopping-hungry crowd.

Joining us this time are the Wattwurm from Magdeburg with his ‘little worms from the Börderland’, Käthe-Kabeljau with a huge selection of fish rolls and fried fish in every variation, Aal-Hinnerk, the original from Hamburg’s fish market with “eels as big as whales”, and deluxe smoked fish from the North Sea and Baltic coasts. So – provided the sun isn’t too scorching – there might actually be a bit of that Hamburg feeling in the air. Or a “Hanseatic atmosphere”, as the organiser calls it.

But anyone who’s visited the market at the Völki several times before knows that it’s best to come armed with large bags if you want to stock up on supplies for home.

Also on hand are Nudel-Kiri from Palermo with pasta straight from the lorry, Schoko-Uwe from Flensburg, who’s bringing Milka under the slogan “Leipzig nascht”, and Käse-Mey with a huge selection of national and international cheese specialities.

Food and drink stalls will be on hand to keep you fed and hydrated. There’ll be, for example, Westphalian specialities from the rotisserie, langos, crêpes and much more. A small flea market also invites you to have a browse.

The Market Criers’ Guild will be at the Monument to the Battle of the Nations until Sunday 9 August. Daily opening hours: 10.00 am to 7.00 pm.