Die Stadt ohne Juden

In the organizer's words:

A KIND OF SATIRE BASED ON HUGO BETTAUER'S 1922 NOVEL OF THE SAME NAME

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"Do you believe that the Germans are such fools as we are and will throw out their Jews?"

From the book. And the play.

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+++ Following the performance on January 17, we will show the film "Die Stadt ohne Juden" from 1924 +++

Over 100 years ago, the Austrian writer Hugo Bettauer (1872-1925) published his most successful bestseller "The City Without Jews". In retrospect, the satire on the hatred of Jews in the period after the First World War seems astonishingly prophetic and not very grotesque: a right-wing nationalist and openly anti-Semitic government bans all Jews and everything Jewish from Austria.

Content

Austria, early 1920s: After the devastating world war, the economy of the still young republic lies idle. Unrest shakes the country and eventually leads to new elections. The Christian Social Party under its leader Karl Schwertfeger has recognized the supposed cause of all the problems and wins the hearts of the people with the slogan "Get the Jews out of Austria!"

The promise is put into practice: Within a few months, all Jewish residents and those with Jewish ancestors must leave the country, their property goes to the state and re-entry is punishable by death.

Contrary to expectations, Austria does not develop into a prosperous state - and the expulsion of all Jews also leaves painful cultural traces. A young Jewish artist, who secretly returns from his exile and cunningly helps to bring his homeland back into the circle of civilized countries, also contributes to this.

Cast and crew

Ensemble: Adriana Sinram, Helge Tramsen, Tobias Pflug

Text & direction: Peer Gahmert

Production management & direction: Tim Gerhards

Production assistance: Anna Rödiger

Light & Sound: Florian Sommer, Timo Reichenberger

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Supported by:

The Senator for Culture of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen

Waldemar Koch Foundation

Karin and Uwe Hollweg Foundation

Schlachthof Cultural Center