In the organizer's words:

With our MysteryFiguresFestival, we are turning the Campus for Democracy in the former Stasi headquarters into a playground for the youngest generation. At this historic site, we will play out the role that secrets play in our lives and in world affairs. When are they good and important? When do they become a danger? We play with puppets, objects and figures for people aged 4+. We are conquering the campus together and for the first time as a theater venue for the youngest generation.

We are the Puppentheater Fingerleicht - a Berlin puppet ensemble with many members and experience in international and national theater - and our cooperation partner, the Stasi Records Archive, as pioneers of the cultural Democracy Campus. On three consecutive weekends, starting on January 17, 2026, we will perform our MysteryFigureFestival in the event space in Haus 22, showing five different plays about secrets.

For our festival repertoire, we have rummaged through our venue and world literature. In the red suitcase in the neighboring Stasi Museum, we tracked down a sinister secret. Stasi chief Erich Mielke guarded it. Inspired by this, we turn secrets into characters in our play "Red Suitcase, Mystery Thief". This play, developed especially for the festival with Berlin children, opens and closes our figure spectacle. On an additional weekday, February 3, we also offer two performances for daycare groups and primary school classes.

In our other productions, too, we let our protagonists play and win with courage and ingenuity, with curiosity and imagination against superpowers, against despots and against a web of power, secrecy and authority. Or keep secrets and grow from them.

After each performance, we collect new secrets together with the audience. If you want, you can also visit the red suitcase in the Stasi Museum with us.

OUR PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Sat, Jan. 17, festival kick-off: 3 and 5 p.m.

RED SUITCASE, MYSTERY THIEF. A play about the uselessness of secrecy.

About the content: What is the red suitcase hiding? No matter how often the children and the cat ask and tempt, the suitcase will not reveal its secret. It remains silent and silent. Finally, when nobody pays any more attention to it, it opens the lid. He uses the others' secrets to blackmail them. How much is the secrecy of the suitcase worth to the children? What are they prepared to do so that he doesn't reveal anything?

Festival production with Berlin children for ages four and up.

Sun, Jan. 18, 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

RONJA THE ROBBER'S DAUGHTER. A play from not so dark times.

About the content: As a robber's daughter, you don't have it easy either. Robber Dad and his gang of robbers can't behave themselves, the neighbor's robber children are annoying and the robber forest is full of secrets. Nevertheless, Ronja the Robber's Daughter sets out to become a real robber boss. The production based on Astrid Lindgren is for ages four and up.

Followed by a shared mystery and a visit to Erich Mielke's red suitcase in the Stasi Museum.

Sat, 24.1., 3 and 5 pm

CITY MOUSE AND COUNTRY MOUSE. A play about newbie noses.

About the content: Ruby Stadtmaus and Blue Landmaus try to discover the secrets of different places. Who lives where and how? What do city creatures hide, what secrets do country creatures keep and why? Ruby and Blue roam through town and country as tiny little curious noses. Our adaptation of Elisabeth Shaw's story was created together with children from town and country and is suitable for ages four and up.

Followed by a shared mystery and a visit to Erich Mielke's red suitcase in the Stasi Museum.

Sun, 25.1., 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

PUSS IN BOOTS. A play about cunning, deceit and secrets.

The story: The young miller's son Hans has a resourceful tomcat for a companion. With him at his side, the underdog wins the power games against the royal head of state and his entourage and wins the heart of the king's daughter. In the web of intrigue, the two stand their ground with honesty and a cat's cunning. Our adaptation based on the Brothers Grimm and Erich Kästner is for ages four and up.

Followed by a shared mystery and a visit to Erich Mielke's red suitcase in the Stasi Museum.

Sat, 31.1., 3 and 5 p.m.

THUMBELINA'S DREAMS. An excursion into the miniatures and large formats of secrets.

About the content: Thumbelina wants to be big. Because being big means power, influence and friends. What is the secret of being big? In his search for it, Thumbelina experiences his smallness and supposed weakness as his very own strength - and finds a community of like-minded people. We developed this production for people aged four and over with children from Berlin, based on Hans-Christian Andersen.

Followed by a shared mystery and a visit to Erich Mielke's red suitcase in the Stasi Museum.

Sun, 1.2., 11 a.m., festival finale

RED SUITCASE, THIEF OF SECRETS. A play about the uselessness of secrecy.

About the content: What is the red suitcase hiding? No matter how often the children and the cat ask and entice, the suitcase will not reveal its secret. It remains silent and silent. Finally, when nobody pays any more attention to it, it opens the lid. He uses the others' secrets to blackmail them. How much is the secrecy of the suitcase worth to the children? What are they prepared to do so that he doesn't reveal anything?

Festival production with Berlin children for ages four and up.

Tuesday, February 3, 9.30 and 11 a.m., performance for daycare centers and primary school classes

RED SUITCASE, MYSTERY THIEF. A play about the uselessness of secrecy.

About the content: What is the red suitcase hiding? No matter how often the children and the cat ask and tempt, the suitcase will not reveal its secret. It remains silent and silent. Finally, when nobody pays any more attention to it, it opens the lid. He uses the others' secrets to blackmail them. How much is the secrecy of the suitcase worth to the children? What are they prepared to do so that he doesn't reveal anything?

Festival production with Berlin children for ages four and up.

PSST! Das GeheimnisFigurenFestival. A puppet theater spectacle for people 4+ at the Campus for Democracy, Berlin

January 17 to February 3, 2026, Saturdays at 3 and 5 pm and Sundays at 11 am and 4 pm

Additional performances for daycare centers and elementary school on February 3, 2026, 9.30+11 am

In House 22, Campus for Democracy, Stasi Headquarters, Ruschestraße 103, 10365 Berlin

Admission: 6 euros per person. Information and reservation: neugier@puppentheater-fingerleicht.de; 01799113606

Play lasts approx. 40 minutes, admission 15 minutes before the start of each performance

More at: puppentheater-fingerleicht.de; bundesarchiv.de/stasi-unterlagen-archiv/stasi-zentrale-campus-fuer-demokratie