ABSTRACT
Until late 1944 the German theatres in occupied Europe were deemed to be operating at the front line of an aggressive Germanification of whole regions. Right up to the end of the war many believed that the current closure was just temporary and that they would re-open in due course, as conversations and planning for future seasons continued. Despite efforts not to let theatre be affected by the war, it increasingly impinged on the day-to-day operation of playhouses from 1942 onwards. In contrast to theatres in the Altreich, the German language theatres in the occupied territories had been founded under challenging conditions and at a time when raw materials were already in short supply. Rolf Roenneke at the Theatre Chamber refused despite the fact that Marburg was evidently struggling to attract sufficiently qualified actors. The closure of all places of entertainment at the end of August 1944 took many theatres by surprise.
