Ernst-Barlach-Theater

The Ernst-Barlach-Theater stands on Franz-Parr-Platz in Güstrow, a town in Mecklenburg. It is the oldest surviving theatre building in the region. The building was completed in 1828 through funds raised by citizens and support from Friedrich Piper and Carl Daniel Lönnies. The city provided the land and materials free of charge. The theatre opened with a performance by the Mecklenburg State Theatre from Schwerin. By 1839 it had become a branch of the Rostock Theatre. The theatre has seen many uses over the centuries. After serving as a barracks from 1886 to 1888, it returned to theatrical performances with a small, changing company of young actors. Hans Albers performed there in 1912 and 1913, starting as a stagehand. In 1921 the “Güstrower Volks- und Heimatspiele” began as a Low German amateur stage. By the mid-1920s it had become a branch of the Rostock City Theatre again. After closure during the Great Depression, it reopened in 1933 under the “Niederdeutsche Bühne”. After the Second World War the Güstrow Theatre was the first in northern Germany to resume performances. A new ensemble formed with up to 175 members running a three-part theatre programme. From 1955 to 1957 the stage house, auditorium and historic façade were restored while performances continued. In 1957 it was renamed the Ernst-Barlach-Theater. Since 1976 it has operated solely as a touring theatre under the Landkreis Rostock.