Brundibár
Update 20 August 2025
Gift Project for Children in the spirit of Solidarity
Patron: Vladimir Jurowski
Brundibár. An opera and a children's book inspired to our Brundibár. Reading and Gift Project for Children. Because the story of Aninka and Pepíček and the organ grinder Brundibár is a story about the power of friendship and solidarity. This is why we decided to produce a Ukrainian (2024) and a Hebrew edition (2025) of the Brundibár-children's book by Hannelore Brenner (text) and Maria Thomaschke (paintings) published in September 2023 by Boosey & Hawkes (co-publisher Edition Room 28). These two editions are part of a project of Edition Room 28 and Room 28 e.V.
We give the books as gifts to children in the frame of events - readings or other occasions - to bring them a little joy and courage.
German, Ukrainian and Hebrew edition
We are delighted that Vladimir Jurowski, General Music Director of the Bavarian State Opera, has taken on the patronage of our project. In his letter to us, he explains the reasons behind his decision.
It is with the greatest gratitude that I am taking on the patronage of this project. The messages of the wonderful children's opera by Hans Krása and Adolf
Hoffmeister are universal and timeless: only together are we strong. We must trust in our strength, in friendship and humanity. Communicating these messages to Ukrainian children and children of all
nations is an important task that I am very happy to support.
I look forward to further contact and exchange and wish the project a great response, support and success.
Our Project on one Sheet for Download
Flyer-brundibar_WEB_EN.pdf
PDF-Dokument [826.1 KB]
Performing Rights: Brundibár
The Brundibár Gift-Project was initiated by Hannelore Brenner, head and project manager of Room 28 e.V. , author of the Brundibár-children's book and the book "The Girls of Room 28" fitrst published in 2004 by Droemer Munich. She founded Edition Room 28, publications devoted to the legacy of these girls who once lived together in the Theresienstadt ghetto. In June 2025 a toally revised, updated and newly shaped book appeared - see Edition Room 28.
The notes of the songs that you find in the children's book are made available by the music publisher Boosey & Hawkes on their website under the link: https://www.boosey.com/brundibar If you want to perform the opera, turn to this music publisher directly. They hold the performing rights. See: Brundibár.
Inspirator of the Project
The project was inspired by the opera director Mstislav Pentkovsky, Riga/Latvia. When he held the first German edition in his hands in September 2023, his first thought was: "I think it would be wonderful if there was a Ukrainian edition to give to Ukrainian children as a sign of solidarity." That was the initial idea. It led to the Ukrainian and, under the most terrible impression of October 7, 2023, to the Hebrew edition. The Hebrew book contains information also in German, available for download:
Thanks for Support
Our sincere Thanks go to the Federal Foreign Office of Germany for supporting the production of the Ukrainian and Hebrew editions and for the greeting words from Ambassador Christian Heldt, Special Envoy for Relations with Jewish Organizations, Anti-Semitism Issues, International Affairs of the Sinti and Roma, Holocaust Remembrance.
PDF-Dokument [973.7 KB]
Nacht. Von Maria Thomaschke, Illustratorin des Brundibár-Kinderbuches
Night. Maria Thomaschke. Illustrator of the book
Druckversion 