AND NOW HANAU

In the organizer's words:

Documentary theater by Tuğsal Moğul

AND NOW HANAU? What happens after the racially motivated terrorist attack in Hanau on February 19, 2020, which has burned itself into the collective memory of the Federal Republic of Germany? Nine people were murdered that evening in cold blood and for purely racist motives. Nine lives that were blindly extinguished out of pure hatred.

But the reconstruction of the events raises more questions than it answers. How could an organizational failure of such magnitude occur? Why did locked emergency exits make it impossible for the victims to escape? Why was the emergency call center not adequately staffed? And why did the public prosecutor's office and the police show an obvious unwillingness to clarify the course of events?

These are questions posed by the playwright, director, actor and doctor Tuğsal Moğul, who was born in Neubeckum (Westphalia) in 1969. Together with the Initiative 19. February, an initiative of the victims' relatives and survivors, he addresses the events surrounding the night of the murder and gives those affected the floor. In other words, those who were themselves confronted with the confusion of the authorities and xenophobic resentment.

As part of a research project, Tuğsal Moğul and the initiative are attempting to create the greatest possible transparency about an event that is completely opaque. They are bringing reality to the stage as part of a documentary theater, creating a worthy reminder of the crime.

It is about a complete clarification of what happened and a critical examination of the actions of the state authorities and the police and the political consequences. And, of course, it is about justice. For the victims and the bereaved.

Press reviews:

'And now Hanau' has a fast pace, the information is densely packed, a mixture of court transcripts, statements, sound bites. In between, there is a minute's silence for the victims. When the performance ends, the audience is shocked - KONTEXT:Wochenzeitung

In its new drama production 'And now Hanau', the Stuttgart Theaterhaus makes it clear how bitterly necessary it is to remember. - Stuttgarter Zeitung

Because this theater evening that gets under your skin not only traces the brutality of the crime, but also gives a voice to the relatives of the victims. - Stuttgarter Nachrichten

Many tears were shed during the standing ovation at the end. - Stuttgarter Zeitung

With

A production of the Theaterhaus Stuttgart
With: Larissa Ivleva , Katja Schmidt-Oehm, Ufuk Oehlerking, Stephan Moos, Irfan Kars
Director: Werner Schretzmeier
Stage design & costumes: Gudrun Schretzmeier
Dramaturgy: Brigitte Luik
Video: Marcin Wierzchowski Marcin Wierzchowski
Assistant director: Raluca Urea
Assistant stage designer: David Fitzgerald
Costume assistant: Christine Lange
Props: Beate Mergel
Set construction: Marc Dobmaier
Philipp Jonathan Tewald
Lighting design: Mathieu Arnal
Technical lighting: Raphael Recordon; Samuel Schubert
Technical image & sound: Gunnar Hälsig, Joshua Schüder
Performance rights: Rowohlt Theater Verlag

A cooperation of E-WERK Freiburg, FABRIK Freiburg and Theaterhaus Stuttgart. Supported by the Art Innovation Fund of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts.

This will be accompanied by a (training) workshop by the "Stammtischkämpfer:innen" at the FABRIK on 08.07.26, which is aimed at anyone interested in countering extreme right-wing, racist, discriminatory positions in everyday life with arguments. Each event will be followed by an audience discussion.

AND NOW HANAU aims to create a new perspective on what has happened and calls for a social process of reflection and consequences. In order to bring this process to the wider public, the production team has developed a reduced version of the theater production that allows for guest performances on a larger scale. With this version, the Stuttgart ensemble will be our guests at E-WERK Freiburg on 09 & 10.07.2026.

We recommend the play for ages 17 and up / upper secondary school. We strongly recommend that interested teachers prepare their group in advance; a preparatory and follow-up folder with materials is available here.

Play duration: 1.5 h

There is a content note for this play. This can be found in the accessibility section of our website

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