General information

ŠTETL FEST is an international multi-genre festival of Jewish culture held annually in Brno at the end of summer at a host of venues and locations connected to Jewish history. In just three years, ŠTETL FEST has become the largest festival of Jewish culture in the Czech Republic and has gained significant recognition abroad. It not only strengthens cultural ties within Brno but also collaborates with state institutions, participates in international projects, and promotes its core motto: Dignity in Diversity.

The festival aims to introduce Jewish culture, history, and traditions to the general public while fostering mutual understanding and respect in intercultural and intercommunal dialogue. Each year, the festival follows a central theme and includes a variety of programmes: lectures, exhibitions, discussions, guided architectural tours, concerts, theatre performances and for children’s workshops.

ŠTETL FEST 2025 – The End of the War?

In 2025, the theme of the festival will naturally be our confrontation with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. We will discuss whether we are capable of learning from history while examining how present-day wars impact our society, what mechanisms trigger conflicts, what warning signs we recognize, and whether war can in fact be prevented. These questions will lead us, among other places, to Norway, where several notable figures from Brno—architect Otto Eisler, psychiatrist Leo Eitinger, and activist Nora Lustigová—found refuge with the aid of Nansenhjelpen. We will honour their legacy through lectures and discussions with eyewitnesses, historians, and sociologists, as well as through events such as the laying of the Stones of the Disappeared and architectural walks.

The theme “The End of the War?” reaches beyond questions of war to equally important questions of peace: What happens when war ends? Can life simply resume as before? Where can we find hope, and is forgiveness possible? One of the festival’s key dramaturgical threads will be a tribute to Brno’s postwar rabbi, Richard Feder, whose life, spiritual leadership, and dedication to education offer profound answers to these very questions. The broader program will also focus on education for children and the significance of community life before and after World War II. Vila Stiassni will host the Maccabiah Games sports competition, while the newly accessible Wittal Villa will become a hub for workshops exploring Jewish traditions. A major programme block will centre on the nationwide literary and visual arts competition The Heart is Fire, inspired by children’s magazines from the Theresienstadt ghetto. This programme will be presented at the Memory of Nations Institute in Brno.

We will shine a spotlight on swing music, with a special focus on the Theresienstadt group Ghetto Swingers, founded by Brno native Eric Vogel. The festival’s spiritual authority for this year will be Rabbi Levi Cooper, a teacher, writer, and journalist, who will deliver a lecture on the liberalization of Orthodox Judaism. A subsequent discussion on Judaism will also feature two liberal female rabbis. This year’s Returns to Brno will commemorate the Engelsmann family, once prominent in Brno’s textile industry, exploring their legacy and contributions to the city. The music program will once again feature a variety of local and international artists, with swing ensemble Melody Makers leading the lineup. As always, the festival will stay true to Jewish tradition, incorporating community rituals such as Shabbat candle lighting and the Havdalah ceremony, ensuring that cultural celebration and spiritual connection remain at the heart of ŠTETL FEST.