Regensburger Stummfilmwoche

Germany's Oldest Silent Film Festival

The Regensburger Stummfilmwoche has existed since 1982 — making it the oldest continuously held silent film festival in Germany. It is organized by the non-profit Arbeitskreis Film Regensburg e.V., which also coordinates the Filmgalerie im Leerer Beutel and other film culture projects from its premises at Bertoldstraße 9. Over more than four decades, the Stummfilmwoche has become a firm fixture in the calendar of European film culture connoisseurs.

Silent Film with Live Music in the Courtyard

The venue is the Arkadenhof of the Thon-Dittmer-Palais in Regensburg's Old Town — a Renaissance courtyard that becomes the open-air cinema stage for the Stummfilmwoche every summer. The silent film classics are accompanied by live music — pianists, string ensembles, solo musicians, or small chamber ensembles provide the soundtrack to the films as they are shown. In case of bad weather, screenings move to the covered auditorium of the Leerer Beutel (Filmgalerie Regensburg).

Programmatic Spectrum

The Stummfilmwoche's program includes classic silent film masterpieces — from Buster Keaton (e.g., Go West, 1925) to Charlie Chaplin, Sergei Eisenstein, and Fritz Lang, as well as rarely shown European works from the 1920s. Each year, 5-7 films are shown over the festival week, each with specially engaged live musicians. A special feature: each film is presented with a unique musical accompaniment — an experience that is only possible live and cannot be replicated in any streaming library.

The Thon-Dittmer-Palais

The Thon-Dittmer-Palais on Haidplatz was built in the 18th century for the patrician Dittmer family. Its arcaded courtyard is one of the most beautiful courtyards in Regensburg's Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2006. The open Renaissance architecture, the evening lighting, and the acoustic conditions make the courtyard one of the most spectacular open-air venues in Bavaria.

Partners and Cultural Context

For years, the Stummfilmwoche has maintained partnerships with the Stadtbücherei Regensburg (City Library) and the Hotel Orphée — cultural anchors of Regensburg's Old Town. The event is one of the festivals that establish Regensburg as a significant cultural city in Southern Germany, alongside the Bayerisches Jazzweekend and the Schlossfestspiele.