Funny to think that in today's world where so many changes in publishing happen - and not necessarily profitable or positive -, Leipzig still sustains a very strong business selling books, magazines, newspapers and other print newspapers. I emphasize: printed. When I first visited the city, our guide said it is the city where people read the most in the world... I was intrigued by this finding. I then investigated this with the Tourism of Leipzig, but the fact is that there is nothing that proves this, except for the numerous records that leave some evidence, even though there are no official statistics, and make us believe in this hypothesis. Just gather some data, such as - perhaps few know - the first known daily newspaper in the world started in Leipzig in 1650. 

The German National Library is located in Leipzig, where one finds a gigantic collection of German titles; another fact, in 1884 the Deutsche Buch und Schriftenmuseum, also known as Museum for Books and Writings, was founded. Significant fairs are still held there, such as the second most important in the country called the Leipzig Book Fair, which takes place since the 17th century, or even the most recent “Annual Book Summer” - since 2012 it is a reading festival for young people aged 11 to 16. But this is not a regular book trade and advertising fair, but a mega fair that achieves its primary goal of encouraging reading: attendees can rent as many books as they want without registration, and can earn a certificate if they read more than 3 books each over the summer school holidays. Check this out: In the summer of 2016, over 36,000 books were borrowed! When you think about the educational level to which children and young people are exposed there, it is easy to remember why Germany is a great world power.