Solidarity conference for the Theater Ost in Berlin-Adlershof: Livestream on Saturday from 6 pm
A solidarity event to save the Theater Ost will take place on Saturday at 6 p.m. Holger Friedrich will be among the participants. The Berliner Zeitung will be live-streaming the event.
Let's reclaim public property! On Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., a conference will be held to save the Theater Ost (East Theater), with Holger Friedrich, publisher of the Berliner Zeitung, participating as a panelist. The event aims to help preserve the Theater Ost in Berlin-Adlershof . There will be speeches, videos, and likely music. The event will be streamed live at www.berliner-zeitung.de starting at 6:00 p.m. The in-person event is already sold out.
What's this all about? For 36 years, the same thing has been happening in this country: Because the East originated as state-owned property and couldn't accumulate wealth, it's bought up by the West and largely denied any opportunity to shape society. This is also the case with Theater Ost, which is housed and operates in the listed former television theater of East German television, later the studio of the GDR's most important news program, "Aktuelle Kamera." The latter was also the GDR's most important propaganda center, and for this reason alone, its history must be preserved and its story told if one doesn't want to close one's eyes to current reporting.
In 2021, the building was transferred by leasehold agreement from the ownership of the State of Berlin, which had been managing the building in trust, to a West German investor. This investor's interest lies not in preserving the aforementioned content, and he is leaving the Theater Ost theater group, as tenants, completely on their own with the difficulties of the building, which is in need of renovation. On the contrary, its continued existence is currently being blocked from all sides. Theater Ost would have gladly taken over this historic building. But the money is lacking; the millions are missing.
The foundation for dealing with East Germany's economic history and its state-owned assets was laid by the Treuhandanstalt, established in 1990. Its task was to privatize, restructure, or liquidate East German assets, including state-owned businesses, real estate, restaurants, and so on. Because the Treuhandanstalt operated almost without oversight and was hopelessly overwhelmed, countless fraudulent schemes arose, fueled by Western greed and arrogance. These schemes allowed many investors and Treuhandanstalt employees to enrich themselves privately by millions using Treuhandanstalt funds.
It's even being called one of the world's largest acts of plunder. The Federal Ministry of Finance at the time remained silent in the background, allowing the Treuhandanstalt, which wielded more power than the state ministries, to act unchecked, while also enduring the anger and hostility of East German citizens. This very approach laid the foundation for the fact that, to this day, the East remains virtually destitute, merely a spectator and accomplice to the unified Germany, and that attempts are still being made to suppress its identity. The integration of the two differently shaped societies has been and continues to be systematically prevented, the number of AfD voters is steadily rising, and the division between Germany and Germany is reaching proportions not even seen in the 1990s.
André Nicke, artistic director of the Uckermark Stages in Schwedt: “Culture is not a luxury. It is the invisible infrastructure of democracy. It creates spaces where people can talk, debate, and find compromises. Closing these spaces creates voids where loneliness grows—and extremists gain a foothold. Studies by the European Commission show that those who participate in cultural activities vote more frequently, volunteer more often, and are more likely to get involved—regardless of income or education. The WHO confirms that culture reduces loneliness, strengthens mental health, and thus political resilience. It is not culture that is expensive—it is the absence of culture. Every closed cultural venue is an open gateway for radicalization.”
Theater Ost and its supporters—all 36 of its volunteer staff members—want to reclaim the public property and take over the leasehold agreement. They feel obligated to preserve and further develop this historic building and its rich history: against forgetting! In this context, they intend to call upon the current government, specifically the Federal Ministry of Finance and the State of Berlin, to support this symbolic act of apology and to provide financial assistance for Theater Ost's takeover and renovation of the building. A reckoning with this past and restitution are urgently needed, and this responsibility always rests with the politicians.
Confirmed speakers include: Daniela Dahn , journalist and publicist; Frank Jahnel , lawyer and chairman of the Friedrich Wolf Society; Dr. Peter Fellenberger , historian; Lars Düsterhöft , SPD Treptow/Köpenick, member of the Berlin House of Representatives; Alejandro Quintana , actor and director; Andreas Goldstein , film director; Sonja Hilberger , actress, director, and professor at the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Vienna; Holger Friedrich , entrepreneur and publisher of the Berliner Zeitung; Gregor Gysi , The Left Party and member of the Bundestag; Petra Kelling , actress and director; and Kathrin Schülein , artistic director of Theater Ost. Musicians include: Carmen Orlet , Bringfried Löffler , Georgie Gogow , and Tobias Thiele. The event will be livestreamed from 6:00 PM on November 1, 2025, at www.berliner-zeitung.de
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