Collections

The collections are divided into several sections. The most important of these, the fine art collection, comprises evidence of fine artists’ interest in the life and work of Heinrich von Kleist; for example, the museum owns works by the artists Max Slevogt, Oskar Kokoschka, Max Liebermann or Horst Janssen. One emphasis is placed on GDR art concerning Kleist, and here the collection includes work by well-known artists such as Wieland Förster, Werner Stötzer, Christine Perthen, Gerhard Gossmann, Fritz Cremer, Annette Peuker-Crisper, Joachim John, Erika Stürmer-Alex etc. and also figurines, sketches of stage-sets, and scene studies by recognised stage designers such as Hans Brosch, Ingeborg Voss and Falk von Wangelin. Through competition tenders and projects, the Kleist Museum has supported and continues to support an artistic interest in Heinrich von Kleist. Theatrical material concerning productions of Kleist’s works at theatres in Germany and abroad represents a large part of the collections, including programmes, posters, shortened stage versions, stage models or scene photos. In addition, the collections cover all manner of museum objects relating to Kleist such as stamps, postcards, card games, porcelain, coins, and media items such as sound recordings and film adaptations of Kleist’s works, and documents.