Leipzig merchant bourgeoisie
The dissolution of the urban social class took place through overarching transformation processes with the aim of establishing a socialist society in East Germany.
As representatives of merchant capitalism and thus lobbyists for important Leipzig financial institutions such as the Leipzig Bank, trading establishments such as the Alte Handelsbörse (Old Stock Exchange) and later the New Stock Exchange, as well as industrial companies, they controlled the social and economic flows in the Saxon state to a large extent, both factually and informally.
This led to the establishment of internationally important high culture institutions, which in turn attracted engagements from well-known music stars of their time.
These included, for example, Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Philipp Telemann, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Robert Schumann, Albert Lortzing, Gustav Mahler, who at least temporarily worked in the wealthy trade fair city.
[3] Far from the Saxon royal court and princely tutelage, equipped with trade fair privileges, located at an internationally important crossroads of Via Regia and Via Imperii, the Leipzig merchant bourgeoisie grew up, which took advantage of this favorable starting point.
[4] Leipzig's merchants also made a profit by acquiring shares in mining in the Ore Mountains during the Berggeschrey.
The influences and effects on Saxony began in the Middle Ages and continued until the end of the existence of the Leipzig social class.
His power base was limited to the trust of the Elector, a small group of Reformed preachers and a minority of intellectuals who - like the chancellor himself - mostly came from the Leipzig merchant bourgeoisie.
[7] The Saxon upper middle class, whose economic development was hampered in the second quarter of the 18th century by financial mismanagement in the Brühl era, was unable to exert any significant political influence at that time.
[9] The Leipzig merchant bourgeoisie, whose trade depended on the Elector's favor, was hostile to the French Revolution.
