Self Care Strandbefehl
fachbetrieb rita grechen
It’s beautiful here, so beautiful. On the east coast of Rügen, between pine forest and beach grass, lies the “bath of 20,000”: Prora, a vacation paradise. Conceived by the National Socialists as a resort for the Germans (and only for them) to get fit for work and war. After the Nazi Party Rally Grounds, the building complex of the Prora seaside resort is the second largest contiguous architectural heritage from the National Socialist era. However, the traces of the past are hardly visible anymore – those of the National Socialist gigantomania just as little as those of the NVA barracks, where building soldiers refused to serve at arms or soldiers of socialist conflict parties from Central and South America, Southeast Asia and Africa completed officer training courses in the 1980s. At the beginning of the new millennium, the building was sold off in blocks to private investors and has now become (almost) what it was originally intended to be: a vacation and recreation resort.
What is the framework of discussion for a place where nothing terrible actually happened? Which forms of remembrance are allowed to take place and which histories are repressed? Using Prora as a case study, the fachbetrieb rita grechen collective explores multidirectional remembrance in its latest work. “Self Care Strandbefehl” and confronts the ideology of recreational concepts of National Socialism with current practices in the field of vacation and leisure.
“Self Care Strandbefehl” is the first work in a series of events with which HELLERAU will be exploring the reappraisal, (re)discovery and overwriting of history and stories from 2024 under the motto SCHICHTEN.
Duration: ca. 2 h 30 min with a break
Language: German
There will be an audience discussion following the performance on 19.01.
The performance contains the mention of suicide.
If you have thoughts of suicide you can contact the telephone helpline at all times under the following number: 0800-1110111.
Strobe light is used within the piece and there are moments of high sound volume.
fachbetrieb rita grechen ist ein interdisziplinäres Theater-Kollektiv mit wechselnder Besetzung. Die Gruppe entwickelt Musiktheaterabende, Ausstellungen, Installationen, Durational Performances, Texte, Filme und prozessorientierte Arbeiten.
The piece is a co-production of fachbetrieb rita grechen and HELLERAU – European Center for the Arts.
Text: Urs Humpenöder, Hannes Köpke
By and with: Urs Humpenöder, Laura Immler, Hannes Köpke, Ferdinand Nowitzky, Jasmina Rezig, Olivia Rosendorfer, Yannik Stöbener, Alida Stricker, Paul Voell, Maria Wang Kvalheim
Sound design: Konstantin Fontaine
Outside Eye: Natalie Baudy
Doll making: Liesbeth Nenoff
Costume assistance: Julia Scholz
Production management: Sue Franz
Production assistant: Swantje Silber
Stage assitant: Friedrich Hartung
Documentation: Julius Zimmermann
Das Projekt wird durch das Amt für Kultur und Denkmalschutz der Landeshauptstadt Dresden gefördert. 
Supported by the Fonds Darstellende Künste with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.
This measure is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.
A co-production of fachbetrieb rita grechen and HELLERAU.
