„Art cannot resolve conflicts, but it can spark empathy.“
Where Berlin’s turbulent past meets its most dazzling present, Berndt Schmidt has transformed the Friedrichstadt-Palast into far more than a venue for grand entertainment — he has shaped it into a cultural voice for openness, diversity, and democratic confidence. Under his leadership, the Palast embraces both its complex history and its global audience, using spectacle not as escapism but as a bridge between people.
As Artistic Director and CEO, Schmidt has guided the house through record-breaking years and an ongoing redefinition of what a publicly funded stage can stand for. In the following conversation, he reflects on the Palast’s roots, its role in cultural diplomacy, and the responsibility of art in polarized times.
Where Spectacle Meets Responsibility: Berndt Schmidt on Art, Democracy, and Cultural Diplomacy
The Friedrichstadt-Palast is not only a stage for grand shows, but also a symbol of openness, diversity, and creative freedom. What does the Palast’s work today say about the self-image of a democratic society?
Our stage history begins in 1919 at the Großes Schauspielhaus. Founder Max Reinhardt was of Jewish descent; under the National Socialists, the house became the regime’s largest propaganda stage, and in 1947 it evolved into the Friedrichstadt-Palast. A place that has witnessed two dictatorships, division, and reunification knows how fragile freedom is. That is precisely why we acknowledge our Jewish roots and our commitment to an open, democratic society. As a publicly funded stage, we aim not only to offer great entertainment on the world’s largest theatre stage, but also to create spaces where differences are taken for granted. Our ensemble onstage, backstage, and in front of the stage is international, inclusive, and multi-generational— a small model of how a diverse democracy can function: with respect, curiosity, and the freedom to be oneself.
You welcome guests from all over the world. To what extent do you see the Palast as a place of cultural diplomacy—as a stage where Germany can make itself understood internationally through art and emotion?
For me, the Palast is a stage of cultural diplomacy in the best sense: we tell stories with images, music, and movement that work without translation. Our Grand Shows deliberately use very little dialogue; international guests understand them emotionally, even if they do not speak German. At the same time, the venue—with its diverse ensemble—presents a modern image of Germany: open, respectful, curious about the world. Those who visit us experience a country that defines itself not through isolation, but through artistic generosity.
The Palast has a turbulent history—from DDR tradition to today’s international Grand Show. What responsibility does a publicly funded institution carry in times of social polarization, and what stories do you want to tell in the future?
From a house with Jewish roots, a Nazi and GDR past, and now an international Grand Show operation arises a special responsibility. We are publicly financed, meaning we are neither a private stage nor a state mouthpiece, but a place where social tensions should be reflected without being further inflamed. I am interested in the question: What holds a society together as it becomes more diverse and louder? In the future, we want to tell even more stories about desire, identity, and cohesion—not as political instruction, but as emotional experience. Art cannot resolve conflicts, but it can spark empathy and make clear what is at stake when we relativize democracy and human dignity.
More Information: www.palast.de
