Street of the best

A lively company party in the GDR, filled with music and good cheer. A son who, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, sets out to trace his late father’s footsteps and tries to make sense of the family tragedy and the collapse of a state. A story of touching sensitivity and contemporary history, and an evening filled with rousing music. This is Street of the Best, a nostalgic musical evening with a live band and the greatest hits of the GDR. A must-see for all East Germans and for all West Germans with a taste for music.

We have been a united country for over 35 years now. But have we also become a united people? Have all the divides been bridged in our minds, or do “Besserwessis” and “Jammerossis” still haunt the back of our minds? At the very latest since the publication of Dirk Oschmann’s *Der Osten: eine westdeutsche Erfindung* (2023), a long-overdue debate has emerged about inter-German relations. How do we see each other 35 years after the peaceful revolution? What do we know about one another? And to put it more directly: Do we actually care about one another? With our MiniFestival, we aim to bring East and West into productive contact, overcome clichés, and spark mutual empathy and understanding. We have invited two highly successful productions from the Gerhart Hauptmann Theater in Görlitz-Zittau, both of which depict German reality in their own way. There will also be a supporting program featuring readings and panel discussions. We look forward to welcoming East and West Germans, Franconians and Saxons, and to insightful events!