On the arrest and trial of Ekrem Imamoglu on April 11 – Round tables on 9. and 15.4.
A lot has happened in Turkey since we performed HAYDAR TANZ/ HAYARD’IN DANSI – from February 2024 and now again from February to the end of April 2025. Our play combines the fate of the earthquake victim Dr. Mehmet Yildirim with the culture and music of the Alevis and names the unscrupulous power politics of Erdogan’s government. His violent regime now appears to be collapsing, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets since the arrest of Istanbul mayor Imamoglu on March 19. The police used tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons against the people and thousands were arrested. But even former Erdogan supporters seem to have joined in. How courageous: to raise your voice for a finally liberated and democratic country despite all the violence!
As a sign of our support, we are offering talks with the artists of Haydar on April 9 and April 15 after the performances, during which you will gain very personal and concrete insights into the current situation and into the experiences of the Turkish artists involved. On April 26 we invite artists who have fled from Turkey to Berlin.
PS: This note from the Federal Foreign Office shows the force with which Erdogan is acting and that this can also affect Germans: “Be aware that expressions of opinion and actions taken in Germany, such as signing petitions with Kurdish concerns, could be perceived as critical of the government in Turkey and could therefore lead to criminal prosecution there. The same applies to statements critical of the government on social media and the mere sharing or liking of someone else’s post.” Non-public comments could also be forwarded to Turkish law enforcement authorities through “anonymous denunciation”.
Bernhard Glocksin, Artistic Director
Continue reading "For a free Turkey, finally!"
