Görlitz (dpa/sn) - The Gerhart-Hauptmann-Theater Görlitz-Zittau, which has been closed since major water damage at the beginning of November, will receive 250,000 euros from the Free State for mobile play operations. The technology should be purchased in order to be able to play in other places, said Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) when the corresponding decision was handed over on Friday. "We don't leave it at that, we want it to continue." The house is important for the people in the region and their quality of life. "They make theater for the region," Kretschmer turned to artistic director Daniel Morgenroth.
After a technical error in the fire alarm system, the deluge system on the large stage of the historic theater building from 1851 was triggered on November 8th and the entire stage area was flooded with several thousand liters of water within a few minutes. All technical systems were destroyed. Backdrops, notices and props on the stage also fell victim to the water. The damage caused is in the millions.
The theater, named after Gerhart Hauptmann (1862-1946), winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, is one of the most important cultural sites in the Upper Lusatia-Lower Silesia region and is known as far away as the Czech Republic. The recent events are "a really serious turning point for cultural life in the region and far beyond," said Minister of Culture Barbara Klepsch (CDU) according to the announcement. The money should help to enable at least parts of the game to be played despite the repair of the big stage.
