Special exhibition at Museum Behnhaus Drägerhaus

The special exhibition deals with two turning points in Thomas Mann's life. In terms of content, it expands on the Buddenbrooks exhibition in the Behnhaus on a biographical and political level. The occasion is the lecture Goethe and Tolstoy held in Lübeck in 1921 for the "Nordic Week". The "Nordic Week" takes place exactly 100 years ago in September 1921. It is a large city festival with numerous cultural, scientific and sporting events and is intended to revive trade relations with the Baltic region and Scandinavia after the First World War.

Thomas Mann's lecture becomes a decisive turning point in the writer's relationship with his hometown. Whereas Lübeck had previously tended to reject Thomas Mann, it now celebrates him as a son of the city. The speech also marks the beginning of Mann's political transformation from enthusiastic war supporter to advocate of the Weimar Republic and opponent of the emerging National Socialism. This political course correction is also evident in his relationship to the "cardinal points." The focus is no longer on the Nordic in contrast to the southern sphere, but on a balancing middle.

Connections between Thomas Mann and various works of art from the Behnhaus collection form a thematic link to the 100th anniversary of the Behnhaus.

The special exhibition will be on view at the Museum Behnhaus Drägerhaus, Königstraße 9-11, Lübeck, from 1 September 2021. More information about your visit is available here.
As part of the special exhibition, a Thomas Mann evening will take place on 04.09., the occasion being the centenary of his lecture "Goethe and Tolstoy".

Start: 6 p.m.; admission 5.30 p.m. / Venue: Museum Behnhaus Drägerhaus (Königstraße 9-11) / Admission: 8€; reduced 4€ / Registration under 0451 122 4190 or shop@buddenbrookhaus.de

Before your visit you have the opportunity to get a first impression of the special exhibition. You can access our eGuide here. There you will find a tour complementing the special exhibition.