City guide Kerstin Zarbock will take you on Sunday, September 27 on an impressive journey through the history of Villa Schöningen, a place of great significance in German history. Located directly on the former inner-German border, the villa was the setting for historic events, especially spy exchanges at the Glienicke Bridge.

This tour highlights the house’s role during the GDR era and its significance as a symbol of the Cold War. It is an informative and atmospheric approach to a place where world history becomes tangible.

A staged reading with Max Urlacher and Uli Plessmann
Concept and direction: Prof. Jürgen Haase
Followed by a discussion with Dr Karl-Heinz Bomberg, former client of Wolfgang Schnur’s psychotherapist specialising in trauma

The play “Die Anhörung” by Prof. Dr Jürgen Haase is based on the final interview between Wolfgang Schnur and journalist Alexander Kobylinski. Rather than being an artistic adaptation, the play focuses on Schnur’s final statements, which are presented faithfully: a unique piece of contemporary history that illustrates how dictatorship works and its impact on people.

Regarded in Rostock and beyond as a brilliant lawyer, Wolfgang Schnur (1944–2016) took on the GDR state on behalf of his clients. In 1990, he almost became the first freely elected Minister-President of the GDR. What nobody suspected was that Schnur was not only a lawyer for members of the opposition and a Christian, but also an informant for the Ministry for State Security for 25 years.

On October 11 Villa Schlieffen will be open to interested visitors and can be viewed as part of a free guided tour.

After the withdrawal of the Soviet army in 1994, the villa remained unused until 2023. Traces of this period are still visible in the rooms today and bear witness to its eventful history.

Complementing the architectural and historical exploration, Barbara Hammer’s video installation Sanctus from the Döpfner Collection is currently on display, adding an impressive contemporary perspective to the location.

Three authors, three literary voices, three culinary creations: the successful Lecker Lesen series brings literature and fine food together for a special evening at Villa Schöningen.

Between courses, the invited authors will read from their latest books, offering very different perspectives on relationships, social dynamics, and personal experiences. An evening combining lightness, depth, and sensory pleasure.

Readings by:
Anke Engelmann from Blender (Voland & Quist)
Frank Willmann from Balkanblut (Klett-Cotta)
Felice von Senkbeil from Ein Herz für Psychopathen (Mitteldeutscher Verlag)

Moderated by: Torsten Seifert

“The Art of Songs” brings together two exceptional musical voices for the first time: Singer Mia Knop Jacobsen captivates audiences with her clear, warm voice and an intense, nuanced storytelling style. Her music spans jazz, Scandinavian folk, and modern songwriting, characterized by Nordic melancholy, openness, and subtle dynamic nuances.

Guitarist Tal Arditi combines virtuoso playing with a keen sense for songwriting. His music blends jazz, indie, and singer-songwriter traditions. Together, the two present their own compositions and selected reinterpretations.

Look forward to a concert full of intimacy, musical subtlety, and spontaneous moments. The event is curated by Pedales Jazz Project and presented in cooperation with them.

On October 24, the sound of the harp will fill the exhibition Zwischen Bäumen. Harpist and singer Towadei will accompany visitors musically through the exhibition for one hour. Visitors are invited to wander among the works, linger, and experience the exhibition anew through the interplay of art and music.

Towadei has played the Celtic lever harp since childhood and accompanies her playing with vocals. The harp has been her lifelong companion, taking her to all kinds of unexpected places: from churches and circus tents to readings, dance performances, and exhibitions. Her music combines light melodies and clear vocals with rich, layered soundscapes and rhythmic dance tunes.

For Zwischen Bäumen, Towadei responds through her music to the unique atmosphere of the exhibition, inviting visitors to drift between artworks, trees, and sounds.

The harp concert will take place in the exhibition from 3 to 4 pm and is included in the regular admission price.

City guide Kerstin Zarbock offers a comprehensive tour of the history of Villa Schöningen, which played a key role in German-German history. Located directly on the former inner-German border, the villa was the scene of significant events, particularly in the context of the spy exchanges at Glienicke Bridge.

The tour focuses on the significance of the house during the GDR era and sheds light on how this place became a symbol of the Cold War.

On October 29, 2026, Villa Schöningen invites you to a life drawing class with a live model as part of the exhibition “Among Trees.”

Under the guidance of artist Katrin Seifert, participants will have the opportunity to capture the human body through drawing and develop their own forms of expression in the process. The class is open to anyone interested, regardless of experience level. The exhibition’s unique atmosphere provides an inspiring setting for focused work and spontaneous sketches.

Please bring your own drawing supplies: a sketchpad, pencils, and a sturdy surface, preferably in A3 format. Space is limited.

Larry Porter is one of the most respected jazz pianists in Germany. For five decades, his personal approach to jazz and his inventive improvisations have shaped his performances of standards and original compositions. He has collaborated worldwide with jazz legends such as Chet Baker, Mel Lewis, Archie Shepp, Thad Jones, and Art Farmer.

Max Leiss and Ivars Arutyunyan round out the ensemble with their unique talent and individual musical voices.

Saxophonist Peter Weniger captivates audiences with his warm tone and creative improvisation. As a fixture of the German jazz scene, he combines emotional depth with virtuosity to bridge the old and the new. Since 1999, he has taught as a professor at the Berlin University of the Arts and served as director of the Jazz-Institut-Berlin from 2005 to 2019. His collaborators have included Billy Cobham, Maceo Parker, Eddie Palmieri, Mike Stern, and Peter Herbolzheimer, among others.

The quartet presents a diverse program featuring standards from the American Songbook, works by Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington, as well as Larry Porter’s original compositions.

Doors open at 6 pm, and the ticket price includes admission to the in-house art exhibition, which you can visit before the concert. Our café offers warming soup, fine wine, and what is arguably the most beautiful atmosphere for a jazz concert.

On Friday, November 13, the Hammond organ takes centre stage at the pedales-Café at Villa Schöningen. Under the title “Hammond Jazz Tribute,” the evening is dedicated to the distinctive sound of the instrument and its connection to jazz.

The Hammond Organ Trio brings this special sound to the intimate setting of the pedales-Café, making the Hammond organ the starting point for an evening devoted entirely to jazz.

Doors open at 6 pm, and your ticket also includes admission to the current art exhibition at Villa Schöningen, giving you plenty of time to explore the exhibition before the concert. The café will be serving warming soup and good wine – all in the special atmosphere of a jazz evening at the Villa.

Villa Schlieffen will once again be open for tours on Sunday, Novemver 15, at 11 am. A wonderful opportunity to explore this historic site free of charge and learn more about its fascinating past.

The villa has been open to visitors again since 2023 and is presented in the condition in which it was left after the withdrawal of the Soviet military.

The impressive work “Sanctus” by Barbara Hammer, which is part of the Döpfner Collection, is also currently on display.

You are welcome to register for a free tour via info@villa-schoeningen.de.

On Saturday, November 21, from 3 to 4.30 pm, the exhibition Zwischen den Bäumen becomes a space for sound: pianist and composer Jess Faber will perform live within the exhibition.

Faber combines her classical training with neo-classical and minimalist influences. Inspired by composers such as Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Philip Glass and Hania Rani, her music moves between delicate, atmospheric soundscapes and contemporary piano music. Alongside her work as a live performer, she composes for film and media, and her music has been featured at international film festivals.

The format is deliberately not a traditional concert: while Jess Faber plays, visitors are invited to move freely through the exhibition, pause in front of individual works, listen, and experience art and music at their own pace. Over the course of ninety minutes, a musical intervention unfolds, offering a new way of experiencing the spaces and works of Zwischen den Bäumen.

On Thursday, November 26, life drawing with a live model will once again take place in the “Among trees” exhibition at Villa Schöningen.

Led by artist Katrin Seifert, the event is open to anyone interested in art, regardless of their level of experience. The exhibition provides an inspiring backdrop for your life drawings. No prior knowledge is necessary! Please bring your own drawing materials, such as sketch pads, pencils and a firm surface (A3).

Please note that the number of participants is limited. To secure your place in the nude drawing course, we recommend that you register in advance by emailing info@katrinseifert-art.de.

On Friday, November 27, the Carla Lené Trio will be performing at the pedales-Café at Villa Schöningen. Carla Lené blends rhythms from soul, blues and pop with jazzy sounds, creating her own distinctive, warm musical style.

In the intimate setting of the Salon, expressive vocals meet subtle grooves and moments of improvisation – at times quiet and stripped-back, at others rhythmic and full of energy. An evening of music somewhere between jazz, soul and pop, in a relaxed atmosphere.

Doors open at 6 pm, and your ticket also includes admission to the current art exhibition at Villa Schöningen, which you can visit before the concert. Our café will be serving warming soup and good wine – all in what might just be one of the most beautiful settings for a jazz concert.