Performing Objects
The Theatre Collection embraces a broad definition of theatre. This means that our collection includes treasures from all over the world and across all fields of research. For example, the Puppetry Department houses marionettes, rod puppets, hand puppets, and shadow puppets. The shadow puppet figures include items from China, Indonesia, India, Egypt, Turkey, and Europe. There is a special collection dedicated to the Cologne Hänneschen Theatre, featuring rod puppets and documents on the history of Cologne’s puppet theatre (Catalog of the Cologne Hänneschen Theatre). At the TWS, you will also find a variety of masks, including death masks, ethnographic masks, and theatre and dance masks.
In addition, the TWS houses both the Huber Collection and the Werner Nekes Collection.
You can access the online inventory lists through the respective departments. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Feel free to send us an enquiry at info-tws[at]uni-koeln.de or use our contact form.
Are you looking for...
Puppets
- Al Mamoon Dhali: "Wooden Lord"
- Grand Guignol Puppets
- Hänneschen
- War Theatre
- Saxon Marionette Theatre
- Wilhelm Löwenhaupt Collection
- Schrammen Puppets (Bauhaus)
- Wayang
- Viennese Prater Marionettes
Masks
- Ethnographic and Folkloric Masks
- Theatre Masks (e.g. Nō masks, masks by Hein Heckroth, masks by Hansgünther Heyme, masks by Axel Manthey, masks by Franz Mertz, masks by Oskar Schlemmer)
- Death Masks (e.g. Bertolt Brecht, Carl Niessen, Josef Kainz)
Performing Objects/Media
- Apparatus of Early Film
- Figurines (e.g. Commedia dell'arte or Chinese figures)
- Glass Slide Collection from Carl Niessen's Estate
- Paper Theatre
- Shadow Play
- Egyptian Shadow Play Figures
- Chinese Shadow Play Figures
- Germany: Schwabinger
- Indian Shadow Play Figures
- Indonesia: Wayang Kulit
- Ombre Chinoise
- Turkey: Karagöz
- Thai Shadow Play Figures
- Shadow Play Figures from the Werner Nekes Collection
- Illusions from the Werner Nekes Collection
- Magic Tricks, Automata and Performing Objects from the Huber Collection
