We understand the expression world citizenship above all in political terms. Since its beginnings, however, philosophy has attached a wider meaning to the term. The reason for this is self-evident: The medium of philosophy consists in general human reason that transcends all political, linguistic and cultural barriers. In spite of this, the thinking of only a few great philosophers is entirely cosmopolitan. Immanuel Kant, the world citizen from Königsberg, is an outstanding exception. By Otfried Höffe...
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Fighting the system of informers in the GDR was his life's task. It made him ill - and famous. On the death of Ulrich Mühe. By Matthias Heine
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German painter Tomma Abts left for London twelve years ago. Her quiet, geometric paintings with Frisian names have just won her the Turner Prize. Morgan Falconer talked to her on the eve of award ceremony.
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In an interview with Holger Liebs the painter Neo Rauch describes the dense, apocalyptic nature of his work, puzzles over his need to retreat and is very thankful to no longer be 25.
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For years, Andre Müller has been widely recognised as one of Germany's most intrepid, and most dreaded, interviewers. In 1979 he met and interviewed Arno Breker, who became infamous in the Nazi era as Hitler's favourite sculptor. We have translated the text in full. (Image: Arno Breker: Bereitschaft (Readiness), 1939. Courtesy Breker Archiv Düsseldorf)
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Until today, all attempts to show the works of Arno Breker, Hitler's favourite sculptor, have failed miserably. The potential for failure is again great at the first major solo exhibition of Breker's works since World War II. The show relies on loans from Breker's apologists, and access to the archives was limited. By Stefan Koldehoff
See also Andre Müller's interview with Arno Breker from 1979.
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The Grässlin family is opening an art space in Sankt Georgen, a tiny town high up in the Black Forest. Their collection of sculptures and installations is scattered throughout the locale, to the amazement of the international public and the locals alike. By Ulrich Stock
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The neo-Expressionist painters known as the "Neuen Wilden" were once
what the artists of the Leipzig School are today: international stars,
celebrated by the press, courted by collectors. Twenty-five years after
the pinnacle of their success, they are now fighting for a place in art
history. Cornelius Tittel paid them a visit. (Image: Rainer Fetting, "Self Portrait", 1999)
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Far from the over-exitement of today's artworld, the 4th berlin biennale for contemporary art wallows in the dark depths of things jettisoned and biographical, offering the art pilgrim twelve stations along Berlin's Augustraße. By Hanno Rauterberg
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In an arresting new play, five young Muslim women lift the veil on a taboo: sex. Director Neco Celik talks to Michaela Schlagenwerth about his own conflict with Islam and why he chose this explosive material for his first play.
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Making audiences happy makes other people suspicious. Max
Reinhardt not only staged theatre in Berlin, he also built and ran several of them very successfully. He democratised the closed world of theatre, but he has never been able to
shake the accusation of being apolitical. By Esther Slevogt
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From Wuppertal into the world: At 33, choreographer Marco Goecke is a force to be reckoned with on the international dance scene. By Jochen Schmidt
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On Christmas Eve, the most exciting exhibition Berlin has seen in years will open to the public in the Palast der Republik, the former East German people's palace. This ad-hoc show will last exactly nine days and then the building will be torn down. But the Palast is just the art museum the city needs, says Christina Tilmann.
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Euripides' play "The Bacchae" is making a comeback on stages across Europe. But can we recapture the brutality of the bard of ancient times? In Munich Jossi Wieler tries hard but fails to portray the play's profound weirdness and horror. By
Peter Michalzik (Image © Arno Declair)
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Eberhard Havekost is being hyped as one of the hot "Young German Artists". His subjects are banal, he copies copies, he's interested in surfaces. Art critic Elke Buhr ventures to ask if there's any depth.
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Thomas Ostermeier, director at Berlin's Schaubühne, has staged "Hedda Gabler". Henrik Ibsen, he says, has a lot to say about the world as we know it: morally improverished, metaphysically empty but not without hope.
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