Something to write home about
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| 8 EUR / reduced 4 EUR |
| Please book your ticket in advance online or at the box office at the Foyer |
| 14 years and older |
| German |
| Ground Floor, Hall 3 |
| Part of: SITE SPECIFICS |
Write and be remembered!
In the late Middle Ages, letters were the most powerful tool for princesses to forge alliances, mend rifts, and share news. Through their correspondence, women achieved far greater political influence than male-dominated historical narratives would have us believe. These letters still offer fascinating insights into the Europe-wide networks of princely women.
This event brings to life the voices of Hohenzollern women such as Margarethe (1413–1465), deeply involved in Bavarian politics, and Anna (1487–1514), writing from Schleswig to her brother in Berlin. Their words reveal independent and intelligent actors who skillfully navigated family expectations and the opportunities of their time.
Actress Alina Vimbai Strähler will give these women a voice again after 500 years by reading their letters aloud. Art historian Tanja Kohwagner-Nikolai and Alfred Hagemann, Head of the Department History of the Site at Stiftung Humboldt Forum, will provide biographical insights and historical context.
The event is part of the WIRKSAM project, which shines a spotlight on Hohenzollern women in ten museums across Germany.
Participants
Dr. Tanja Kohwagner-Nikolai studied Art History at the universities of Munich, Augsburg, and Erlangen, completing her doctorate in 2005 with a dissertation on medieval embroidered imagery. She spent over a decade at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities working on the scholarly edition of medieval and early modern inscriptions. In addition, she held teaching positions at the Universities of Bamberg and Munich, conducted research on the imperial garments of Bamberg within a DFG-funded project, and directed a bavarikon project on this subject. She also served as curator at the Margravial Opera House in Bayreuth. Since 2023, she has held the position of Museum Curator at the Bavarian Palace Administration.
Alina Vimbai Strähler was born and grew up in Duisburg. She studied acting at the Zurich University of the Arts and New York University. She holds a scholarship from the Zürcher Theaterverein and had her first engagements at the Zürcher Schauspielhaus and Schauspiel Frankfurt during her studies. After graduating, she was permanently employed at the Konstanz Theatre, the Lucerne Theatre and the Grips Theatre. In 2018, she was invited to the Swiss Theatre Meeting with the work White Out by Alexander Giesche. She has been a permanent member of the Schaubühne ensemble in Berlin since 2021.
Dr Alfred Hagemann is head of the History of the Site Department at the Stiftung Humboldt Forum. His research focuses on the architectural and cultural history of the Berlin court in the 18th century, historical women’s studies and the state self-representation of the GDR. Over the past fifteen years, the art historian has curated a series of cultural-historical exhibitions on the history of Prussia and the GDR in Berlin and Potsdam.
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