Catalog for the exhibition of the same name at the University Library of Leipzig from November 7 to February 1, 2026. The practice of collecting objects related to the life and work of a writer, particularly autographs and valuable prints, developed into a hallmark of bourgeois culture in the 19th century. Goethe held a special position in this regard; after the founding of the German Empire in 1871, he became the national poet of the Germans. The 100th anniversary of the founding of the Leipzig Goethe Society provides an opportunity to explore the connections between the valuable Goetheana collections at the University Library of Leipzig and the research, editing, and collecting practices within their respective contexts. It is largely unknown that Leipzig became a center for the autograph trade, which professionalized as a branch of antiquarianism. Questions also arise regarding current forms of engagement with the works and legacies of writers. What do they mean for their collectors, and what does collecting reveal about the significance of literature? Why and when is there a focus on certain authors - regionally, nationally, transnationally? And what role do literary societies play? The exhibition was created in collaboration with the Leipzig Goethe Society e.V. and features, among other things, loans from the Saxon State Archive and the custodianship of the University of Leipzig.