Die Wupper: Schauspiel in 5 Aufzügen

by Else Lasker-Schüler

"Die Wupper: Schauspiel in 5 Aufzügen" by Else Lasker-Schüler is a play published in 1909. Set in the industrial Wuppertal region, this expressionist drama explores social and religious conflicts between a factory-owning family and a working-class family. Through fragmented, atmospheric scenes rather than linear plot development, the work depicts the inner emptiness and meaninglessness of life across class divides. The play's radical social critique and unconventional structure challenged theaters for decades, facing repeated cancellations before its controversial 1919 premiere.