Something to write home about
{{ time.start_TS | TS2dateFormat('MMM') }}
{{ time.start_TS | TS2dateFormat('YYYY') }}
| Admission: 8 EUR / reduced 4 EUR |
| Ticket: Please book your ticket in advance online or at the box office at the Foyer |
| Suitable for: 14 years and older |
| Which languages: German |
| Venue: Ground Floor, Hall 3 |
| Part of: SITE SPECIFICS |
Write and be remembered!
Letters were the most important means for princesses in the late Middle Ages to forge alliances, bridge conflicts, and exchange news. In this way, women were able to achieve far greater influence than the male‑dominated narratives of history would have us expect.
The event focuses on the voices of Hohenzollern women of the 15th century, who corresponded within a far‑reaching network. We encounter humorous, sharp‑tongued, and intelligent protagonists who skillfully navigate the expectations of their families and the scope for action available in their time. It is still worthwhile today to listen to these women.
Actress Alina Vimbai Strähler will give these women a voice again after 500 years by reading from their letters. Art historian Tanja Kohwagner‑Nikolai and Alfred Hagemann will situate the letters within their biographical backgrounds and historical context.
An evening that brings our understanding of history to life and enriches it with greater diversity.
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.
Partner
