Berlioz in Leipzig

A Train Journey from Leipzig to Dresden in 1843

Introduction

The first railway line constructed in Germany was between Leipzig and Dresden; it was inaugurated in 1839. Four years later, Berlioz took a train on 2 February 1843 from Leipzig-Dresdner station to travel to Dresden to arrange concerts there; he was amazed at the speed of the train which enabled him to return to Leipzig on the same day to attend a concert by Mendelssohn.

This page charts the route of Berlioz’s train journey from Leipzig to Dresden with the help of contemporary engravings. The original engravings were published in January 1840 in a subscription Album to mark the completion and start of operation of the Leipzig-Dresden line. The album was reprinted in 2004 by Lehmstedt Verlag, Leipzig, a copy of which is in our collection. A selection of the pictures scanned from this reprinted album are reproduced below.

Leipzig Railway Station

(Large view)

Dresden Railway Station

(Large view)

The Hector Berlioz Website was created by Monir Tayeb and Michel Austin on 18 July 1997; the page A Train Journey to Dresden in 1843 was created on 1 January 2012.

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