Experience Weimar: Goethe and Schiller in modern city life!

Experience Weimar: Goethe and Schiller in modern city life!

There's a lot going on in Weimar! On July 13, 2025, reporters Lars Wohlfarth and André Plaul will embark on an exciting journey of discovery through the city of poets, where Goethe and Schiller are still impressively present. Taking on historical roles, they examine not only the legacies of the two great writers, but also what defines Weimar today. They address the competition between Schillerstrasse and Goetheplatz as well as the culinary rivals Goethe-Café and Schiller-Kaufhaus. In doing so, they uncover traces of a rich cultural history that goes back over 200 years and bring modern aspects of urban society into play.

Weimar, a city with two faces, developed on the one hand from the romantic classicism, while at the same time becoming an important center for the Bauhaus style. This duality is also recognized by UNESCO, which protects both classical Weimar and the Weimar Bauhaus movement as separate World Heritage Sites. How Travel Addicts reports, the city attracts over 3.5 million visitors every year and delights them with its famous sights, including the houses of Goethe and Schiller as well as the Duchess Anna Amalia Library and the City Palace.

Cultural treasures and culinary delights

At the beginning of her filmic journey of discovery are caves of history and culture. A visit to the Goethe home and the Duchess Anna Amalia Library are among the first stops. In the park-like facilities on the Ilm, the two reporters enjoy a little exercise on borrowed bikes and practice Qigong. Inspired by the gentle landscape of the parks, they later head to the Bee Museum, where the sweet fruits of beekeeping are tasted with pleasure in the form of affogato at a local café.

Of course, the regional specialties shouldn't be missed: a lucrative attempt to get hold of Thuringian bratwursts causes a laugh because the grill unfortunately stays cold. But no problem, because the two friends taste the typical Goethe-Schiller ice cream instead, which is a real treat for the taste buds. With a series of amusing encounters with tourists while strolling through the city, the cultural wealth of Weimar becomes clear.

Bauhaus and the role of Anna Amalia

The importance of Anna Amalia, Duchess of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel, cannot be underestimated. It played a central role in Weimar's cultural development by attracting important artists and thinkers such as Goethe and Schiller to the city. Her liberal views and patronage laid the foundation for the burgeoning Bauhaus movement, which was a revolutionary design and architectural movement from 1919 to 1933.

The Weimar Bauhaus University, founded in 1919, focuses on functionality and practicality in design, and has thus had a lasting impact on modern interiors and architecture. Buchenwald, the nearby concentration camp, confronts us with the dark side of history, where the themes of classical music were misused to support a solid ideology. UNESCO emphasizes that despite the destruction during the war, a high degree of authenticity has been preserved and extensive restoration measures are preserving Weimar's cultural heritage.

The evening ended with a poetry slam at the Bauhaus University, where modern voices met classical inspiration. This emotional and creative connection between cultures and eras not only attracts Weimar residents, but also people from all over the world who are inspired by this special place. Weimar remains a fascinating place where history, culture and a vibrant modern society come together harmoniously.