Der Schimmelreiter

Play based on Theodor Storm

Hauke Haien grows up as the son of a surveyor and farmer in the vast landscape of North Friesland. Even as a child, he felt magically drawn to the sea and studied the construction of the dykes in detail, which in his opinion offered inadequate protection against the threat of storm surges. Haien enters the service of a dyke count, marries his daughter and eventually takes on the responsible office himself. Against all opposition from his village, he implements his idea of building a more effective dyke. When Haien discovers that storm surges have dangerously damaged the old dykes, he is unable to get his way and have the dykes repaired. But a catastrophe occurs during a flood of the century.

In his famous novella, published in 1888, Theodor Strom tells of the struggle of one individual against the resistance of many and paints a multifaceted portrait of a community caught up in mutual dependencies. At the same time, Storm addresses man's efforts to shape nature according to his own ideas. In view of the climate crisis and rising sea levels, "Der Schimmelreiter" thus proves to be clearly topical.