SAD-88: Shake about the arson attack inspires Schwandorf
On October 25 and 26, 2025, the play "SAD-88" will be performed in the Metropol Schwandorf via the racist arson attack from 1988.

SAD-88: Shake about the arson attack inspires Schwandorf
With “SAD-88”, the Ovigo Theater brings an impressive piece to the stage, which addressed the racist arson attack on the Habermeierhaus in Schwandorf, which was committed on December 17, 1988. The premiere recently took place in the historic rock cellar and the response was overwhelming. Spectators: Inside, the performance rewarded with long applause and standing ovation. With the staging, the theater not only wants to deal with the terrible events, but also put the current social responsibility into the field of vision, such as Oberpfalzecho.de.
In the play, which represents a multimedia scene collage, the events around the arson attack are merged. The perpetrator, Josef S., had acted out of xenophobia, which led to four fatal victims: a Turkish couple, her twelve -year -old son and a German man. The tragedy leaves not only human losses, but also painful memories for the bereaved, including Leyla Kellecioglu, which was present at the premiere and thanked the theater group, such as br.de.
Insight into the topics of the piece
“SAD-88” uses various narrative strands to shed light on the multi-layered aspects of the arson attack-from the events before, during and after the crime to the legal aftermath. The piece not only integrates sound documents from survivors and experts, but also images from television news. This gives the entire work a special depth and emotionality.
The staging also shows how the city of Schwandorf dealt with the consequences and the reactions of local politicians: inside, who often tried to trivialize the scope of the crime. In a larger context, the arson attack is part of a series of racist attacks in Germany, which indicate the tragic social developments that continue to this day. Die Antidiskriminierungsstelle des Bundes hat in ihrem Bericht von einem besorgniserregenden Anstieg diskriminierender Vorfälle gewarnt, was zeigt, dass Rassismus und Diskriminierung nach wie vor traurige Realität sind, wie auch statista.com darlegt.
The impressive ensemble
The star of production is the well -known actress Anna Maria Sturm, who sees tragic parallels to the plot - she grew up in Schwandorf and her mother, Irene Maria Sturm, was committed to commemorating the victims of the attack. In addition to Sturm, Lisamarie Berger and Daniel Adler are also part of the ensemble, which takes the audience: on the inside on a moving journey through history.
The next performances will take place on October 25th and 26th and December 28th in the Metropole in Schwandorf. For those interested, the tickets are available at a price of 17.50 euros (reduced 12 euros) via the website of the Ovigo Theater or at ticket agencies.
The topic can not only look back on the past, it is also forcing us to think about our own role in an increasingly polarized society. The voices of the past should remind us that we have to continue to stand together in order to counter discrimination and racism.