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Erika Mann. Cabaret Artist – War Correspondent – Political Speaker

The black-and-white photo shows Erika Mann at the age of 43. She is looking toward the right and holding a cigarette between the fingers of her left hand. Photo: Florence Homolka, Source: Münchner Stadtbibliothek/Monacensia

9 October 2020 to 10 July 2021 // A temporary exhibition by the Monacensia in the Hildebrandhaus, on display in the German Exile Archive 1933–1945

The exhibition

The exhibition “Erika Mann. Cabaret Artist – War Correspondent – Political Speaker” tells the story of Erika Mann’s (1905–1969) life and work with special attention to her steadfast championship of freedom and democracy.

Erika Mann was a child of the Roaring 20s, an embodiment of the New Woman who wrote witty feature articles for newspapers, loved theatre scandals, drove all the way across Europe and enjoyed life as the daughter of a famous family to its utmost. Politically, her eyes were opened by the rise of National Socialism. From then on, Erika Mann saw her mission as political enlightenment and was fearless in the face of conflict. In January 1933, she enjoyed great success in Munich with her cabaret Die Pfeffermühle (The Pepper Mill). The cabaret's fame spread far beyond Munich before it was forced into exile in March 1933, only to reopen in Zurich in October 1933. Despite brawls at the venue, performance bans and surveillance by the authorities, the cabaret’s fight against Hitler continued in many German-speaking countries until 1936. The global political situation then forced Erika Mann to emigrate to the USA, where she embarked upon a second career as a political speaker, book author and war correspondent. However, the end of the war also meant the end of her career as a political journalist who vehemently criticised the Cold War from its earliest days. Even as the editor of works by Thomas and Klaus Mann and the executor of their estates, she lost none of her passion for following world events.

The exhibition has been taken over from the Monacensia in the Hildebrandhaus, where Erika Mann’s extensive literary estate is also stored. This legacy is the source of the exhibits on display, which include biographical documents, letters, manuscripts, photographs, film clips and original recordings.

The exhibition, under the patronage of Prof. Dr. Frido Mann, is curated by Prof. Dr. Irmela von der Lühe. It was designed and adapted for the temporary exhibition area in Frankfurt by Munich creative studio Büro Alba.

The exhibition on site will be complemented by a special virtual exhibition on Erika Mann, which you can find on the “Arts in Exile” platform.

to the virtual exhibition

to the press release

Videogallery: Exhibition opening

8 October 2020 saw the opening of the exhibition “Erika Mann. Cabaret Artist – War Correspondent – Political Speaker”. Present at the event were the curator Prof. Dr. Irmela von der Lühe; Prof. Dr. Frido Mann, the exhibition’s patron and the nephew of Erika Mann; and the musician Vassily Dück.
The recordings made on the evening provide insights into the programme for the opening, which – due to the pandemic – was attended by only a small number of guests:

Image / Video 1 / 5

Talk by Prof. Dr. Frido Mann „Democracy will win!“
“Yet today’s democracies are anything but secure. They too are exposed to populist nationalistic and racist attacks whose danger should not be underestimated.”
Welcome: Frank Scholze, Director General of the German National Library
Duration: approx. 15 minutes

Pagination

Educational service

As an accompaniment to the exhibition, the German Exile Archive 1933–1945 will be offering an online tour for pupils in the 10th grade and upwards. The tour “Discover Erika Mann online” will invite participants to discover Erika Mann as a brave, tenacious fighter for freedom and democracy.

Last changes: 20.07.2022
Short-URL: https://www.dnb.de/EN/erikamann

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