E.T.A. Hoffmann in Bamberg: Fantasy, Technology, and AI in the Puppet Theater
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When Automata Dream: E.T.A. Hoffmann Between Romanticism and Artificial Intelligence
On October 12, 2026, the Bamberg Puppet Theater invites you to a literary evening that connects E.T.A. Hoffmann's uncanny fantasies with the technical questions of the present. The focus is a lecture by Rainer Lewandowski on automata, mechanical dolls, artificial humans, and the astonishing relevance of Hoffmann's tale The Sandman.
Olimpia and the Uncanny of the Machine
In 1816, Hoffmann created the doll Olimpia, one of the most enduring figures in German-language horror literature. Nathanael's fascination with the seemingly perfect automaton woman leads right into that zone where perception, projection, and technical construction become indistinguishable. The reading and the lecture focus on Hoffmann's literary artistry and the question of how technical knowledge creates a highly complex image of humanity.
Literary History Meets AI Discourse
The evening places Hoffmann's The Sandman in the historical context of the early modern era. Alongside Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Hoffmann's tale emerges as part of an epoch in which automata, artificial bodies, and mechanical movements shaped the imagination. Rainer Lewandowski investigates the sources from which Hoffmann drew his knowledge and how he transformed scientific and technical concepts into a multilayered narrative structure.
The connection to the present arises where Hoffmann reflects on social roles, human projections, and the boundary between living beings and artificial appearances. This opens up a culturally and historically grounded approach to today's AI discussion: not the machine alone is at the center, but the behavior of the people giving it meaning.
Lecture, Illustrations, and Puppet Performance
Explanatory illustrations and films expand the lecture with visual perspectives. Following this, the ensemble of the Bamberg Puppet Theater will perform selected scenes from the production The Sandman on stage. In the historical atmosphere of the puppet theater, lecture, literary interpretation, and puppet play come together for a sensual literary experience.
It is precisely the connection of scientific classification and vibrant stage art that makes the evening special: Hoffmann's motifs do not appear as distant romantic curiosities, but as open ideas about identity, technology, deception, and social perception.
Conclusion: An Encounter with the Author Reflecting the Future in the Mirror of Romanticism
Visitors can expect a concentrated journey through Hoffmann's fantasy world, combining literary quality, cultural-historical expertise, and the magic of puppetry. Admission is free; donations are welcome. For organizational reasons, registration is requested. Those who want to rediscover The Sandman and understand the roots of today's debates on artificial intelligence will experience a particularly dense literary evening in Bamberg.
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