Danton’s Death
A drama by Georg Büchner
Marguerre-Saal
[recommended for ages 16 and up]
In 1835, at the young age of 22, Georg Büchner writes his first theatre play, finishing it in only five weeks: »Danton’s Death«. The historic events described in it date back about 40 years. The play deals with the French Revolution, which – until today – has shaped our understanding of a modern European democracy with its motto »Liberty, Equality, Fraternity«. However, Büchner does not show the triumphant beginning, the storming of the Bastille in 1789. Instead, he focuses on a few days during the spring of 1794. The revolution lies in ruins. The terror of the guillotine reigns. The former companions Danton and Robespierre are now irreconcilable ideological opponents, hardly able to find a common language.
That makes Danton’s Death topical. How do we deal with political and human failure leading to a world of populism, demagogy and nationalism? How do we find the courage to defend democratic ideals against that?