Introduction

    Goethe’s Faust and Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust, which was inspired by it, include a scene which takes place in Leipzig’s historic Auerbachs Keller. In the Damnation the Keller appears in Scene VI, Part II.

    The origins of the Cellar date back to 1525, when the physician and university professor Heinrich Stromer opened a wine bar in the cellar of his house. In 1528 Stromer had the 200-year-old building torn down and a new house with an enlarged cellar built, with the Hexenküche [Witches’ Kitchen], Fasskeller [Barrel Cellar], Lutherzimmer [Luther’s Room] and Goethezimmer [Goethe’s room] surviving to this day. Over the centuries the Cellar has undergone many structural changes, restorations, refurbishment and decorations, the last of which took place in 1964 to mark the 800th anniversary of Leipzig.

    This page presents pictures of the Cellar in Leipzig. All the modern photographs on the page were taken by Michel Austin in 2008; other images have been scanned from engravings, postcards and other publications in our own collection. © Michel Austin and Monir Tayeb. All rights of reproduction reserved.

This page is also available in French

1. Auerbach’s Cellar in times past

Auerbach’s Cellar in 1875

(Large view)

(Large view)

The date of this postcard is around 1935. The engraving printed on the card seems to be dated 1912. 
The English translation of the text reads: 
Doctor Faustus at this time
Rode out from Auerbach’s Cellar. 1525

Auerbach’s Cellar around 1910-1920

(Large view)

Auerbach’s Cellar around 1910-1920

(Large view) 

Auerbach’s Cellar in 1929

(Large view)

Auerbach’s Cellar in 1929 
Goethe’s Room

(Large view)  

2. Auerbach’s Cellar in our time (2008)

The passage in which the Cellar is located

(Large view)

The pedestal of the sculpture on the left in the above photo

(Large view)

The English translation of the text reads: 
Scene in Auerbach’s Cellar from Goethe’s Faust. Mephistopheles bewitches the students.

(Large view)

The pedestal of the sculpture in the above photo

(Large view)

The English translation of the text reads: 
Scene in Auerbach’s Cellar from Goethe’s Faust. The students bewitched by Mephistopheles.

The banner above the left stairs leading to the Cellar

(Large view)

For the translation of the text see the large view.

The Plaque on the way downstairs to the Cellar

(Large view)

The English translation of the text reads: 
Auerbach’s Cellar 
Historic wine bars 

Interior of the Cellar

(Large view)

(Large view)

(Large view)

(Large view)

(Large view)

(Large view)

(Large view)

Serviette – image on the corner

(Large view)

Serviette – image on the opposite corner

(Large view)

The Hector Berlioz Website was created by Monir Tayeb and Michel Austin on 18 July 1997; the page Faust in Leipzig was created on 1 January 2012.

© 2012 (unless otherwise stated) Michel Austin and Monir Tayeb.

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