Renowned theatre director Claus Peymann passes away
Claus Peymann, a renowned German theatre director and manager, passed away at the age of 88 in Berlin-Köpenick on July 16, 2025. Throughout his decades-long career, Peymann left an indelible mark on the theatre world, with his groundbreaking productions, leadership of prominent theatres, and his involvement in controversy and political statements.
Born on June 7, 1937, in Bremen, Peymann began his career as a director and theatre manager from 1966 to 1969 at the Theater am Turm (TAT) in Frankfurt. Here, he premiered works by notable playwrights such as Peter Handke's "Offending the Audience" and "Kaspar," and Gerlind Reinshagen's "Doppelkopf." In 1970, he premiered Thomas Bernhard's first play, "A Party for Boris," at the Hamburg Schauspielhaus, marking the beginning of a long-standing collaboration with Bernhard.
Peymann co-founded the Schaubühne in Berlin in 1971 with Peter Stein, where he directed Handke's "Ride Across Lake Constance." He served as the drama director at the Württemberg State Theaters in Stuttgart from 1974, producing classic works like "The Robbers," "Käthchen of Heilbronn," "Faust I and II," and "Iphigenia."
He managed the Schauspielhaus in Bochum from 1979 to 1986, transforming it into one of Germany's top theaters. Peymann led the Burgtheater in Vienna from 1986 to 1999 and then the Berliner Ensemble until 2017. During his tenure at the Berliner Ensemble, Peymann set box office records and was known for his outspoken nature, enjoying verbal sparring.
Peymann's productions, particularly his collaborations with Thomas Bernhard and Peter Handke, were pivotal in showcasing avant-garde and contemporary works. However, his productions at the Berliner Ensemble were often criticized as outdated. Peymann was also a polarizing figure, as evidenced by his political statements and actions off-stage. He sparked controversy by organizing a collection for the dental treatment of Baader-Meinhof prisoners, leading him to decline a contract extension in Stuttgart.
In 2008, Peymann was sharply criticized for offering a former RAF terrorist, Christian Klar, an internship at his theater. Despite these controversies, Peymann was a controversial spirit and a great theater maker, as Berlin's governing mayor, Kai Wegner, called him. He decisively shaped Berlin's culture, according to Wegner.
At his farewell from the Berliner Ensemble, Peymann said, "The most important thing about theater is love." Culture State Minister Wolfram Weimer mourned Peymann, calling him a titan of the theater, a master of provocation and renewal. Sabin Tambrea, an actor who worked under Peymann, thanked him from the bottom of his heart for their shared path.
Peymann will be remembered as an unyielding champion of the freedom of art. His legacy is marked by his influential leadership in major European theatres and his commitment to showcasing avant-garde and contemporary works. Peymann received several awards, including the Theaterpreis Berlin in 1995 and an honorary membership of the Burgtheater in 2012.
[1] "Claus Peymann." IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/name/nm0005898/. [2] "Claus Peymann." Deutsche Welle, 17 July 2025, www.dw.com/en/claus-peymann/a-57028360. [3] "Claus Peymann." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 July 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claus_Peymann. [4] "Claus Peymann." Theater der Zeit, 17 July 2025, www.theaterderzeit.de/theater-der-zeit/artikel/claus-peymann-112791.
Celebrities often found Peymann's productions an intriguing blend of avant-garde and contemporary works, drawing them to the theaters he led, such as the Berliner Ensemble. entertainment was a significant part of Peymann's theater productions, sometimes even causing controversies due to his polarizing nature and political statements, as seen in his offering an internship to a former RAF terrorist, Christian Klar.
