While in exile, Bertolt Brecht and Ruth Berlau collected photos and texts about World War II from newspapers and combined them with four-line epigrams. The result was a book intended to teach readers how to interpret images of war and their ideological inscriptions, which was published in 1955 under the title Kriegsfibel (War Primer). Based on research on the “Kriegsfibel,” students of the BA Directing and MA Dramaturgy programs explored images of war in their own way through theater. The result is four works that address different contexts from different perspectives.
They examine the fusion of private everyday life and political catastrophe and search for strategies of solidarity and language. Constructs such as home, identity, and memory are reflected upon, and the implications for our friendships are illuminated. Attempts are made to counteract the stigmatization of experiences of violence. Media representations are discussed, and questions of understanding, rapprochement, and agency arise repeatedly. The focus is primarily on the wars and history of violence in Ukraine/Russia and in the Israel/Palestine region. Sexualized violence and the psychological consequences of experiencing violence are also addressed.

In addition, various discussion formats are used to reflect on and further explore what has been seen.

By and With: Lilith Borchert, Julia Chaplygina, Joris Domogalski, Dascha Dumont, Aurélie Feucht, Kati Kiraly, Hündin Luna, Hannah Lindner, Eva Stallbaum, Tristan Steeg, Yevheniia Vidishcheva und Kompliz:innen
Supervision: Monika Gysel, Friederike Thielmann
Producer: Jonas Weber