Days of Exile: Festival for ostracized music brings Schwerin to life

Days of Exile: Festival for ostracized music brings Schwerin to life

The cultural highlight “Days of Exile Schwerin & Festival for Ostracized Music” will take place in Schwerin city center from November 8th to 14th, 2025. This event aims to make the fates of excluded and persecuted artists visible. It includes a variety of activities, including concerts, guided tours, readings and discussions on topics such as persecution, flight and exile in the past and present, as Kultur MV reports.

The Körber Foundation, together with the Mecklenburg State Theater and the state capital Schwerin, is the driving force behind this important event. A special highlight will be the opening concert on November 8th at 6 p.m. in the theater tent at the Küchengarten, where the opera choir and the Mecklenburgische Staatskapelle will present works by Kurt Weill and others under the musical direction of Aki Schmitt.

Variety of activities

The program is diverse and appeals to different target groups. In addition to the opening concert, which features exile compositions from the National Socialist era, the festival also includes a music workshop for young people and a city tour on Schwerin's Jewish history. Readings and a film program complement the offering. The event aims to draw attention to the fate of people in exile and persecuted artists, which is also due to the initiative of the Körber Foundation, which promotes such dialogue and understanding projects.

The final concert on November 14, 2025 at 7 p.m. in the Brigitte Feldtmann Saal, Puschkinstrasse 6, will perform works by Hans Gál and Arnold Schönberg, among others. Contributors such as the duo Hinz-Lang and Javad Foroutan will delight the audience.

A look at exile art

The program's visual concept comes from Syrian animation filmmaker Jalal Maghout. His award-winning film “Have a Nice Dog!” received several awards, including the Grand Prix in Uppsala, which resulted in qualification for the Oscar. After his escape to Berlin, he dedicated himself to the film “Suleima”, which was presented at the DOK Leipzig 2014. His most recent work, “Topography of the Interior,” shows a character’s inner journey and addresses vulnerability and emotional experiences.

Another aspect of the “Days of Exile” is the reconstruction and appreciation of music that was considered “degenerate” during the Nazi era. Volker Ahmels, who organized the “Forbidden Music” festival in Schwerin for over two decades, played a key role in this. In fact, the festival's performances also include works by famous Jewish composers such as Mendelssohn as well as lesser-known names such as Hans Krása and Pavel Haas.

After the bankruptcy of the organizer Jeunesses Musicales Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in 2024, the combination with the “Days of Exile” makes a reassessment of ostracized music necessary. A rich, inspiring program is intended to revive the cultural heritage and remember the people who had to flee into exile under National Socialism.

For those interested, tickets are available from 12 euros, reduced to 8 euros. Reservations can be made by email to dsemlow@Schwerin.de, and access to the events is designed to be barrier-free.