Preserving culture: 25th anniversary of the Museum of the Printing Arts Leipzig

Today, traditional printing techniques have long since been replaced by modern digital processes and are in danger of being forgotten. Founded in 1994, the Museum of the Printing Arts in Leipzig, a city with a long tradition of book publishing, aims to preserve, maintain and communicate our collective knowledge of historical printing techniques. On four floors, around 100 functioning machines and presses bring printing history to life, most importantly by allowing visitors to touch the exhibits and get involved. Last Saturday, the museum celebrated its 25th anniversary with a celebratory event, which was attended by representatives from the worlds of culture, politics and business, as well as by sponsors.

Building bridges between generations and cultures

The Museum of the Printing Arts is conceptually and financially supported by the Giesecke+Devrient Foundation. Their common objective is to preserve the rich heritage of the printing arts and make it accessible to everyone. Therefore, communication for future generations and thus educational work for children and young people is a focal point, along with the promotion of art and artists. Verena von Mitschke-Collande, G+D shareholder and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Giesecke+Devrient Foundation, has made a significant contribution to this preservation. With the establishment of the Museum of the Printing Arts Foundation at the end of 1999, she created a new trusteeship and therefore the basis for the museum. Verena von Mitschke-Collande has now received the Leipzig Medal of Honor for her commitment. The official declaration of the City of Leipzig states that the award recognizes individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to Leipzig's culture, especially in relation to the museum, and have therefore earned special appreciation.

“Social and societal engagement is extremely important for Giesecke+Devrient”, explains Astrid Wolff, member of the Executive Committee of the G+D Foundation and Head of Corporate Heritage at Giesecke+Devrient. “The museum aims to preserve knowledge of traditional printing arts for future generations. In the digital age, this is an enormously important challenge to ensure that analogue media and their societal and cultural relevance retain their significance. At the same time, the museum is also a lively meeting place and can be used for presentations, symposia, and non-permanent exhibitions. Like the G+D Foundation, it concentrates on the promotion of educational work for children and young people as well as the promotion of art and culture. Bridging the gap between yesterday, today and tomorrow is a common cause of the museum and the foundation, and is more important than ever before.”

About Giesecke+Devrient

Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) is a global security technology Group headquartered in Munich, Germany. Innovations from G+D make the lives of billions of people in the digital and physical world more secure. With its products and solutions, G+D is one of the market and technology leaders in the areas of payment, connectivity, identities and digital infrastructures.

Founded in 1852, the company generated sales of 2.25 billion Euros in the 2018 fiscal year with 11,400 employees. G+D is present in 32 countries. Its customers include central and commercial banks, mobile network operators, automobile manufacturers, health insurance companies, governments and public authorities. For more information, please visit: www.gi-de.com.