Michael Reichel (ari)
Ilmenau - To mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, KuKo e.V. and Kreisjugendring Ilm-Kreis e.V. are hosting a special event:
On Sunday, November 9, 2025, at 19:00 (admission from 18:30), a musical reading entitled "Dass ein gutes Deutschland blühe ... - Leben nach Kriegsende 1945-1949" will take place in the Audimax of the TU Ilmenau. Admission is free.
What happened when the guns finally fell silent? How did people live between the rubble, hunger and the hope of a new beginning? The musical reading with actor Roman Knižka and the OPUS 45 wind quintet sheds light on the first post-war years in Germany - a time of deep ruptures, searching and new beginnings. From diaries, letters, poems, radio reports and literary texts, an impressive panorama of this transitional period emerges: from the speechlessness of those returning from the war to the questions of guilt and shame among the civilian population and the cautious hope for a democratic future. Knižka gives voice and presence to the words of authors such as Wolfgang Borchert, Marie Luise Kaschnitz, Erich Kästner, Ingeborg Bachmann and Hans Fallada. The texts tell of loss and reconstruction, of the fear of forgetting and the longing for a moral new beginning - "so that a good Germany may flourish", as the first verse of the later Basic Law echoes.
Between the readings, impressive works from the first half of the 20th century will be played, which were themselves born out of destruction and hope. The OPUS 45 wind quintet combines music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Hanns Eisler, Karl Amadeus Hartmann, György Ligeti, Dmitri Shostakovich, Charles Koechlin and Jean Françaix to create a multi-layered sound. These composers are united by their confrontation with war, exile, resistance and humanity. Their works reflect the tensions between grief and new beginnings, between personal pain and social responsibility. The result is a musical and literary dialog about the culture of remembrance, reconciliation and the question of how art can help to keep history alive.
Roman Knižka - actor with attitude
Born in Bautzen, actor Roman Knižka completed his training at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin and was engaged at renowned theaters in Berlin, Dresden and Hamburg. He became known through numerous film and television productions (Tatort, SOKO Leipzig, Das Adlon and others). For many years, Knižka has dedicated himself to projects at the interface of theater, literature and music, in which he artistically deals with socially relevant topics such as freedom, human rights and the culture of remembrance.
OPUS 45 - Chamber music with political depth(Website)
The wind quintet OPUS 45 (flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon) is known for its special concert formats in which music is combined with contemporary history, literature and philosophy. Their programs such as "On Wings of Freedom", "Human Dignity is Inviolable" or "Risen from the Ruins" impressively demonstrate how music can contribute to the confrontation with our past. In collaboration with Roman Knižka, OPUS 45 creates haunting experiences that are emotionally moving and thought-provoking.
The event on November 9 - the day of the Reichspogromnacht - aims to build bridges between the past and the present. It invites people to remember, ask questions and listen - at a time when historical awareness, tolerance and democracy are once again being challenged.
The event is organized by the Cultural Coordination Ilmenau e.V. (KuKo) and the Kreisjugendring Ilm-Kreis e.V. Supported by the Local Partnership for Democracy Ilm-Kreis and the TU Ilmenau.
KuKo e.V. - Cultural Coordination e.V. Ilmenau
+49 3677 691731
info@kuko-ev.de
