Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain

Stricheln und Sticheln

The exhibition on the current state of democracy in Germany combines cartoons by Katharina Greve, Greser & Lenz, and Hauck & Bauer with satirical poems by author and former Titanic editor-in-chief Thomas Gsella. The participating artists are among the leading figures in the German satire scene and comic art: They publish regularly in Titanic, FAZ, FASZ, and other publications.

In a democracy that is under pressure from acute threats, especially from the right, our society faces major challenges. It is important to ensure a stable basic order and coexistence based on respect and humanistic values. Satire can open doors for conversation and stimulate discussion about the social situation. Satire acts like a seismograph, indicating the state of a society: the more freely it can operate, the more enlightened its environment is.

One of its characteristics is that it can be provocative and uncomfortable. It presents its criticism in a coded form and, with the help of well-placed punchlines, turns even the sharpest barbs into comedy. Laughter helps – especially when it comes to criticism.

As part of WDC 2026, the Caricatura Museum Frankfurt wants to contribute to strengthening democracy with this profound, varied, and entertaining exhibition. To increase the reach of the show, it was designed as a traveling exhibition and will be shown at several locations in the region.

The exhibition concept was developed by the Caricatura Museum in cooperation with the KulturSzene Churfranken-RheinMain association.