Volker Pispers
Encyclopedia
Volker Pispers is a German
Kabarett
artist, who is well known for his drastic and sometimes sarcastic commentary on current events, especially about the political situation in Germany but also about the politics of the United States
since 9/11 and during the Iraq War.
, Pispers moved to Bonn
and later Münster
where he studied english studies
, theology
and pedagogy
. From 1979 to 1980 he worked as a foreign language assistant
in England
, where he developed a liking for black comedy
.
After returning to Germany, he worked as a member of several children's theatre and cabaret arrangements. His first solo program, Kabarette sich, wer kann, first opened in 1983. In the same year he finished his education and started working as an English teacher. In 1990 he became a member of the ensemble of the Kom(m)ödchen
in Düsseldorf
and later on its artistic director. However, in 1991, he gave up this position to tour Germany with his solo programs. Over the 1990s he received a number of awards and became a well-known figure in German political cabaret.
In 2002 he first went on tour with his program ...bis neulich ("...until recently"), which was originally conceived as a Best of
of his twenty years in cabaret. It was extremely successful and made him a lot more popular, especially due to his harsh criticism of the Bush administration and the Iraq War, which were very unpopular in Germany at the time. Due to its huge success, Pispers continues to tour Germany with the program, which he frequently updates according to recent developments. He has also become a staunch critic of capitalism
.
He currently lives in Düsseldorf-Oberkassel
in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Kabarett
Kabarett
Kabarett is a form of cabaret which developed in Germany from 1901, with the creation of the Überbrettl venue, and that by the Weimar era in the mid 1920s was characterized by political satire and gallows humor...
artist, who is well known for his drastic and sometimes sarcastic commentary on current events, especially about the political situation in Germany but also about the politics of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
since 9/11 and during the Iraq War.
Biography
After his AbiturAbitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
, Pispers moved to Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
and later Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
where he studied english studies
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
, theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and pedagogy
Pedagogy
Pedagogy is the study of being a teacher or the process of teaching. The term generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction....
. From 1979 to 1980 he worked as a foreign language assistant
Assistant teacher programme of the Educational Exchange Service
A Foreign Language Assistant is an assistant teacher, usually a native speaker, assisting a teacher of modern foreign languages in another country in lessons about the native language of the assistant....
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he developed a liking for black comedy
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
.
After returning to Germany, he worked as a member of several children's theatre and cabaret arrangements. His first solo program, Kabarette sich, wer kann, first opened in 1983. In the same year he finished his education and started working as an English teacher. In 1990 he became a member of the ensemble of the Kom(m)ödchen
Kom(m)ödchen
The Komödchen is a cabaret stage in Düsseldorf.The Komödchen was created in 1947 as a political-literary cabaret by Kay and Lore Lorentz. Other participants in the initial program "Positiv dagegen", which had its premiere on March 29, 1947, were Werner Vielhaber, Bernd Nesselhut, Hans Walter...
in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
and later on its artistic director. However, in 1991, he gave up this position to tour Germany with his solo programs. Over the 1990s he received a number of awards and became a well-known figure in German political cabaret.
In 2002 he first went on tour with his program ...bis neulich ("...until recently"), which was originally conceived as a Best of
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
of his twenty years in cabaret. It was extremely successful and made him a lot more popular, especially due to his harsh criticism of the Bush administration and the Iraq War, which were very unpopular in Germany at the time. Due to its huge success, Pispers continues to tour Germany with the program, which he frequently updates according to recent developments. He has also become a staunch critic of capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
.
He currently lives in Düsseldorf-Oberkassel
Düsseldorf-Oberkassel
Oberkassel is a quartier of Düsseldorf, with a population of about 17,000 inhabitants. Oberkassel lies on the left side of the river Rhine, the opposite side of the central district of Düsseldorf....
in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
.
Books
- 1996: Volkerkunde
- 2001: Gefühlte Wirklichkeiten
- 2003: Volkerkunde (Anniversary Edition)
CDs
- 1995: Frisch gestrichen
- 1996: Ein Wort ergab das andere
- 1999: Damit müssen Sie rechnen (2 CDs)
- 2000: Update 2000 – Damit müssen Sie rechnen (2 CDs)
- 2002: … bis neulich (2 CDs)
- 2004: … bis neulich 2004 … aktualisierte Fassung (2 CDs)
- 2007: Kabarett Sampler: 3. Politischer Aschermittwoch (2 CDs)
- 2007: … bis neulich 2007… live in Bonn (2 CDs)
- 2009: Volker Pispers live 2009 (2 CDs)
- 2010: … bis neulich 2010 … aktualisierte Fassung (2 CDs)
DVDs
- 2004: live in Berlin. … bis neulich (Live in Berlin)
- 2007: … bis neulich 2007… live in Bonn
- 2010: … bis neulich 2010…
Awards
- 1988 – (Mönchen)-GladbachMönchengladbachMönchengladbach , formerly known as Münchengladbach, is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located west of the Rhine half way between Düsseldorf and the Dutch border....
satire award - 1989 – Kulturpreis der Sparkassen-Kulturstiftung Rheinland (Sponsorship award)
- 1996 – Mindener Stichling; Deutscher Kleinkunstpreis (cabaret category)
- 1998 – Memminger Maul; Kleinkunstmaske Garching; Gaul von Niedersachsen
- 2000 – AZ-Stern des Jahres of Abendzeitung aus MünchenAbendzeitungThe Abendzeitung , sometimes abbreviated to AZ, is a liberal morning tabloid newspaper from Munich, Germany. A localized edition is published in Nuremberg. The paper is published six days a week; the masthead of the Saturday edition is held in light blue...
- 2003 – Obernburger Ehrenmühlstein
- 2004 – BocholterBocholt, GermanyBocholt is a city in the north-west of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, part of the district Borken. It is situated 4 km south of the border with the Netherlands.-Geography:...
Pepperoni - 2005 – Cabaret award „Knurrhahn“ sponsored by the city of WilhelmshavenWilhelmshavenWilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
; Deutscher Kabarettpreis (Main award) - 2006 – Bayerischer Kabarettpreis (Main award)
- 2007 – Morenhovener Lupe