September 16th, 2025
MaMu at Brecht’s House
MaMu (Mad og Musik: Food and Music) is an association that organizes events in the South Funen region: gatherings that interpret South Funen’s culture, nature, and history through food and music. The music, this time inspired by Kurt Weill among others, was performed by an outstanding trio consisting of Povl Chr. Balslev, Mads la Cour, and Morten Øberg, who also accompanied the communal singing. Anne Hjortenberg and Sus Busse were responsible for the food, which was based on local ingredients. At the MaMu event at Brecht’s House, Lars Hansen and Lars Kirkegaard from the Brecht House board spoke about the German colony in Svendborg in the 1930s and about the history and current activities of Brecht’s House. All in all, a lovely evening in the garden at Brecht’s House.

Thanks to Knud Mortensen for a selection of the photos.

August 29th, 2025
HORISONT – Cultural Days in Svendborg

Brecht’s House contributed to Svendborg Municipality’s cultural festival, Horisont, with the event: The German Colony Around Bertolt Brecht, 1933–39. Jens Nagel from the Egense-Rantzausminde Local History Association guided participants through the local area and explained where Brecht’s various collaborators and guests had lived. We concluded in the garden of Brecht’s House, where Lars Hansen and Lars Kirkegaard from the board shared more about the German colony and the house’s current role and significance.

The event ended with Hanne Ringgaard, chair of the Leisure and Culture Committee, presenting the first edition of Brecht’s Svendborger Gedichte from 1939 to the chairman of the Brecht House board, Søren Hvarregaard. The book is a rare treasure. It was discovered in an antiquarian bookshop in Germany by author and university lecturer Ernst Ulrich Pinkert. In the spring, he suggested to the Leisure and Culture Committee that the book be purchased, as it has helped make Svendborg known far and wide. The committee responded positively, and in collaboration with Svendborg Museum and the SEAF Foundation, the purchase was made possible. The book will henceforth be exhibited at Brecht’s House.

Black-and-white photos: Clavs Dehli

May 22nd 2025

B TOURS: Turen går til Brechts Hus (The trip goes to Brecht's House) 

BaggårdTeatret, in collaboration with Brechts Hus, organized one of their B Tours. Lars Hansen and Lars Kirkegaard from the board gave presentations on Brecht's stay in the house, as well as on the house's history and its function as a residence and cultural institution in Svendborg. The English poet and literary scholar, Andrew Permain, who had a writing residency at the house, spoke about his work.

Afterwards, the participants took a tour of the house and garden. Inside the house, Brecht had returned after 86 years of absence and sat at the desk in his study, reading aloud from his Svendborger Gedichte. In the garden, actress Marie Nørgaard read excerpts from Mutter Courage. The evening concluded with a communal sing-along in front of the house.

August 25th  2024

Jens Christian Grøndahl

In the garden, author Jens Christian Grøndahl read from and talked about his new novel, Noget tabt i mørket (Something Lost in the Dark), which partly takes place on Skarø.

13. august 13th 2023

Commemoration of the 90th Anniversary of Brecht's Flight to Svendborg
Event in the garden on a beautiful summer day with many attendees. Readings of Brecht's Svendborger Gedichte by, among others, Josefine Ottesen, Peter Michaelsen, Jesper Wung-Sun, Christel Wiinblad, Jens Christian Grøndahl, and Tommy Kenter.

August 6th 2011

Günther Grass

The German Nobel laureate, Günter Grass, gave a presentation, read aloud, and discussed with his Danish translator, Professor Per Øhrgaard.
Grass preferred to draw a flounder rather than sign the house's guestbook!

August 30th 2009

Siegfried Lenz

The German author Siegfried Lenz, famous for his novel Deutschstunde, among others, spoke about his authorship. Professor Christian Benne from the University of Southern Denmark gave a brief introduction to Lenz's work.