Hello Leipzig: Here’s how Friday 6 November 2026 purrs its way into the weekend

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There’s plenty to see: pasta (already cooked), hard-working construction workers (still at it), buses (stepping in for trains, but having to stay in their lanes). And the Theater der Jungen Welt is celebrating its 80th birthday, proving that the dream of eternal youth can come true. Things are looking idyllic in Werner Tübke’s former villa. And, as the cover picture reveals, there’s a kitten there.

What would the railways be without construction…

Let’s keep it brief – the journey’s long enough as it is: timetable changes come into effect today on the RE 12 and RB 22 rail lines due to bridge construction work between Leipzig Central Station and Leipzig-Plagwitz. On Saturday and Sunday, this section of the line will be completely closed. Replacement buses will run between the main station and Knauthain. Services towards Gera and Saalfeld are also affected.

Today, replacement bus 60871 departs from Leipzig Central Station at 22:48 and arrives in Knauthain at 23:17. In the opposite direction, bus 60874 departs from Knauthain at 22:52 and arrives at the main station at 23:22. The RE 80872 departs from Gera at 21:58 and arrives in Knauthain at 22:46. The RB 80874 runs today and on Saturday at 11.13 pm from Gera to Knauthain, arriving at 12.04 am.

The replacement buses stop on the east side of Leipzig Central Station at platforms Q and R, in Plagwitz at the temporary stop on Naumburger Straße, and in Knauthain at the Knautkleeberg bus stop. There are restrictions on carrying bicycles.

The full construction-related timetable, including all departure times and days of operation, is published at www.erfurter-bahn.de under ‘Timetable Changes’. For further information, please contact Erfurter Bahn, the operator of the service, on 0361 74207 250.

Happy Birthday, old friend

It’s got eighty years under its belt. And yet it has always been blessed with eternal youth. The Theater der Jungen Welt (TDJW) is celebrating its remarkable anniversary on Saturday. Founded in 1946, the theatre is regarded as Germany’s oldest professional theatre for children and young people. The highlight of the celebrations is a musical gala on Saturday at 7 pm in the Great Hall. Unfortunately, the event is already listed as ‘fully booked’ in the official programme.

The programme includes celebratory speeches, excerpts from productions and musical performances. The Schola Cantorum children’s choir will perform a birthday song written especially for the occasion. The TDJW ensemble, the Brazzbanditen and ‘Polizeiruf’ star Peter Schneider will also be taking part. The TDJW’s support association is collecting donations to enable children and families on low incomes to attend theatre performances.

Couldn’t get a place for the main ceremony? Beforehand, from 2 pm to 5 pm, the theatre is hosting a free birthday party featuring a treasure hunt, a children’s disco, a bouncy castle, craft activities and workshops. From 9 pm, there will be a free anniversary party for visitors (aged 16 and over!) in the Small Hall.

The anniversary celebrations will continue on Tuesday with the opening of the exhibition “The Audience Plays the Most Important Role” at the Stadtbüro (Burgplatz). The exhibition traces the theatre’s history through 18 interviews with people from four generations. Among other things, it covers the GDR era, the fire at the theatre’s former venue at the Zoo in 1989, and developments following reunification. It is open until 27 November, with free admission.

It is open Tuesdays to Thursdays from 1 pm to 6 pm and on Fridays from 1 pm to 3 pm. On 13 November from 1 pm to 2 pm, and on 19 and 24 November from 4 pm to 5 pm, ‘80th-anniversary get-togethers’ at the Stadtbüro invite visitors to discuss the theatre’s history. No booking is required.

Meanwhile, the regular programme of performances continues, including ‘Die goldene Gans’ on 10 November at 10.00 am, ‘Mariah Stuart – Heads Will Roll’ on 12 November at 7 pm, and the premiere of ‘The Three Little Pigs’ on 27 November at 4.30 pm. The theatre has published the full anniversary programme and performance schedule at www.theaterderjungenweltleipzig.de.

The theatre gave its first performance on 7 November 1946 with Erich Kästner’s *Emil and the Detectives* in the White Hall of the Congress Hall at the Zoo. As fuel was in short supply at the time, audience members had to bring a piece of coal as their admission fee. In the 1950/51 season, the theatre was incorporated into the Städtische Theater Leipzig.

The White Hall remained its permanent venue for decades until it was destroyed by arson on 28 August 1989. Afterwards, the company had to resort to various temporary venues, performing in schools, cultural centres, a theatre tent and, in particular, at the Haus Leipzig.

It was not until 2003 that the theatre regained a permanent home with the converted former Haus der Volkskunst on Lindenauer Markt. Among the actors who spent their careers at this theatre was Rolf Hoppe. He was engaged at the Leipzig Youth Theatre from 1954 to 1956 and later gained international renown, amongst other things, for his portrayal of Hermann Göring in the 1981 Oscar-winning film *Mephisto* or as a dubious art collector in the satirical crime drama “Schtonk”.

Well, look at that

Two exhibition openings this weekend invite you to enjoy design and painting. And Loriot would certainly have taken great delight in the former. The GRASSI Museum of Applied Arts opens the exhibition “AL DENTE. Pasta & Design” today at 7 pm. On Saturday, 7 November, the ‘Idyll’ exhibition featuring works by the Leipzig artists Sten Gutglück and Matthias Ludwig begins at 2 pm at the Schwind Gallery.

At the GRASSI Museum (Johannisplatz), the focus is on the design and production of pasta, as well as its cultural significance as design objects. The exhibition highlights artisanal and industrial processes and shows how technical developments have influenced the shapes of pasta. The tools and processes on display include pasta rollers, spätzle presses, bronze dies, industrial pressing techniques and 3D printing.

Furthermore, the exhibition explores the design of packaging and advertising. Designs by Philippe Starck, Giorgio Giugiaro and Walter de Silva illustrate how even renowned designers have engaged with the shaping of pasta. The exhibition originates from the HfG Archive at the Ulm Museum and was curated by Dr Stefanie Dathe, Dr Martin Mäntele and Dr Linus Rapp. Following tonight’s opening, it will run until 3 October 2027.

According to the museum, the following applies specifically to the opening night: “Free admission, no booking required.” Thereafter, a standard visit to the special exhibition costs 10 euros, or 7 euros with a concession. With a Leipzig Pass or EhrenamtsPass, admission is 5 euros; children and young people up to and including the age of 18 are admitted free of charge.

Things are set to take an idyllic turn on Saturday at the Galerie Schwind (Springerstraße 5). In the former home and studio of the painter Werner Tübke, Sten Gutglück and Matthias Ludwig are presenting new series of works under the joint exhibition title ‘Idyll’. Among other works, Sten Gutglück’s acrylic paintings “Idyll 2”, “Idyll 3”, “Idyll 4” and “Idyll 9”, created in 2026, are on display. Each of these works, measuring 40 by 30 centimetres, was painted on wood. These are complemented by works from the series “Somewhere” and “The Expectation”.

Matthias Ludwig is represented, for example, by “In the Attic”, a mixed-media work created in 2026, measuring 120 by 100 centimetres. Also announced are his work “Nächtliche Flussfahrt” (Night-time River Cruise) from 2026 and the piece “Vanitas”, created back in 2025.

Galerie Schwind is normally open Tuesday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm and on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm. It is closed on Mondays, Sundays and public holidays.

So that Bimmel and August can be one again…

Now it’s time to really pull out all the stops! The track-laying works at Leipzig’s Augustusplatz are due to be completed on Sunday. According to Leipzig Transport Authority (LVB), this will bring to an end the disruption to tram services between Roßplatz and Augustusplatz, which has been in place since 12 October.

Passengers on lines 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16 and N10 will still need to allow for altered routes this weekend. During the construction period, several tram routes were diverted via Goerdelerring and Thomaskirche, whilst others were shortened or combined. Tram route 38 temporarily took over services on sections of routes 8 and 10. In their announcement on 8 October, the LVB stated: “To allow the work to be carried out, tram services between Roßplatz and Augustusplatz must be suspended from 12 October up to and including 8 November. From 9 November, trams will run according to the timetable again.”

For motorists, however, the disruption will last longer. Fewer lanes remain available on Georgiring, and there are also restrictions on turning off Grimmaischer Steinweg. These traffic arrangements are expected to remain in place until 13 November. The transport authority will provide information on any last-minute changes HERE ONLINE on its website.