ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the city, whose urban environment was most impacted: Lutherstadt Wittenberg. The city leadership of Lutherstadt Wittenberg, like any of the other stakeholders, wanted to maximize attendance numbers. Importantly, because of the event, the city progressed in accelerating building projects that would have otherwise happened more slowly without the event or would have possibly never have been started. Hosting a major event in Germany carries with it certain expectations because of the country’s history of mega-events. Event organizers in Lutherstadt Wittenberg had to not only reflect on what to draw from recent mega-events and other events in and outside of Germany, they also had their own event history to examine. Lutherstadt Wittenberg’s tourism industry depends mainly on those who visit the city for spiritual or religious reasons and those who come to the festivals in summer. Lutherstadt Wittenberg’s historic old town is essential to both its economy and its identity.
