The Exemplary Life of Samuel W.

At an election rally, people come together - politicians and voters, the press and party colleagues, political opponents. The tension is high ahead of the election. There are two promising candidates - the mayor and Samuel W. - and plenty of questions: “Who is Samuel W.? A thought? An idea? Does Samuel W. stand for a place? Or for a time? Is he us?” Lukas Rietzschel’s play raises many questions and consists of around one hundred conversations he conducted in places like Görlitz, and so one might think it undoubtedly takes place in this region. It traces the life of a politician born in the GDR, in an area with lignite mines, smog, soot, and grime, with people wondering whether their homeland is still worth living in. And then there is this Samuel W., who does not appear, yet is always present, who becomes a politician and joins an obviously radical party, even though he is here… or perhaps because he grew up here?

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!