KÖRPERWELTEN – Anatomy of Happiness

The body as a place of happiness
Great love, a carefree life, true friendship... we all strive for happiness. But have you ever wondered how happiness actually arises? Why it is so important for our lives and why we can’t get enough of it? Or why we can’t permanently preserve happiness?

Like every action, perception, or sensation, the feeling of happiness is also a result of certain processes in our body. In the Heidelberg KÖRPERWELTEN Museum, you can discover what exactly lies beneath your skin with real anatomical specimens and which structures are involved in the emergence of the feeling of happiness. In doing so, you will learn a lot of interesting things about your organ functions and about health in general. And you will be surprised at how versatile positive or negative emotions affect the entire body. Because everything we experience, feel, and do or don’t do with our body ultimately has an impact on it sooner or later.

An exhibition that will change your perspective on yourself.

Last entry: 5:00 PM

KRYSTIAN MARTINEK
JE BESSER ICH DICH KENNE
After many years of marriage, Jessica has had enough.
Over the last few years, she and her husband Peter lived practically bored alongside each other. To prevent this from continuing until the end of their lives, she has filed for divorce against Peter's will. Her best friend Sandra will handle all the formalities for her as a lawyer.
Jessica has already moved into a chic, modern apartment. She lives there with her new partner Nic, who manages to meet Jessica's needs with remarkable ease and protects her from all dangers. The fact that he is also attractive, fit, and younger than Peter completes the perfect overall impression and hits Peter hard. Meanwhile, Sandra is greatly impressed by Nic and longs for a partner like him.
When Peter encounters his successor before the divorce date, he quickly realizes that the perfect Nic is superior to him in every way. Annoyed and offended, he initially accepts defeat. But he doesn’t give up. Instead, he returns and experiences an unsettling surprise.
The comedy poses the question of how desirable a perfect relationship really is and what consequences it may have when one finds the perfect partner. With plenty of humor and serious lightness, the play shows where it can lead when one tries to perfect love and life.

Doors open 30 minutes before the performance begins.

KÖRPERWELTEN – Anatomy of Happiness

The body as a place of happiness
Great love, a carefree life, true friendship... we all strive for happiness. But have you ever wondered how happiness actually arises? Why it is so important for our lives and why we can’t get enough of it? Or why we can’t permanently preserve happiness?

Like every action, perception, or sensation, the feeling of happiness is also a result of certain processes in our body. In the Heidelberg KÖRPERWELTEN Museum, you can discover what exactly lies beneath your skin with real anatomical specimens and which structures are involved in the emergence of the feeling of happiness. In doing so, you will learn a lot of interesting things about your organ functions and about health in general. And you will be surprised at how versatile positive or negative emotions affect the entire body. Because everything we experience, feel, and do or don’t do with our body ultimately has an impact on it sooner or later.

An exhibition that will change your perspective on yourself.

Last entry: 5:00 PM

KRYSTIAN MARTINEK
JE BESSER ICH DICH KENNE
After many years of marriage, Jessica has had enough.
Over the last few years, she and her husband Peter lived practically bored alongside each other. To prevent this from continuing until the end of their lives, she has filed for divorce against Peter's will. Her best friend Sandra will handle all the formalities for her as a lawyer.
Jessica has already moved into a chic, modern apartment. She lives there with her new partner Nic, who manages to meet Jessica's needs with remarkable ease and protects her from all dangers. The fact that he is also attractive, fit, and younger than Peter completes the perfect overall impression and hits Peter hard. Meanwhile, Sandra is greatly impressed by Nic and longs for a partner like him.
When Peter encounters his successor before the divorce date, he quickly realizes that the perfect Nic is superior to him in every way. Annoyed and offended, he initially accepts defeat. But he doesn’t give up. Instead, he returns and experiences an unsettling surprise.
The comedy poses the question of how desirable a perfect relationship really is and what consequences it may have when one finds the perfect partner. With plenty of humor and serious lightness, the play shows where it can lead when one tries to perfect love and life.

Doors open 30 minutes before the performance begins.

Entrance Foyer: 19:00

KÖRPERWELTEN – Anatomy of Happiness

The body as a place of happiness
Great love, a carefree life, true friendship... we all strive for happiness. But have you ever wondered how happiness actually arises? Why it is so important for our lives and why we can’t get enough of it? Or why we can’t permanently preserve happiness?

Like every action, perception, or sensation, the feeling of happiness is also a result of certain processes in our body. In the Heidelberg KÖRPERWELTEN Museum, you can discover what exactly lies beneath your skin with real anatomical specimens and which structures are involved in the emergence of the feeling of happiness. In doing so, you will learn a lot of interesting things about your organ functions and about health in general. And you will be surprised at how versatile positive or negative emotions affect the entire body. Because everything we experience, feel, and do or don’t do with our body ultimately has an impact on it sooner or later.

An exhibition that will change your perspective on yourself.

Last entry: 5:00 PM

On this evening, two of the most significant scholars in the humanities of our time, Aleida Assmann and Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht, come together for a special conversation. How does our view of the past shape our ability to engage with the future? Are we living with an "excess" of memory – or is persistent remembering a prerequisite for democratic responsibility? To what extent do the concepts of the present and memory differ in Europe and the USA? A pointed exchange on memory as a burden, resistance against forgetting, and a foundation for a consciously shaped future.

Prof. Dr. Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht is a Romanist, literary scholar, and publicist. His work on European literature and intellectual history as well as aesthetics has shaped international debates. In 2026, his book Sepp. My Life at Half-Distance will be published.

Prof. Dr. Aleida Assmann is an Anglist, Egyptologist, and literature and cultural scientist. She has taught at institutions including Yale, Princeton, and Chicago. Together with her husband Jan Assmann, she coined the term "cultural memory."

KÖRPERWELTEN – Anatomy of Happiness

The body as a place of happiness
Great love, a carefree life, true friendship... we all strive for happiness. But have you ever wondered how happiness actually arises? Why it is so important for our lives and why we can’t get enough of it? Or why we can’t permanently preserve happiness?

Like every action, perception, or sensation, the feeling of happiness is also a result of certain processes in our body. In the Heidelberg KÖRPERWELTEN Museum, you can discover what exactly lies beneath your skin with real anatomical specimens and which structures are involved in the emergence of the feeling of happiness. In doing so, you will learn a lot of interesting things about your organ functions and about health in general. And you will be surprised at how versatile positive or negative emotions affect the entire body. Because everything we experience, feel, and do or don’t do with our body ultimately has an impact on it sooner or later.

An exhibition that will change your perspective on yourself.

Last entry: 5:00 PM

When Marissa loses her mother at the age of six, her father, a marine biologist, decides to continue his wife's research work. Father and daughter go to Thailand. There she meets Arielle, and a fairy-tale friendship forms. During the week, the girls live at Arielle's parents' resort; on the weekends, they spend their time with Marissa's father on a nearby island. Together, the girls discover the fragile wonders of the reefs, forests, and beaches. They learn to dive deep and hold their breath for minutes. They move as effortlessly in the water as the manta rays, whom they know by name. Together they learn to swim out of danger. But then a huge wave comes that Arielle cannot escape.

Years later, Marissa is back in New York, disoriented and haunted by the memory of her friend, once again threatened by a natural disaster. As the past returns over the course of two fateful days, she discovers how she can assert herself in an uncertain world.

Tara Menon tells – in wonderful images – about two girls who meet as children and immediately feel that they belong together.

Tara K. Menon, born in India and raised in Singapore, is a lecturer in English Literature at Harvard. After ten years in New York, she now lives in Somerville, Massachusetts.

Language: English

KRYSTIAN MARTINEK
JE BESSER ICH DICH KENNE
After many years of marriage, Jessica has had enough.
Over the last few years, she and her husband Peter lived practically bored alongside each other. To prevent this from continuing until the end of their lives, she has filed for divorce against Peter's will. Her best friend Sandra will handle all the formalities for her as a lawyer.
Jessica has already moved into a chic, modern apartment. She lives there with her new partner Nic, who manages to meet Jessica's needs with remarkable ease and protects her from all dangers. The fact that he is also attractive, fit, and younger than Peter completes the perfect overall impression and hits Peter hard. Meanwhile, Sandra is greatly impressed by Nic and longs for a partner like him.
When Peter encounters his successor before the divorce date, he quickly realizes that the perfect Nic is superior to him in every way. Annoyed and offended, he initially accepts defeat. But he doesn’t give up. Instead, he returns and experiences an unsettling surprise.
The comedy poses the question of how desirable a perfect relationship really is and what consequences it may have when one finds the perfect partner. With plenty of humor and serious lightness, the play shows where it can lead when one tries to perfect love and life.

Doors open 30 minutes before the performance begins.

With their now seventh studio album in tow, the self-proclaimed world improvers are tearing down one venue after another across the country – accompanied by the steadily growing mop command:

Liedfett is no longer an insider tip, but rather a collective state of euphoria, attitude, and zest for life.

With their new, self-titled album "liedfett," set to be released on April 24, 2026, Liedfett sounds as close, direct, and unvarnished as rarely before. Caught between new beginnings and feeling overwhelmed, between broad grins and honest self-reflection, they bundle songs like "Everything Will Be Fine," "Too Short," "Danger of Loneliness," "That Was Me," and "Party Glasses" with six new tracks into an album that hits right in the now and especially every heart:

It's about stumbling through life, continuing despite doubts, being loud when necessary – and being vulnerable when needed. Showing attitude without raising a finger. Whether on stage or by the campfire. Everywhere.

Musically, Liedfett stays true to their powerful mix of German pop, punk energy, and uncompromising live character. "liedfett" is not a retrospective and not a concept album, but a snapshot: honest, connecting, full of impact and warmth. Anyone trying to grasp the phenomenon of Liedfett solely through numbers or words will fail. Only live does the whole picture unfold – and only then does one truly understand why so many join in when it’s said: Are you coming with us?

Doors open: 18:00 Uhr

KÖRPERWELTEN – Anatomy of Happiness

The body as a place of happiness
Great love, a carefree life, true friendship... we all strive for happiness. But have you ever wondered how happiness actually arises? Why it is so important for our lives and why we can’t get enough of it? Or why we can’t permanently preserve happiness?

Like every action, perception, or sensation, the feeling of happiness is also a result of certain processes in our body. In the Heidelberg KÖRPERWELTEN Museum, you can discover what exactly lies beneath your skin with real anatomical specimens and which structures are involved in the emergence of the feeling of happiness. In doing so, you will learn a lot of interesting things about your organ functions and about health in general. And you will be surprised at how versatile positive or negative emotions affect the entire body. Because everything we experience, feel, and do or don’t do with our body ultimately has an impact on it sooner or later.

An exhibition that will change your perspective on yourself.

Last entry: 5:00 PM

KRYSTIAN MARTINEK
JE BESSER ICH DICH KENNE
After many years of marriage, Jessica has had enough.
During the last few years, she and her husband Peter have practically been living side by side in boredom. To prevent this from continuing until the end of their lives, she has filed for divorce against Peter's will. Her best friend Sandra is supposed to handle all the formalities for her as a lawyer.
Jessica has already moved into a chic, modern apartment. She lives there with her new partner Nic, who manages to address Jessica's needs with remarkable ease and protect her from all dangers. The fact that he is also attractive, in great shape, and younger than Peter completes the perfect overall impression and hits Peter hard. Sandra, on the other hand, is deeply impressed by Nic and wishes for nothing more than a partner like him.
When Peter encounters his successor before the divorce date, he quickly realizes that the perfect Nic is superior to him in every way. Upset and offended, he initially gives up. But he does not give in. Instead, he comes back and experiences an unsettling surprise.
The comedy raises the question of how desirable a perfect relationship really is and what consequences it can have when one has found the perfect partner. With much humor and serious lightness, the play shows where it can lead when one tries to perfect love and life.

On Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 7:30 PM, the pianist Sylvie Nicephor (Paris) will present a piano evening in the concert hall of Wolfsbrunnen Heidelberg, whose strong contrasts shape the attractive program. The powerful romance of Sergei Rachmaninoff meets the meditative, colorful sound world of contemporary composer Martin Münch – two voices that reflect and enrich each other.

Sylvie Nicephor knows how to draw linear tension arcs with a fine sense for nuances and solid fidelity to the works. The program includes both short, intensity-filled preludes by Rachmaninoff and multifaceted, often delicate miniatures by Martin Münch. Rachmaninoff's preludes are characterized by passionate melodies, dense harmonies, and surprising color shifts; they combine romantic energy with the sensitive heritage of earlier masters. Martin Münch contemporarily continues this tradition: He creates accessible, partly childlike-lyrical, partly introspective-reflective miniatures, which develop an open, meditative sound language through subtle harmonic shifts.
The concert hall Wolfsbrunnen offers an intimate atmosphere that especially highlights the fine chamber musical tensions of this program.

Copyright Photo: Sylvie Nicephor

Entrance: 7:00 PM

KÖRPERWELTEN – Anatomy of Happiness

The body as a place of happiness
Great love, a carefree life, true friendship... we all strive for happiness. But have you ever wondered how happiness actually arises? Why it is so important for our lives and why we can’t get enough of it? Or why we can’t permanently preserve happiness?

Like every action, perception, or sensation, the feeling of happiness is also a result of certain processes in our body. In the Heidelberg KÖRPERWELTEN Museum, you can discover what exactly lies beneath your skin with real anatomical specimens and which structures are involved in the emergence of the feeling of happiness. In doing so, you will learn a lot of interesting things about your organ functions and about health in general. And you will be surprised at how versatile positive or negative emotions affect the entire body. Because everything we experience, feel, and do or don’t do with our body ultimately has an impact on it sooner or later.

An exhibition that will change your perspective on yourself.

Last entry: 5:00 PM

Entry: 19:00

In the midst of a year of war and crisis, Tuvia Tenenbom travels to the place where history, religion, and politics meet in the tightest space: the biblical heartland between Jerusalem, Nablus, and the Jewish settlements – also known as the West Bank, Judea and Samaria, occupied territories, or simply “this place.” He wanders through settlements and refugee camps, meets rabbis and radicals, activists and journalists, Palestinians and politicians. In doing so, he unfolds myths and propaganda layer by layer – and reveals a truth that is as simple as it is disturbing: Nothing in this country is as it seems.

Tuvia Tenenbom comes from a German-Jewish-Polish family and has been living in New York since 1981. He works as a journalist, essayist, and playwright and writes for numerous newspapers in the USA, Europe, and Israel. His latest book, Wie nennt ihr dieses Land?, will be published in 2026.

Moderation: Dr. Uri Rosenberg, University of Jewish Studies Heidelberg

Language: English

KRYSTIAN MARTINEK
JE BESSER ICH DICH KENNE
After many years of marriage, Jessica has had enough.
Over the last few years, she and her husband Peter lived practically bored alongside each other. To prevent this from continuing until the end of their lives, she has filed for divorce against Peter's will. Her best friend Sandra will handle all the formalities for her as a lawyer.
Jessica has already moved into a chic, modern apartment. She lives there with her new partner Nic, who manages to meet Jessica's needs with remarkable ease and protects her from all dangers. The fact that he is also attractive, fit, and younger than Peter completes the perfect overall impression and hits Peter hard. Meanwhile, Sandra is greatly impressed by Nic and longs for a partner like him.
When Peter encounters his successor before the divorce date, he quickly realizes that the perfect Nic is superior to him in every way. Annoyed and offended, he initially accepts defeat. But he doesn’t give up. Instead, he returns and experiences an unsettling surprise.
The comedy poses the question of how desirable a perfect relationship really is and what consequences it may have when one finds the perfect partner. With plenty of humor and serious lightness, the play shows where it can lead when one tries to perfect love and life.

Doors open 30 minutes before the performance begins.

KÖRPERWELTEN – Anatomy of Happiness

The body as a place of happiness
Great love, a carefree life, true friendship... we all strive for happiness. But have you ever wondered how happiness actually arises? Why it is so important for our lives and why we can’t get enough of it? Or why we can’t permanently preserve happiness?

Like every action, perception, or sensation, the feeling of happiness is also a result of certain processes in our body. In the Heidelberg KÖRPERWELTEN Museum, you can discover what exactly lies beneath your skin with real anatomical specimens and which structures are involved in the emergence of the feeling of happiness. In doing so, you will learn a lot of interesting things about your organ functions and about health in general. And you will be surprised at how versatile positive or negative emotions affect the entire body. Because everything we experience, feel, and do or don’t do with our body ultimately has an impact on it sooner or later.

An exhibition that will change your perspective on yourself.

Last entry: 5:00 PM

The first day of school, the first jump from the 3 m board, the last day of work, the first time with hearing aids, the last time in the parents' house, the first heartache. Our lives are filled with these special events – of firsts and lasts, consciously experienced in the moment or only significant in retrospect. They shape and change us. And sometimes they open up completely new perspectives, possibilities, worlds.
The participants of the GenerationTheaterKlub have remembered their personal firsts and lasts and developed a piece from it. On stage, these moments, situations, and encounters come to life and invite us to think along, feel along, and get excited.
When was the last time you did something for the first time?

With: Josi Ahrens, Edith Brandt-Bachmann, Ute Filsinger, Bernhard Godbersen, Dirk Grossklaus, Andreas Leiprecht, Brigitta Martin, Karin Schmurr, Lea Schumacher, Ulrike Starz, Suzanne Trautmann, Marie Wagner, Matthias Walenda, Margot Weisbrod-Rehm

Direction: Laura Holz & Nelly Sautter

FR 12.06.26 | 20:00

SA 13.06.26 | 20:00

SO 14.06.26 | 18:00

MI 17.06.26 | 20:00

With kind support for the stage design from XXXLutz Heidelberg

The GenerationTheaterKlub is organized by the Freien Theaterverein Heidelberg e.V. in cooperation with the Karlstorbahnhof e.V., the project is funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg through the Landesverband Amateurtheater Baden-Württemberg e.V.

Doors open at 19:30.