Hello Leipzig: Here’s how Tuesday 4 August 2026 gets off to a start

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

Anyone who has to travel between Halle and Leipzig tonight – whether for work or to join the party – should allow plenty of time. Watch out for railway works! Anniversary: The GDR’s largest stadium was inaugurated 70 years ago today and, in a sense, has survived to the present day. There are some particularly exciting activities on offer today for children on the school holidays. Here in Leipzig at the Bach Museum – and in Delitzsch at the chivalric Baroque castle.

70 years of Leipzig’s Zentralstadion

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the opening of Leipzig’s Zentralstadion. On 4 August 1956, the sports venue – then known as the ‘Stadium of the Hundred Thousand’ – was officially inaugurated on the site of what is now the Red Bull Arena. The stands of the arena were built on the rubble left by the air raids on Leipzig during the Second World War.

The stadium was the largest in the GDR and was also one of the largest in Europe at the time. For decades, it shaped the city’s sporting and social life. At the same time, it was closely linked to the GDR’s gymnastics and sports festivals, as well as its mass political events.

Following the stadium’s closure in 1994 due to dilapidation, the current arena was built within the historic ramparts, meaning that the spatial structure of the former grand stadium has been preserved to this day.

The Zentralstadion made rock history in June 1990 when Peter Maffay performed there in front of 60,000 people. For Maffay, it was the first concert in the GDR following the fall of the Berlin Wall for which tickets were sold openly to the general public. At the same time, it was the last concert to take place at this venue before the redevelopment.

Traffic restrictions towards Halle

Night owls and commuters travelling between Leipzig and Halle should allow for longer journey times on regional services from 10 pm onwards. Due to timetable changes caused by engineering works, services 37594, 37500, 37591 and 37597 between Halle (Saale) Central Station and Leipzig Messe will be diverted until 5 am on Wednesday 5 August. The route affected is Halle (Saale) Central Station – Leipzig/Halle Airport – Leipzig Central Station (underground) – Altenburg – Zwickau (Sachs) Central Station.

A replacement bus service will be provided for train 37594. For the other affected services, passengers are advised to check the relevant connecting services. Deutsche Bahn advises passengers to check for the latest changes via digital travel information channels at bahn.de or in the DB Navigator app immediately before setting off.

Due to limited space, bicycles can only be carried on the replacement buses to a limited extent. Deutsche Bahn has published an ONLINE replacement timetable for the affected route.

Writing with a quill, just like Johann Sebastian Bach

The Bach Museum, situated directly on Thomaskirchhof, is inviting visitors to a free public open day today. The occasion marks the 75th anniversary of the Bach Archive in Leipzig. The permanent exhibition can be viewed free of charge throughout the day.

In addition, the summer workshop will take place from 1 pm to 3 pm in the museum’s educational workshop or, weather permitting, in the Baroque courtyard. Children, teenagers and adults will have the opportunity to learn about historical cultural techniques, including making paper or writing with ink and a quill, just as they did in Bach’s day. However, participation is free only for children and teenagers up to the age of 18.

At 3 pm, a concert entitled ‘Jewish Life and the Bach Family of Musicians’ will take place in the Summer Hall of the Bach Museum. The focus is on the Berlin-based musician and collector Sara Levy, whose collection made a significant contribution to the preservation of works by the Bach family. The concert combines music with insights into Jewish cultural history and highlights the importance of Jewish patronage for cultural heritage.

Knights’ Festival for children on holiday

Helmet on, shield held before the chest and sword drawn – many children love knightly games. In Delitzsch, there’s a very official opportunity to take part today – and at a real castle, no less! Primary school children aged between six and eleven are invited.

During the event, participants will learnt lots of interesting facts about the old castle complex, storm the castle together and put their skills to the test in various knightly competitions. Both skill and courage will be put to the test before all the young knights and damsels can take home a shield they’ve made themselves.

Admission is €4.00 per child; accompanying adults do not need a ticket provided they do not visit the museum. As the number of participants is limited, Delitzsch Baroque Castle asks that you book in advance by calling 034202 67-208.

Anyone who can’t secure a place for this afternoon is advised to register straight away for 6 August, when there will be a repeat of the chivalrous spectacle.

Transparency notes: The cover image (Central Stadium) is by August Geyler and is licensed for free use on Wikimedia. Also licensed for free use on Wikimedia is the reproduction of the historical admission ticket, created by the user ‘Pittiplatsch2’.