Der Gang vor die Hunde

Kästner’s autobiographical novel set in the big city was actually supposed to be titled *Der Gang vor die Hunde*. It was first published in 1931 in an abridged, censored version under the title *Fabian: The Story of a Moralist*. It wasn’t until 2013 that Kästner’s masterpiece was published in its unabridged version.

At its center is the moralist Fabian, who stumbles through the immoral Berlin of the early 1930s with his friend Labude. The novel explores the confrontation with love, hate, and violence during the era of communism and burgeoning fascism.

“Der Gang vor die Hunde” is a story of longing and suicide, love bought and sold, and of Berlin, the tender Moloch of modernity.

Now Christine Sommer and Martin Brambach are taking on “Der Gang vor die Hunde.” Together with the Christian Hammer Trio, the artistic duo whisks their audience away into this crazy world, which often feels frighteningly relevant today. The result is a staged reading set to the music of the era—a tour de force through the early 1980s: debauched, pornographic, decadent, and highly political.

Based on Erich Kästner

A Musical Journey with Martin Brambach and the Christian Hammer Trio

Staged reading: Martin Brambach, Christine Sommer, Jürgen Hartmann, Christine Sommer, Jubril Sulaimon
Saxophone: Cathrin Groth
Guitar: Christian Hammer
Double bass: Markus Conrads

Premiere on October 4, 2026