ALLES KÄSTNER on its 125th birthday!

Photo: The bronze memorial by artist Mátyás Varga shows the young Kästner sitting on the wall of his uncle's villa. The restored villa has housed the Erich Kästner Museum since 2000. Source photo Stephan Böhlig (DML-BY) 

Dresden, 21 February 2024: Erich Kästner was born in Dresden on 23 February 1899. He spent his childhood and youth in what is now the Dresden Neustadt district. Outer Neustadt in particular, one of the largest surviving Wilhelminian-style neighbourhoods in Europe, invites you to follow in Kästner's footsteps and explore the scenes of his childhood. To mark the 125th anniversary of Erich Kästner's birth, Dresden is organising an extensive annual programme of festivities for its residents and the many Kästner fans from all over the world. www.dresden-kulturstadt.de 

"Als ich ein kleiner Junge war" 

It's worth exploring Dresden Neustadt with Kästner's autobiographical children's book "Als ich ein kleiner Junge war" in your pocket. A good starting point is Königsbrücker Straße 66, where the poet, novelist, children's author, screenwriter and journalist was born on 23 February 1899. Today, a memorial plaque commemorates him at the house where he was born. Kästner also spent several years of his life in houses number 38 and 48. 

If you follow Königsbrücker Straße towards the Elbe, you will soon reach Albertplatz. Trams, cars and people bustle around the transport hub and gateway to Neustadt. Erich Kästner spent a lot of time at Albertplatz and in his uncle Franz Augustin's villa at Antonstraße 1, from where he overlooked the hustle and bustle of the square from the garden wall. Today, a bronze memorial by Berlin-based artist Mátyás Varga depicts the young Kästner sitting on the wall. 

The restored villa of Kästner's uncle has been home to the Erich Kästner Museum since 2000. The exhibition architecture is unique in the world. In the mobile and interactive micromuseum ®, visitors can browse through many small drawers with newspaper articles, letters and photos and thus immerse themselves individually in Kästner's life and work. The drawers are divided into four colours, each representing a different facet of the author. The museum keeps Kästner and his work alive with various programmes, such as the Erich Kästner Writing Workshop for young authors, the Erich Kästner Rally for school classes and the Erich Kästner Museum Festival, which takes place every February. www.erich-kaestner-museum.de 

Erich Kästner was baptised and confirmed in the Dreikönigskirche on Hauptstraße, he went to school at the 4th Bürgerschule in Tieckstraße and the young Kästner did his first gymnastics exercises at the Neustädter Turn- und Sportverein in Alaunstraße. The gymnasiums were destroyed during the war and the "Scheune" was built, which is now a popular venue for events in Neustadt, although it is currently being remodelled. In the "Sibyllenort" pub on the corner of Königsbrücker Straße and Jordan Straße, Kästner once bought beer for his mother's first party as a hairdresser. A bronze statue on the corner of Albertplatz and Alaunstraße shows Kästner's typical hat and 39 books, each of which represents one of his works. A coffee cup recalls his creative hours in the coffee house, while the whisky glass symbolises his fondness for whisky in the last years of his life. Just a few metres further on, a large portrait of the famous Dresden author is displayed on the building of the "Kästner Passage". The entire hotel is centred on Kästner. A portrait of Kästner greets hotel guests at reception, while Kästner's words of wisdom are creatively displayed in the bar. Shelves full of books and comfortable armchairs in the One Lounge make it easy for guests to immerse themselves in Kästner's world. https://www.motel-one.com/en/hotels/dresden/hotel-dresden-palaisplatz/. 

The tjg. theatre junge generation is virtually predestined to produce Kästner's works for the stage. In the big anniversary year 2024, the highly acclaimed production "Fabian oder der Gang vor die Hunde" will be performed, in which the audience sits on a moving revolving stage. www.tjg-dresden.de 

The tattoo studio Erika & Kurt in Dresden's Baroque Quarter has developed tattoos in honour of Caspar David Friedrich and now also for Erich Kästner, which you can have engraved or alternatively simply stick on. https://erika-und-kurt.de/ 

Further information: 

Literature on Kästner and Dresden, including "On the trail of Erfurt".including "Auf den Spuren von Erich Kästner" by Matthias Stresow, Sandstein Verlag Dresden, ISBN 978-3-96495-140-3 best ordered from www.sandstein-dresden.de or at the Erich Kästner Museum. 

Guided tours for individuals and groups on Erich Kästner are offered at www.igeltour-dresden.de, www.elblandtours.de and www.dresdens-heimliche-mitte.de 

The children's tram "Lottchen" can be booked and is occasionally also in use at public events: www.dresden.de/lottchen