Srebrenica: Bearing Witness to Europe's Darkest Hour

"I counted my remaining life in seconds..." This haunting documentary theatre project explores one of Europe's most devastating traumas. In July 1995, over 8,000 Bosnian Muslim boys and men were murdered in Srebrenica—a city designated as a UN safe zone—in just five days.

More than three decades later, Bosnian photographer Armin Smailovic and director Branko Šimić confront this historical rupture through a powerful blend of documentary reporting, personal testimonies, and political analysis. The production interweaves perspectives from survivors, perpetrators, and witnesses to illuminate the dimensions of this war crime and its catastrophic ripples across Europe's political order.

Featuring acclaimed actor Jens Harzer alongside Vernesa Berbo, this restaging of the successful Thalia Theater Hamburg production brings the shadows of Srebrenica onto the Berliner Ensemble's stage. Performed in Neues Haus with a runtime of approximately 100 minutes, this is a theatre experience that demands attention, offering not easy answers but profound reflection on memory, responsibility, and the fragility of peace.

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