Story, characters, location – overview
The stick puppets at the Hänneschen Theater in Cologne have been capturing the hearts of visitors for over 200 years. There is a lot of tradition and a big connection to the carnival.
Cologne – The performances in the Hänneschen Theater in Cologne are in great demand. There are six world premieres each season. The Cologne Theater at the Eisenmarkt promises “the Cologne Jeföhl and the mentality that make our beautiful city what it is.” The puppet theater has been based in the old town of Cologne for over 80 years. The puppet show itself is over 200 years old.
Address: | Eisenmarkt 2 – 4, 50667 Cologne |
Places: | 284 |
Named after: | Stick puppet figure Hänneschen |
Artistic Director: | Frauke Kemmerling (since 2012) |
writer and director | Udo Mueller |
Puppeteer | 14 |
Hänneschen-Theater in Cologne: “All plays in Kölsch”
The Hänneschen Theater is a stick puppet theater. Several puppeteers stand behind the balustrade for each performance and breathe life into the puppets. Each character has their own character, their dreams and fears. The wooden wall is around 1.80 meters high and is only lowered after the end of the performance. Only the approximately four kilogram puppets can be seen beforehand.
The special thing about the puppet theater in Cologne: “All the pieces are written and performed in Kölsch. Our ensemble leads the stick puppets themselves and speaks and sings live,” explains the Hänneschen Theater. “Even the music is handmade. Un what morjens passeet, kütt ovends op et tapet.”
Hänneschen Theater in Cologne: Knollendorf – the magical venue
The plays play in Knollendorf. “A fictional space, a reality that only exists in the theater world,” the theater continues to explain. “As a rule, however, one can assume that the venue was on the outskirts of Cologne, on the city wall, where the surrounding countryside begins.” There are several characters in every performance. Most are fictional, such as namesake Hänneschen or Bärbelchen. However, there are also people from public life, such as Health Minister Karl Lauterbach or the Cologne triumvirate, who have an appearance at the Hänneschen game.
Hänneschen Theater in Cologne: Figures
- hanne
- Babies
- tunnes
- peel
- Speimanes
- Schnäuzerkowski
- Besteva
- bestmo
- Koebeschen
- florets
- Mealworm Pitter
- Zänkmann’s Kätt
Cologne: The History of the Hänneschen Theater
The legendary Hänneschen Theater has existed since 1802. Since then, the Knollendorf figures have won the hearts of visitors. The puppet theater was founded by the tailor Johann Christoph Winters in Mauthgasse – very close to the Cologne Rhine. The Hänneschen Theater has been in the hands of the city since 1926 and can officially call itself the puppet show of the city of Cologne.
However, until the Hänneschen Theater moved to the Eisenmarkt in 1938, there were quite a few intermediate stations. All in all, Hänneschen, Bärbelchen and Tünnes have performed on 17 different stages before they found their final home.
Cologne: Hänneschen Theater and the Cologne Carnival
The Hänneschen Theater has a deep connection with the Cologne Carnival. The puppet theater was already represented at the first carnival parade in 1823 – and is still there today. There is also a puppet session every year, which was occasionally recorded by WDR and RTL. There was also a special moment in 2021: due to the corona virus, the Shrove Monday procession could not take place as planned. Instead of XXL-Zoch, there was suddenly a miniature train in the Hänneschen design. (jw) More news on the 24RHEIN homepage.