Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1972 The Theatrical Productions of Erwin Piscator in Weimar Germany: 1920-1931. Alfred Joseph Loup III Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Loup, Alfred Joseph III, "The Theatrical Productions of Erwin Piscator in Weimar Germany: 1920-1931." (1972). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 2348. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/2348 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This dissertation was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. 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Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 73-13,672 LCUP III, Alfred Joseph, 1944- THE THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS OF ERWIN PISCATOR IN WEIMAR GERMANY-: 1920-1931. The Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Ph.D., 1972 Theater University Microfilms. A XEROX Company , Ann Arbor, Michigan © 1973 ALFRED JOSEPH LOU? Ill ALL RIGHTS RESERVED THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. THE THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS OF ERWIN PISCATOR IN WEIMAR GERMANY: 1920-1931 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Speech by Alfred Joseph Loup III B.A., Louisiana State University, 1966 M.A., Louisiana State University, 1968 December, 1972 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PLEASE NOTE: Some pages may have indistinct print. Filmed as received. University Microfilms, A Xerox Education Company Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ................................................ v ABSTRACT ................................................................ vi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION .............................................. 1 II PERSONAL BACKGROUND: THE YEARS BEFORE BERLIN .......... 10 The University of M u n i c h .................................. 12 World War I and the Front Th e a t e r ...........................14 K o n i g s b e r g .................................................. 26 III THE PROLETARIAN THEATER: 1920-1921 ....................... 30 The Three One-Acts ......................................... 41 Die F e i n d e .................................................. 53 Prinz Hagen .................................................. 58 Wie Lange N o c h .............................................. 63 Die Kanaker .................................................. 65 IV FROM CENTRAL THEATER TO VOLKSBUHNE: 1921-1924 .... 74 Die Kleinburger .............................................. 77 Die Zeit wird k o m m e n ....................................... 78 Die Macht der Finsternis .................................. 79 F a h n e n ....................................................... 82 V PRODUCTIONS FOR THE KPD AND THE VOLKSBUHNE: 1924-1925 . 105 Revue Roter R u m m e l ........................................ 107 ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. 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Page V Two On e - A c t s ......................................... .. 113 Wer weint um Juckenach....................................117 Segel am H o r i z o n t ....................... 119 Haut den L u k a s ............................................ 123 Hilfe, ein Kind ist vom Himmel gefallen ........ 125 Trotz A l l e d e m ............................................ 128 VI PRODUCTIONS FOR THE KPD AND THE VOLKSBUHNE: 1925-1926 . 137 Michael Hundertpfund .................................... 139 S t u r m f l u t ................................................ 141 Das trunksne S c h i f f ...................................... 154 VII THE BREAK WITH THE VOLKSBUHNE: 1926-1927 159 Die R a u b e r ................................................ 159 N a c h t a s y l ................................................ 166 Gewitter uber Gottland .................................. 169 VIII THE FIRST PISCATOR-BUHNE: 1927-1928 ...................... 177 Hoopla, wir l e b e n ........................................ 191 R aspu t i n.................................................. 204 S c h w e j k ...................................................220 Konjunktur................................................ 232 IX THE SECOND AND THIRD PISCATOR-BUHNE: 1929-1931 .... 244 R i v a l e n .................................................. 246 Des Kaufraann von B e r l i n ................................. 251 Paragraph 2 1 8 ............................................ 259 Per Kaisers K u l i s ........................................273 Tai Yang erwacht ........................................278 iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Page X CONCLUSION............................................. 2g9 XI BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................... APPENDIX A ......................................................... .. VITA ...........................................................326 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Page I. Proletarian Theater .........................................306 II. Sturmflut................................................... 308 III. Das trunkene Schiff ...................................... 310 IV. Hoppla. wir leben ...........................................312 V. Rasputin ................................................... 314 VI. Floor plan of Rasputin’s S e t .............................. 317 VII. Cartoons frorc Schwe.jk...................................... 320 VIII. Per Kaufmann von B e r l i n .................................... 323 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Between 1920 and 1931 Erwin Piscator directed thirty-two pro­ ductions in Berlin which established his reputation as a director of political theater and earned him lasting fame in theatrical histories. Although several studies concerning Piscator exist, no work examines all of Piscator's productions in Weimar Berlin. This study investi­ gates these productions in detail in an effort to gain an insight into his directorial practices during these crucial years of his career. The primary source is Piscator's autobiographical work, Das politische Theater. Other materials include data compiled in the Erwin Piscator Center of the Adademie der Kiinste (West Berlin), in the Theaterwissenschaftliche Institute (West Berlin), in the archives of the Volksbiihne (East Berlin), in the Graduate Library of the University of Michigan (which has a complete collection of four prominent newspapers from Berlin during the twenties, Die Rote Fahne, Vorwarts, Die Vossische Zeitung and Der Berliner Tageblatt), in inter­ views with two personal friends of Piscator (W. Linke and Sonja Boggs- Hessdorfer), and in the published memoirs of Piscator's associates. Secondary sources