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Leipzig's coffee culture rediscovered: The Arabian Coffee Tree opens!
On July 1, 2025, the coffee house “Zum Araben Coffe Baum” in Leipzig reopened its doors, discussing historical coffee house regulations and the coffee crisis in the GDR.
Leipzig's coffee culture rediscovered: The Arabian Coffee Tree opens!
The Leipzig coffee house “Zum Arabian Coffe Baum” reopened its doors to visitors on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. The traditional house, which was once a popular meeting place for numerous personalities, now offers an exciting look back at the history of coffee and its cultural significance in Leipzig and beyond. Visitors can look forward to a variety of topics, including the strict coffeehouse regulations of the 18th century, which reflect the way coffee culture and consumption were handled at the time.
A central topic that will be addressed as part of the reopening is the effects of the coffee crisis in the GDR. This crisis occurred at the end of the 1970s when there were significant coffee supply problems. One reason for this was the shortage on the world markets, which was triggered by a bad harvest in Brazil. This situation forced the GDR to enter into barter deals with other countries to meet its coffee needs. [Wikipedia] explains that the SED leadership throttled imports of food and beverages in order to save foreign currency.
Historical contexts and global trade relations
In the coffee house you can also understand the colonial connections of the earlier coffee cultivation. The history of coffee is closely linked to colonization and global trade relations of past centuries. The exhibition addresses how these historical factors continue to have an impact today and what role coffee plays in today's global trade.
“Zum Arabian Coffe Baum” has a long tradition and was an attraction for numerous famous guests. Among them are well-known composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Robert Schumann as well as writers such as Gotthold Ephraim Lessing and Erich Kästner. This cultural dimension is emphasized by the reopening, which highlights not only the history of the establishment but also the importance of coffee in society.
The coffee crisis in the GDR led to an extraordinary consumption of coffee beans, which had a major impact on the way of life of many citizens. In the 1970s, GDR citizens spent around 3.3 billion marks annually on coffee, with gifts from relatives in the Federal Republic covering around 20% of the requirement. These economic and social challenges will also be part of the reopening and invite visitors to take a closer look at the matter.
The reopening of the “Zum Arabian Coffe Baum” not only brings a piece of Leipzig’s history to life, but also makes a valuable contribution to reflection on the global coffee trade and its effects on different societies. The coffee house thus combines past, present and future in a unique cultural setting.