Leipzig's coffee house Zum Arabian Coffe Baum is celebrating its reopening!

Leipzig's coffee house Zum Arabian Coffe Baum is celebrating its reopening!

Probably the most famous coffee house in Leipzig, “Zum Arabian Coffe Baum”, has finally reopened its doors after six years of renovation. This reopening is not only a joy for coffee lovers, but also a tribute to the long history of the establishment, which is one of the oldest cafés in Europe. From Tuesday, visitors can immerse themselves in the world of coffee and be guided through the permanent exhibition in 15 historical rooms. This study by Deutschlandfunk Kultur highlights first-class topics, ranging from strict coffee house regulations of the 18th century to the colonial connections of earlier coffee cultivation.

Anyone who enters this historic place will feel the influences of famous guests such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Robert Schumann, who once stayed here. Writers such as Gotthold Ephraim Lessing and Erich Kästner also found their way to this respected café. The reopening of the museum above the dining room is a wonderful opportunity to explore the history of coffee in all its facets and enjoy the historical ambience.

A look into the coffee crisis in the GDR

A central theme of the exhibition is the coffee crisis in the GDR, which comes back to the table at the end of the 1970s. This crisis was the result of supply difficulties caused by high world market prices and coffee shortages even in the Soviet zone of occupation. The Wikipedia page about the coffee crisis in the GDR provides information about how coffee became an indispensable commodity among the population. Until the 1970s, coffee was an important item in the budget of GDR private households, and citizens spent a whopping 3.3 billion marks annually on their beloved coffee.

The coffee crisis began in 1976 when world market prices rose sharply after a failed harvest in Brazil. The GDR was forced to spend almost 700 million currency marks annually on coffee imports, which put pressure on policymakers. To overcome this shortage, the GDR leadership sought barter deals to meet the demand for coffee. Even weapons and trucks were exchanged for green coffee and energy resources.

Coffee as a political issue

The effects of the coffee crisis went far beyond the supply of a hot drink. The issue of coffee became a political issue of the highest order, as in the [study on Academia.edu](https://www.academia.edu/26716557/Kaffee_in_der_DDR_Ein_politikum_ersten_Ranges_In_Kaffeewelten_Historische_Perspekti ven_auf_eine_globale_Ware_im_20_ Jahrhundert_Hg_Christiane_Berth_Dorothee_Wierling_Volker_W%C3%BCnderich_G%C3%B6ttingen_2015_225_247) is clarified. Coffee consumption was not just a question of enjoyment, but also a social and economic issue that affected many people's everyday lives. Gifts from relatives in the Federal Republic covered a good 20% of the coffee requirement, which makes it clear that it was not only a drink, but also a symbol of the standard of living.

The political leadership of the GDR allowed unlimited amounts of coffee consumption from Western packages, while at the same time protests and petitions against the coffee crisis were loud among the population. After 1978 there was a normalization of the price of coffee, but the topic remains anchored in the collective memory and will certainly receive new impetus with the reopening of the museum in the “Zur Arabian Coffe Baum”.