We are delighted to announce the first summer school at Haus am Waldsee, taking place from August 26 to 29, 2025, in preparation for the institution’s 80th anniversary in 2026.

On August 24, 1945, the Berlin Philharmonics premiered A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare in the garden of Haus am Waldsee. The former private villa in Berlin-Zehlendorf—built in 1922 for the family of Jewish textile entrepreneur Hermann Knobloch, taken over in 1926 by the Angerer family (the father a board member of the German Reichsbahn, the son later holding a senior position in the arms industry), and from 1942 the official residence of Karl Melzer, vice-chairman of the Reichsfilmkammer—had become, just weeks after the end of the war, a central site for the revival of cultural life in the ruins of Berlin. A wide-ranging exhibition program soon followed, featuring artists such as Käthe Kollwitz, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, and Renée Sintenis—highlighting, from the outset, both women and avant-garde artists who had been labeled “degenerate” by the Nazi regime.

But who was the audience for this program on the affluent edge of a shattered city? What political motivations lay behind the founding of such an institution? Who were the key figures in the cultural reconstruction surrounding Haus am Waldsee? How can the activities at this site be situated within broader struggles over the formation of a new global order—an order in which art and cultural heritage played a significant role? And what ruptures, but more crucially, what continuities, shaped this moment of historical transition?

Reflecting on these questions brings into focus a formative period—one in which the foundations of our present were decisively laid. These themes will guide the four-day summer school at Haus am Waldsee. At the same time, we will explore what it means today to exhibit, produce, and encounter art in a former home inhabited by both victims and perpetrators of the Nazi regime.

Together with artists, art and architectural historians, writers, and theorists, we aim to uncover the overlapping historical, social, personal, and political layers of this site. Through a range of artistic strategies and formats—archival workshops, walks, lectures, and screenings—we will interrogate the existing narratives and their absences, and connect them to contemporary concerns. How might an institutional anniversary be marked today in a way that not only engages with the past but also generates impulses for present and future action?

Nina Akhvlediani
Kirsty Bell
Pujan Karambeigi
Atièna R. Kilfa
Philipp Krüpe
Veit Laurent Kurz
Luciano Pecoits
Jo Pistorius

The Summer School is organized by Pia-Marie Remmers.

The summer school is open to 20 participants aged 18 and over. No specific prior knowledge is required.
Please apply with a short letter of motivation (max. 300 words) and a CV (max. 1 page) by June 22, 2025, via email to: info@hausamwaldsee.de
Subject: Summer School 2025

Applicants will be notified of their acceptance by June 27, 2025.

• Basic knowledge of both German and English is required. The program will be held bilingually.
• A contribution of €50 per person is requested to cover basic costs. If you are unable to pay the full amount, please contact Pia-Marie Remmers (p.remmers@hausamwaldsee.de).
• Two meals per day as well as drinks and snacks will be provided.
• Unfortunately, travel and accommodation costs cannot be reimbursed.

We explicitly welcome applications from individuals of different generations, educational backgrounds, and origins. Please note that the building is only partially wheelchair accessible. If you have questions regarding accessibility, feel free to contact Pia-Marie Remmers (p.remmers@hausamwaldsee.de). We are committed to finding a solution together to enable your participation!

Supported by: