In 1965, the Leipzig Trade Fair celebrated its 800th anniversary, which was used by both state and municipal authorities for self-promotion. To the displeasure of the West German Foreign Office, which advocated a hard line in its policy toward the East German state and had tried in vain to organize a boycott of the Leipzig Fair after the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, West German industry participated actively in the spring fair, so as not to lose step with foreign competitors. In the context of intensified intra-German trade, the Leipzig Trade Fair became an important point of exchange between East and West. This photograph shows the exhibition hall for the electronics branch.