Die Kiebitzensteiner

Die Kiebitzensteiner, fully styled Satirisches Theater der Stadt Halle (Satirical Theatre of the City of Halle), is a German cabaret ensemble based in Halle (Saale) in Saxony-Anhalt. It was founded in 1967 in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and is one of the oldest continuously operating cabaret stages in eastern Germany. The name is derived from Giebichenstein Castle, the city's best-known landmark. The ensemble was founded by four experienced theatre professionals: Henry Braun, Irmgard Braun-Trautmann, Karlheinz Loehmke and Rolf Thieme. It opened on 20 October 1967 with the programme Der gute Mensch von nebenan, and initially performed twice a week. In its early years the troupe was hosted by the Halle Puppet Theatre; after that venue was destroyed by fire, the Kiebitzensteiner moved into the Rundsaal of the Moritzburg, a hall in a late-medieval tower seating 175 spectators. The cabaret's breakthrough came in 1970 with its seventh programme, Girren ist menschlich, which was performed 109 times before 21,000 spectators. Over the following decades the ensemble built a stable repertoire of satirical evening programmes, toured across Germany, and worked with numerous actors, directors and musicians. It received the Art Prize of the City of Halle in 1973, and its long-time director Henry Braun was honoured individually in 1977. After German reunification, the Kiebitzensteiner established itself as a leading venue for satirical criticism of the post-reunification era. When budget cuts by the state of Saxony-Anhalt made continued funding of the cabaret in its original form at the Moritzburg impossible, the ensemble split into two competing associations: one group continued in the Rundsaal as the cabaret Die Kiebitze, while the Kiebitzensteiner regrouped and, by decision of the city council, received the city's financial support. The Kiebitzensteiner subsequently established its venue in the Händelgalerie in Halle, while Die Kiebitze eventually dissolved. Today Die Kiebitzensteiner continues to perform satirical programmes in Halle, addressing current political and social themes. The ensemble maintains an active presence through its website and a WhatsApp channel, and it announced that it would stop publishing on Facebook. Its programme announcements, such as the 2026 performance Smart ohne Phone in the Volkspark, show that the troupe remains active in the present day.

Die Kiebitzensteiner was founded in 1967 in Halle (Saale), then part of the German Democratic Republic, as the fifth professional cabaret in the GDR. The initiative came from four established theatre people: Henry Braun, Irmgard Braun-Trautmann, Karlheinz Loehmke and Rolf Thieme. Braun took over both the business and artistic direction. The name was derived from Giebichenstein Castle, the city's most famous landmark. The cabaret opened on 20 October 1967 with the programme Der gute Mensch von nebenan, with musical accompaniment by Hans Joachim Wenzel. Performances were initially held twice a week. By 1968 a core company had emerged, consisting of Braun and Braun-Trautmann together with Siegfried Köhler and Horst Sonntag, the latter bringing experience from earlier failed attempts to establish a cabaret in Halle. Sigmar Schramm and Karin Kellermann joined temporarily, and Joachim Wenke came on board from 1975. The seventh programme, Girren ist menschlich, marked the breakthrough in 1970 with 109 performances before 21,000 spectators. From then on, new productions were no longer driven by declining audience interest, allowing longer preparation times and reducing reliance on external texts. After the Halle Puppet Theatre, which had hosted the cabaret as a subtenant, was destroyed by fire, the Kiebitzensteiner were given the Rundsaal of the Moritzburg as their venue. The hall in a late-medieval tower seated 175 spectators, with the foyer in the basement. In 1973 the collective received the Art Prize of the City of Halle; Henry Braun received the same honour individually in 1977. Particularly successful programmes of this period, during which the ensemble remained very stable, were Spottakiade (1972) and Die Jugend haben wir hinter uns (1973). In 1974 Wolfgang Hudy, winner of the 1964 Handel Prize, replaced Joachim Seidel as musical director. In 1975 the cabaret gained a dramaturge position, filled by Wolfgang Schrader. Heinz Helm, who had long written for the group, became house author in 1977. External contributors included Hans-Joachim Lotze, Peter Seidel, Gunter Antrak and Dietrich Knak. The programme Unsere Ze(h)ntralschaffe carried the "ten" in its title because it was assembled for the tenth anniversary. In 1979 Siegfried Köhler died, followed shortly by Henry Braun. Leadership passed to Irmgard Braun-Trautmann, and the special programme Dreißtigkeiten was performed. Gabriele and Helmut Reichhardt, Klaus Reichenbach and Arndt-Michael Schade joined the ensemble. In autumn 1981 the company entered the 1981/82 season under new leadership: Hannelore Renner took over as director and Horst Günther as artistic director, with Ralf Novak joining. Even before the Wende, Rolf-Jürgen Voigt took over the leadership. His persistence in dealing with the SED party leadership was credited with enabling the Kiebitzensteiner to perform programmes that risked being banned. He also succeeded in negotiating with Vicco von Bülow to stage Loriot sketches. Numerous evening programmes were offered, including Die Welt ist rund, denn dazu ist sie da (Erich Kästner, 1989), Ich sitze immer im falschen Zug (Friedrich Hollaender, 1996) and Riesenblödsinn. Lachen mit Karl Valentin (2016). In 1995 the first Humour and Satire Festival was held under the title Wir leisten uns was. During the 1990s the cabaret established itself as a leading theatre of satirical criticism of the post-reunification period. Alongside local performances of programmes such as Wir sind süß aber doof by Rudolf Nelson and Am besten fickt man erst und badet dann (known in the old federal states as Über die Verführung von Engeln) by Bertolt Brecht, and Verdummt nochmal under the direction of Lothar Bölck, numerous in-house productions were staged. Actors appearing in this period included Astrid Bless, Ines Paulke, Carmen Hatscher, Gisbert Peter Terhorst, Detlev Nier, Bastienne Voss, Nuri Feldmann and Armin Mechsner. For more than twenty years the musical direction was in the hands of pianist Beate Bachmann, accompanied by bassist Albrecht Wiegner and drummer Hansjürgen Pessel, later Henry Schlinke. The cabaret toured throughout Germany, and the Bertolt Brecht programme was performed in nearly 20 cities in both the old and new federal states. Amid ongoing cuts to the cultural budget of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, the cabaret could no longer be funded in its original form at the Moritzburg. Two competing associations were founded: one group of members continued in the Rundsaal of the Moritzburg as the cabaret Die Kiebitze, while the Kiebitzensteiner, a group of other former members of the original cabaret, regrouped. By decision of the city council, the Kiebitzensteiner group, which had since established its venue in the Halle Händelgalerie, received the city's financial support. Both cabarets initially offered a stable programme, with Die Kiebitze performing Rente sich wer kann, among others. In the further course, the association Die Kiebitze had to recognise that its financial situation no longer allowed it to plan and stage further productions, and it dissolved. The Kiebitzensteiner continue to perform satirical programmes in Halle, addressing contemporary political and social themes. The ensemble maintains a website and a WhatsApp channel, and announced that it would cease publishing on Facebook.

• 2026

  Performance of Smart ohne Phone announced for 2 October 2026 in the Volkspark.

• 2016

  Programme Riesenblödsinn. Lachen mit Karl Valentin.

• 1996

  Programme Ich sitze immer im falschen Zug (Friedrich Hollaender).

• 1995

  First Humour and Satire Festival held under the title Wir leisten uns was.

• 1989

  Programme Die Welt ist rund, denn dazu ist sie da (Erich Kästner).

• 1981

  Hannelore Renner becomes director and Horst Günther artistic director for the 1981/82 season.

• 1979

  Siegfried Köhler and Henry Braun die; Irmgard Braun-Trautmann takes over leadership.

• 1977

  Heinz Helm becomes house author; Henry Braun receives the Art Prize of the City of Halle individually.

• 1975

  Dramaturge position created, filled by Wolfgang Schrader; Joachim Wenke joins.

• 1974

  Wolfgang Hudy becomes musical director.

• 1973

  Awarded the Art Prize of the City of Halle; programme Die Jugend haben wir hinter uns.

• 1970

  Breakthrough with the seventh programme Girren ist menschlich: 109 performances before 21,000 spectators.

• 1968

  Core company established with Braun, Braun-Trautmann, Siegfried Köhler and Horst Sonntag.

• 1967

  Founded in Halle (Saale) as the fifth professional cabaret in the GDR; opened on 20 October with Der gute Mensch von nebenan.

A long-established satirical cabaret theatre in Halle (Saale), known for political and social satire, literary adaptations and musical programmes.

• 1967

  Der gute Mensch von nebenan

• 1970

  Girren ist menschlich

• 1972

  Spottakiade

• 1973

  Die Jugend haben wir hinter uns

• Unsere Ze(h)ntralschaffe

• 1979

  Dreißtigkeiten

• 1989

  Die Welt ist rund, denn dazu ist sie da

• 1995

  Wir leisten uns was

• 1996

  Ich sitze immer im falschen Zug

• 2016

  Riesenblödsinn. Lachen mit Karl Valentin

• 2026

  Smart ohne Phone

1. 1Die Kiebitzensteiner – Kabarettkiebitzensteiner.de
2. 2Ensemble – Die Kiebitzensteinerkiebitzensteiner.de
3. 3Die Kiebitzensteiner – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Die Kiebitzensteiner – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org