Karrieren in Bremen nach 1945

In the organizer's words:

Careers in Bremen after 1945

Kurt A. Becher, Käthe Popall and Alfred Ries

About the play

The career of Kurt A. Becher (1909-1995) is an example of how Nazi perpetrators became "followers" after 1945 who were able to operate successfully (not only) in the business world. It was not until spring 1982 that the journalist Karla Müller - Tupath triggered heated debates in Bremen with her book "Reichsführer's most obedient Becher - A German career". Becher therefore declined to be nominated for the Supervisory Board of Hapag - Lloyd in July 1982. But even in Bremen, no trial was opened against Becher. After five months, the public prosecutor's office in Bremen closed the investigation against him at the end of October 1982 "for lack of evidence" - without having heard Becher.
Grain wholesaling made him one of the richest men in West Germany and provided him with important positions in Bremen's economy.

Käthe Popall (1907-1984) came from a working-class family in Bremen. She joined the KPD in 1929. In March 1935, she was arrested in Berlin together with Max Maddalena (1895-1943), Adolf Rembte (1902-1937) and Robert Stamm (1900-1937). The People's Court sentenced Max Maddalena to life imprisonment and Käthe Popall to 12 years in prison. Adolf Rembte and Robert Stamm were executed in Berlin-Plötzensee. After liberation in May 1945, she walked from the women's prison in Jauer in Saxony to Bremen. In July 1946, the military government approved her appointment as Bremen's first female senator. In the Senate, she was responsible for health, reparations and refugees. She gave passionate speeches on these topics in the parliament. She was not re-nominated by Kaisen on January 1, 1948, as a Communist was no longer wanted. She was a KPD member of parliament until 1951.
She also played an important role in the Bremen women's movement. In 1946, together with Irmgard Enderle, Agnes Heineken and Anna Stiegler, she founded the Bremen Women's Committee, on whose board she was active until 1951.

Alfred Ries (1897-1967) is probably known to many Bremen residents due to his close connection with SV Werder Bremen, of which he was president during the Weimar Republic. He also worked for the HAG Group. Ries fled to Yugoslavia in October 1933. His parents were deported to the Theresienstadt ghetto in 1942 and murdered. Nevertheless, Alfred Ries returned to Bremen after the end of the Nazi dictatorship. He became president of SV Werder Bremen again. In 1953, he joined the Foreign Service. His last post was as Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Liberia. He returned to Bremen in 1963 and again took over the presidency of SV Werder Bremen. Werder became German soccer champions for the first time in 1965. In 1967, Alfred Ries was buried in the Jewish cemetery near the Weser Stadium.

Cast

The 23rd reading in the series "From the files to the stage".
Cooperation with the University of Bremen.

Concept: Dr. Eva Schöck-Quinteros.
Text/scenic design: Peter Lüchinger.
With members of the ensemble.

Supported by the Manfred and Ursula Fluß Foundation, the Karin and Uwe Hollweg Foundation, the Heinrich Böll Foundation Bremen, the SV Werder Foundation and the Sparkasse Bremen.

Price information:

normal: 18 € reduced: 10 €