Bremer Gesellschaftstheater

The Gesellschaftstheater (theatre society) in Bremen was founded by Adolph Freiherr Knigge in 1790 and remained active until 1792. Shortly after it's closing the first institutional and professional theater was established in the city - the so-called Bremer Schauspielhaus.

History

In 1790 Adolph Freiherr Knigge, a prominent enlightened thinker and writer, was called by the Hanoverian government into the position to a local governor (Oberhauptmann) in the city of Bremen. Shortly after his arrival a group of young citizens approached him to ask for permission to establish a theatre society and to perform in the venue of the Domschule ("cathedral school"). Knigge not only agreed to the undertaking but also became a leading figure in the theatre activities. At the time of the theatre society, no other theatrical pleasures were offered, because the city council did not give license to any of the ambulant troupes that intended to establish themselves in the region. So the amateur theatricals compensated for the lack of theatrical culture in Bremen and vanished at the moment when professional theatre activities took over.