Goethe and Weimar: From ruins to millions of tourists every year!

Goethe and Weimar: From ruins to millions of tourists every year!

250 years ago, more precisely on November 7, 1775, an era began that would shape Weimar forever: the arrival of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The city has never been the same since. Mayor Peter Kleine describes it aptly: “Without Goethe, Weimar would have remained insignificant.” Goethe, who combined life and art in the village-like city, brought a fresh wind of creativity with him. His time in Weimar marked the beginning of the Weimar classic, a cultural heyday that also included Friedrich Schiller, Christoph Martin Wieland and Johann Gottfried Herder.

Goethe was looking for freedom and new experiences when he arrived in Weimar. Duchess Anna Amalia created the framework for his stay and also attracted other prominent personalities with her invitation. Uwe Butze, a city guide, emphasizes that Goethe's presence brought many intellectuals to Weimar, which enabled the city to significantly change its history. “We not only had artists here, but also thinkers and writers who influenced European thinking,” said Butze.

A cultural heritage

The Weimar classic united various movements such as Sturm und Drang, classical music and the Enlightenment and thus established a new humanism. This movement, which reached its peak in the first half of the 19th century, was not just a literary phenomenon. It also produced a synthesis of emotion and reason, as impressively expressed in Goethe's masterpiece “Faust”. Here the themes of love, knowledge and moral purification intertwine and reflect the pursuit of harmony.

The city of Weimar is now a magnet for around four million tourists per year, thanks not only to its cultural heritage but also to its numerous museums and historical sites. Hotels recorded almost 800,000 overnight stays in 2024 - a considerable economic factor. The traces of Goethe and Schiller are everywhere, be it in their homes or in the literary salons that promoted exchanges between high-ranking minds.

The challenges of the present

While the city looks back on its glorious past, there are also worries about the future. Peggy Kaiser, a city cleaning employee, expresses concerns that the younger generation is not learning enough about Goethe in school. It is important to pass on the rich legacy that Weimar Classicism left behind. Ulrike Lorenz, President of the Klassik Stiftung Weimar, emphasizes Goethe's versatility, which made Weimar a European cultural metropolis. “We have to ensure that this will continue to be valued in the future,” she warns.

Goethe lived in Weimar until his death in 1832. From poet to statesman to scientist – his work was diverse and left traces that still resonate today. It remains to be hoped that the fascination for Weimar classics will continue to inspire future generations - because there is still a lot of potential that needs to be developed.