Travels to Dresden, Germany

Mr. Rebehn receiving the puppets

As a follow-up to our reunification story below, we are happy to announce that the Barthold puppets have a new home as of October 2016.
The curious coincidence was that the donation of the puppets to the Dresden Puppentheatersammlung museum was completed during the beginning of October, around the time of the anniversary of reunification of divided Germany. The irony there is that it was the political turmoil of war and communist government that saw these puppets 'escape' in the first place.

Waltraude & Barbara - daughter and granddaughter of the puppeteer Oskar Barthold (1904-1980) travelled to Dresden to personally deliver the artifacts, including the Hans Wurst marionette, 3 hand puppets, 3 puppet heads, and the evil marionette character, The Pest as well as transcripts of the plays performed in the 1940s.

Two of the puppets on the museum table

We had hoped to get the puppets into an exhibit in either Saskatoon or Regina, before their final journey, but local interest was very limited and it didn't come to pass.
Quite the opposite was the interest at the Dresden Puppentheatersammlung museum - they were very anxious and indeed quite honoured to receive these items, as puppet theatre is their sole focus.

Garnison Church of St. Martin

It was enviable to see how theatre, arts and culture are state and bank supported, and, although the museums always struggle for sufficient funds, a larger facility for a permanent exhibit is planned. We are very much looking forward to seeing the Barthold story take its place in history at last.

The conservator, Mr. Lars Rebehn, very passionately received the items and toured us through their entire collection housed in parts of the Garnison Church of St Martin. We were overwhelmed. With a gift of museum and gallery passes, we spent a couple of days touring  other famous collections and were able to admire many world famous works of art.

 

Touring through the home of the marionettes

Sadly, we were also witness to some demonstrations related to current political issues right in the beautiful historic centre of the old market square.
But good weather, great food and the dialect of our former home enhanced this trip throughout. Meeting other well known people in theater was also an honour and left us feeling that this was the right thing to do and that the treasured family puppets are in good hands.