Hello Leipzig: This is how Tuesday, 20 October 2026 begins

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Enjoy the autumn, because it’ll soon be gloomy. An expected traffic jam provides the perfect opportunity for that today. The Südvorstadt, on the other hand, is already giving off a spooky vibe: curtain up for a bit of horror in between. The Jazz Days are turning into a genuine international festival today, showcasing a forefather of East German jazz. On the political front, Rückmarsdorf is hosting an exciting discussion this evening. That’s why the Godfather himself is coming along.

A smart way round the traffic jam

On the A72 motorway, motorists must prepare for restrictions between the Borna-Nord and Rochlitz junctions from today. In the direction of Chemnitz, the right-hand lane will be closed due to roadworks lasting several days. Risk of traffic jams! The works are scheduled to take place up to and including Friday, 23 October, from 7 am to 2 pm each day. This is according to official traffic warnings issued by the Saxony Police. A complete closure of the motorway has not been announced. Traffic will be channelled via the remaining lanes whilst the works are in progress.

In addition, road users on the A72 should expect further restrictions. Between the Borna-Süd and Rötha junctions, road resurfacing works are scheduled to take place intermittently during the day from yesterday until 30 October. According to Autobahn GmbH, both directions may be affected. For motorists, this means they should expect changing traffic patterns and delays, particularly during the day.

Furthermore, the journey to Chemnitz via the country roads through Borna, Geithain, Penig and Burgstädt is longer (when traffic is flowing freely). The advantage is that, whilst you’re stuck in a traffic jam, this route offers stunning autumn scenery.

Horror in the Südvorstadt

A five-day exhibition of experimental horror short films begins today at the Cinémathèque Leipzig. Under the title “LOOP LOOP I: SURREAL, PSYCHEDELIC, DISORIENTING”, extraordinary cinematic works will be screened daily from 11 am to 5 pm until Saturday 24 October inclusive. Admission is free on all days of the exhibition.

The programme is drawn from the archives of the international Final Girls Berlin Film Festival and has been curated by its team. The focus is on short films that experiment with surreal imagery and unconventional narrative styles. The Cinémathèque describes the selection as surreal, psychedelic, disorienting, hellish and visually opulent.

The presentation also differs from a conventional cinema screening. The films are shown on two screens facing each other. This creates shifting relationships between the images and stories, which may complement, contradict or comment on one another. Armchairs allow the audience to view the works at their leisure.

The following films will be screened: ‘GHOUL LOG’ (2 minutes 59 seconds) by Christine Pfister from the USA, made in 2021. This handcrafted stop-motion film tells the story of an occult feast that spirals out of control. In “TOKUM AMA YERIM (I’m Full But I’ll Eat Anyway)” (5:00 minutes) by the Turkish director Bilge Olcay Yılmaz from 2025, five middle-aged women gather for a traditional “gold day” (altın günü). During the gathering, 17-year-old Leyla is brutally belittled because of her appearance. As the situation escalates, the boundaries of reality also begin to shift.

“I AM ALWAYS HUNGRY” (3 minutes 33 seconds) by Sophie Ansell from the UK. This 2024 film views disappointing dates as a vampiric exchange of energy and links questions of food and intimacy with the motif of the monstrous feminine.

‘FCK’N NUTS’ (11:55 minutes) by Sam Fox from the USA presents a different form of familial and interpersonal horror. In this 2023 production, Sandy faces the painful decision of breaking up with the man of her dreams to prevent him from meeting her eccentric parents. “MADDER ISLE” (7:39 minutes) by Laura Spark from the UK. In this 2017 film, a holy sect on a deserted rock in the middle of a poisoned sea attempts to usher in a new era. Morgan, however, discovers that the community is by no means pursuing exclusively honourable goals.

The sixth entry is “AMANITA MUSCARIA” (8:47 minutes) by Hajdi Đukić from Serbia, made in 2021. In it, the hitherto peaceful life of a young biologist is threatened by the emergence of dark forces. Together, the six films have a total running time of just over 40 minutes.

The exhibition can be visited free of charge until Saturday, between 11 am and 5 pm each day. Further information on the project and the venue’s other programme can be found ONLINE HERE. The venue is very easy to find: the Cinémathèque is situated on the ground floor of the large residential block on Alexis-Schumann-Platz, with the entrance on Karl-Liebknecht-Straße.

Jazz connects the world

Two extraordinary concert events are on the programme today for the 50th Leipzig Jazz Days. At Horns Erben (Arndtstraße 33), musicians from Poland, Leipzig and Weimar will come together at 7 pm and 9 pm for two improvised encounters under the title ‘First Date’. The Polish trio AJAKS – comprising saxophonist Marek Pospieszalski, double bassist Max Mucha and drummer Qba Janicki – will be performing for the first time in this line-up with Tara Sarter and Fridolin Krön. This German-Polish collaboration focuses on musical exchange without a predetermined structure. Among other things, AJAKS’s work explores the theme of fatherhood. Tickets cost 23 or 18 euros at the box office.

Also today, at 8.30 pm, the Schaubühne Lindenfels (Karl-Heine-Straße 50) is hosting an international double concert. German trombonist Conny Bauer, who performed with the group FEZ at the first Leipzig Jazz Days back in 1976, forms a trio with Finnish guitarist Kalle Kalima and American drummer Hamid Drake.

This will be followed by the ‘serenatas disponibles’ project, led by New York-based double bassist Brandon López, which explores an experimental fusion of Latin American serenade traditions with free improvisation, complex rhythms and microtonal timbres. Tickets cost 36 euros at the box office and 29 euros on concession. The full programme for the Leipzig Jazz Days is available ONLINE HERE, with all the information on the concerts, venues and prices.

Visit from Rückmarsdorf’s patron

Leipzig’s Mayor for Urban Development, Thomas Dienberg, is expected to attend today’s public meeting of the Rückmarsdorf local council. The meeting begins at 7 pm at the community centre at Ehrenberger Straße 5a. Item 5 on the agenda is listed as ‘Visit by Mr Dienberg in his capacity as patron’. Sounds like a cosy evening with a friendly uncle…

However, this refers to Thomas Dienberg’s role as the so-called ‘sponsor mayor’ for Rückmarsdorf. Leipzig’s sponsorship model was introduced in 2020 to improve cooperation between the city administration and local committees. To this end, specific city districts and neighbourhoods were assigned to the seven specialist mayors. They are expected to take on board the concerns of the local councils, act as intermediaries within the administration whilst these matters are being dealt with, and seek regular direct dialogue. The plan also includes attending meetings of the local councils every six months. This scheme is expressly not linked to any personal or financial sponsorship of individual residents or institutions.

Dienberg’s connections with Rückmarsdorf go back several years. As early as December 2022, he explained to the local council the delays regarding the planned roundabout on Miltitzer Straße. During subsequent visits, the focus was on, amongst other things, the establishment of new businesses and the construction of the new school. The latter is likely to feature prominently in this evening’s discussion with the twinned mayor, as this project too has not progressed as planned and is currently causing discontent.

Today’s meeting offers an opportunity to discuss local issues directly with the mayor responsible for building projects. In addition, the local council will be addressing, amongst other things, a planned park-and-ride facility, including a cycle parking area, at Rückmarsdorf railway station and the reinstallation of the lion sculpture at the entrance to the village. The agenda also includes organisational matters relating to celebrations and festivals, as well as a question-and-answer session. The meeting is open to the public. The full agenda is available at www.or-rueckmarsdorf.de/tagesordnung.htm.