Ich bin kein Fall.

I Am Not a Case
The Lives of Anna O., Bertha Pappenheim, and P. Berthold

How much adaptation to society is necessary, and at what point do I lose myself? The exploration of the history of antisemitism and the lives of German Jewish women, begun by Eleganz aus Reflex, is continued with the work I Am Not a Case.

At the center stands the life of the Frankfurt-born Bertha Pappenheim. In a choreographed spoken theater evening, Bertha’s inner conflict is made visible—between adaptation and resistance, self-determination and social expectations, her liberal convictions and her desire to reconcile them both with her own religious community and with German society at the time.

Bertha’s life reflects a part of Frankfurt’s urban history and stands for liberation from social constraints, the fight against human trafficking, and the importance of language and expression as a means of healing.

In this production, women’s rights are interwoven with mental health and social activism—issues and needs that are once again being contested today, with their hard-won achievements facing attempts to be rolled back.

Supported by
Fonds Darstellende Künste with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, the Cultural Office Frankfurt am Main, and the Hessian Ministry of Science and Research, Art and Culture.