On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 19:00, the NS Documentation Center in Munich will host a scenic reading titled 'The Art of Mourning' directed and written by Christiane Mudra. The performance features readings by Gabriele Graf, Melda Hazirci, and Stefan Lehnen, with technical support from Peer Quednau.

This event reflects on the indifference towards the loss of life and the apparent heartlessness in the face of suffering, as noted by Hannah Arendt in her work 'Visit to Germany.' The reading draws from Arendt's insights, as well as from Alexander and Margarete Mitscherlich's 'The Inability to Mourn' and the reports of female war correspondents such as Lee Miller, Martha Gellhorn, and Margaret Bourke-White. It explores the denial of mourning and responsibility in post-war Germany, shedding light on the widespread de-realization that followed the war. It raises pertinent questions about the current state of a nation that prides itself on being the 'champions of remembrance.' What does it mean to mourn? Do we have the courage to truly understand our past?