Störtebeker Festspiele

The Störtebeker Festival takes place every year from late June to early September. It has been organized since 1993 and is held on the shores of the Jasmund Bodden near the village of Rasewiek on Rügen. It is Germany's most successful open-air theatre festival. Just how popular the festival is becomes clear from the fact that the four-millionth visitor was welcomed in 2007 and the five-millionth in 2009. On average, the various performances staged during the festival are attended by around 4,600 people each.

The History of the Störtebeker Festspiele

During the GDR era, the natural stage where performances are still held to this day was constructed in 1959. The very first production staged was the dramatic ballad "Karl Störtebeker," and it is from this that the modern-day festival takes its name. This historical production was performed from 1959 to 1961 and again during the summers of 1980 and 1981. Around 1,000 people were involved in its creation, and the five performances attracted a combined total of 670,000 visitors. Since the revived productions began in 1993, many actors and directors have contributed to the festival. The performances tell the life story of the legendary pirate Karl Störtebeker and his companions in instalments. The complete story unfolds over successive years, meaning that if you want to follow the entire life story of Karl Störtebeker, you will need to visit Rügen during the festival each year. The current storytelling cycle began in 2012.

Still a Hugely Popular Festival

The Störtebeker Festival remains enormously popular to this day. Since the first performances in 1993, only 2006 saw a noticeable decline in visitor numbers. This was attributed to poor weather conditions and the economic downturn that was beginning to make itself felt across Germany – and on Rügen – at the time. The festival receives no public subsidies and is entirely dependent on ticket revenue and the contributions of sponsors.