ARTWALK Böhmischer Prater - Das Lot

An Artistic Audio Walk through the Bohemian Prater

Focus: Exploitation & Pleasure, "Brick Bohemians" & Showman Families

In our second ARTWALK, the "Bohemian Prater" with its charming turn-of-the-century flair and quirky character became the protagonist: a legendary microcosm on the outskirts of the city that functions like a peep box into another time. What began in 1882 with Franz Bauer setting up a swing, serving predominantly Bohemian "sandlers" (day laborers) as a respite from their mostly inhumane work in the brick factories, is still, in part, home to resident showman families today. The starting point for our research was the tension-filled encounter between pleasure and exploitation. On one side, the delightfully nostalgic world of carousels, showman stalls, and bumper cars; on the other, the green Laaerwald with its former brick ponds and its forgotten past.

Nothing remains to remind us of the tormented "Brick Bohemians," who, six days a week,…