Karl May Festival Bad Segeberg

A German Theatre Legend

The Karl May Festival Bad Segeberg was launched in 1952 — as an open-air theatre project at the most unusual venue that Schleswig-Holstein can imagine: in front of the impressive rock face of the Kalkberg, a geological solitaire in the middle of the Schleswig-Holstein hill country. Today, the festival is one of Europe's largest open-air theatre events, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors summer after summer.

The Stage at the Kalkberg

The natural rock scenery forms the backdrop of the stage — a theatrical effect that no studio can replicate. With over 7,500 seats, the amphitheatre is one of Europe's largest open-air stages. Riders, stunts, pyrotechnics, and large crowd scenes find their space here without the production feeling cramped.

'Im Tal des Todes' — The 2026 Story

The play 'Im Tal des Todes' is set in 19th-century Mexico. Winnetou (Alexander Klaws for the sixth time) must prevent a ruthless businessman named Roulin (Florian Fitz) from instigating a conflict between Apache tribes in order to operate a mercury mine undisturbed. Alongside him, Isabel Varell plays Señorita Miranda and Heinrich Schafmeister plays Sir John Raffley — a proven mix of established stage stars and new faces.

Bad Segeberg and Karl May

Bad Segeberg is located in the district of Segeberg in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, about 60 km north of Hamburg. The town is known far beyond Northern Germany for its Karl May Festival — the theatre at the Kalkberg is a major tourist magnet and has been a defining part of the region's summer identity since the 1950s. Accompanying programmes in the town centre (see 'Eine Stadt spielt Karl May') flank the performance season.

Stars and Tradition

Over the decades, numerous prominent German actors have appeared in the leading roles — Pierre Brice, Gojko Mitić, Wayne Carpendale, Erol Sander, and since 2021, Alexander Klaws as Winnetou. The combination of family entertainment, spectacular stage technology, and literary source material (Karl May's Wild West novels) has secured the festival a firm place in the German summer cultural calendar.