Thomas Müntzer Today

In 1925, playwright Berta Lask (1878–1967) wrote a play to mark 400th anniversary of the German Peasants’ War. In it, she imagines Thomas Müntzer waking up every hundred years to address the contemporary political situation.

To mark the 100th year of the play and the 500th of the Peasants’ War, MayDay Radio hosted a reading or performance of the play in collaboration with the New Factory of the Eccentric Actor.

This followed the release of a new translation of the play, published as a free PDF by Rab-Rab Press on May 1, edited by Sam Dolbear, with designs by Ott Kagovere – which will be available later as a printed book with commentaries.

The reading took place on 3rd May 2025, starting in the courtyard of Saint Bride's and then moving up to MayDay Room's roof and kitchen (after we were asked to leave church property). There was music and probs and snacks.

Organisation and translation by Sam Dolbear
Translation with Esther Leslie, Charlotte Thießen, Joey Simons
With thanks to Sam Keogh, Hannah Proctor, Oliver Silverman, Christina Chalmers, Mike Runyan, Rosemary Grennan, Sharon Kivland (for the stick), everyone from the New Factory of the Eccentric Actor and everyone else who attended

There is some audio from the day that might become edited into a radio show at some point. If you also organise a performance and have any recordings, do get in touch.