Fürth / Nuremberg

Fürth is a Franconian independent city in the Bavarian administrative district of Middle Franconia. Together with the cities of Nuremberg and Erlangen, it forms a triangle of cities that represents the heartland of the Nuremberg conurbation. Together with Nuremberg, Erlangen, and Schwabach, Fürth forms one of the three metropolises in Bavaria. These cities, along with their surrounding areas, form the European Metropolitan Region of Nuremberg, one of 11 metropolitan regions in Germany.

For almost 900 years, people from near and far have flocked to the Michaelis Church Consecration in October, the “Queen of the Franconian Church Consecration”. The unique mixture of market and Kirchweih makes the charm of this street festival, which is considered the most beautiful and most significant in southern Germany. The highlight is the harvest festival on the last Sunday, which is even broadcast live on Bavarian television.

More information you can find here: michaelis-kirchweih.de

Today, the Henkersteg of 1595 led idyllically from the flea market to the Unschlittplatz via the Pegnitz. It once served to enable the executioner of the city of Nuremberg to find his way from his secluded executioner’s apartment to the town. Even though numerous onlookers witnessed public executions, no one wanted to live in the executioner’s neighborhood. The solution: The exile to the outskirts.

No two houses are alike here. Roof shapes, heights, styles, and facade design alternate. Characteristic are the colorful slates on many buildings. Behind them was hidden the original half-timbered house, which at that time was regarded as rural and unfashionable. Nevertheless, one can also admire traditional half-timbered houses. Particularly attractive is the baroque sandstone building of the “Grüner Baum” , where the Swedish king Gustav Adolf is said to have spent the night in 1632. In any case, the street is named after him today, although historians also assume that he was quartered next door in the vicarage. Today you can stop for a bite to eat anywhere and enjoy a good meal.

It is probably a unique success story in this form: two friends have been on stage together since their youth – their passion for theatre brought them together after their training. Today Volker Heißmann (born 1969) and Martin Rassau (born 1967) are among the most popular comedians in Germany. They are proud operators of the most successful private theatre in Bavaria, the “Comödie Fürth”.

Well over 100,000 spectators are guests here every year during the approximately 300 performances. The program focus of the comedy is on cabaret and sketch programs as well as self-produced comedies. Also, almost all the well-known stars of the German-language comedy scene – such as Ingo Appelt, Mario Barth, Mirja Boes, Monika Gruber, Dieter Hallervorden, Paul Panzer – appeared and still appear here. Twice a year, the Bavarian Broadcasting also records up to twelve programs with Heißmann & Rassau in the “Comödie”, including the talk show productions “Tortenschlacht” and the carnival casting “Franken sucht den Supernarr”.

In their hometown, Heißmann & Rassau are omnipresent: with almost half a dozen own productions every year, from the rough stage play to the traditional Christmas revue, they make thousands of viewers laugh in the ” Comödie “. In addition, with the annual “Fürth Festival” they organize an absolute highlight in the local event calendar, which attracts around 80,000 visitors to the entire city center on three days. Every two years – the next time was again in 2015 – the “Comödie” also hosts the “Summer Night Ball” in the Fürth Stadtpark, the largest open-air ball in southern Germany with 7500 guests.

Heißmann & Rassau are among the most famous comedies in the Nuremberg/Fürth/Erlangen metropolitan region and are also represented with their own columns in numerous local media.