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"Puppenkiste" figures Mock Giant Tukur, Lukas and Jim Button (archive image)
Photo: Stefan Puchner / picture alliance / dpa
According to its director, the famous Augsburger Puppenkiste faces an uncertain future.
"I can't say today in what form the Puppenkiste will and can continue to exist," said Klaus Marschall of the "Augsburger Allgemeine".
In a podcast from the editors, he gave the reasons for the financial losses due to the restrictions during the corona pandemic and the low public subsidies.
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Doll box leader Marshal: Doesn't want to pass financial risk on to children
Photo: Stefan Puchner / picture alliance / dpa
Still, he doesn't think about giving up.
“We'll find something so that the Puppenkiste will continue to exist.
At the moment we don't know what that looks like." The head of the theatre, who has been running the Puppenkiste for more than 30 years, also said: "I only know that with this burden of how I have to run the theater myself, I'm the Puppenkiste I will not pass it on.« He is no longer willing to bear the financial risk as an individual or to pass it on to his children, who also work at the Puppenkiste.
"We still don't know today whether we have survived Corona," Marschall continued.
“That will become clear when all the state aid that has flowed has been accounted for.” A tax consultant is currently dealing with possible repayments.
Marshal also lamented low government grants.
"We recently received around five euros in public subsidies per spectator." In a nationwide comparison, that's a fraction of what other theaters and cultural institutions get.
In addition to municipal and state subsidies, the Puppenkiste is mainly financed by tickets and donations.
The search for a financially strong partner is not new.
As early as 2003, the theater needed help after a loss of almost 100,000 euros in the previous financial year.
The Puppenkiste recently celebrated its 75th anniversary.
On February 26, 1948, the puppets made their first appearance in the marionette theater founded by Walter Oehmichen, when »Puss in Boots« was played.
Television productions such as "Urmel aus dem Eis" or "Jim Button" made the Augsburger Puppenkiste known nationwide.
feb/dpa