Kumede
Cologne theatre troupe performing exclusively in the Kölsch dialect since 1947 — today at the Volksbühne am Rudolfplatz.
The Kumede is a Cologne theatre company whose productions are performed entirely in Kölsch, the local dialect. Its name derives from the Kölsch word for "comedy."
Source: Wikipedia
At a Glance
- Type
- Theatre group with an exclusively Kölsch-language programme
- Venue
- Volksbühne am Rudolfplatz (formerly Millowitsch-Theater), since 2016
- Founded
- 1947
- Season
- May and June, 22 regular performances
- Audience
- around 10,000 per season, usually sold out
- Repertoire
- mainly farces, mostly written in-house
- Organiser
- Heimatverein Köln e.V. (founded 1902)
The Kumede was founded in 1947 amid the ruins of post-war Cologne with the explicit goal of making people laugh again after the lost war, and to this day it finances itself entirely from ticket sales, attracting around 10,000 visitors per season.
Things to do here
- Enjoy a play performed in Kölsch dialect
- Laugh out loud at down-to-earth comedies
- Visit the storied Volksbühne at Rudolfplatz
- Immerse yourself in authentic Cologne theater culture
- Grab tickets for the May and June season
History
The troupe was founded in the early post-war years. Despite the hardships that followed defeat in the war, its aim was to restore hope and laughter to the people of Cologne. Ever since, the ensemble has brought a new production to the stage each year, typically a self-written farce.
Changing Venues
Until 2012, the group performed in the assembly hall of the vocational college at Perlengraben in Cologne's city centre. Renovation works forced a move in 2013, and the troupe found temporary accommodation in the hall of the Gymnasium Thusneldastraße in Cologne-Deutz. Since 2016, the Kumede has performed at the Volksbühne am Rudolfplatz, the former Millowitsch-Theater.
Organisation and Funding
Performances are organised by the Heimatverein Köln e.V., an association dedicated to preserving Cologne's history, language, and character. Just over twenty of its members belong to the Kumede theatre circle. As performances are almost always sold out, the group funds itself entirely through ticket sales.
Timeline
- 1902Foundation of the Heimatverein Köln e.V.
- 1947Foundation of Kumede in the post-war period
- 2012Last performances at the Berufskolleg am Perlengraben
- 2013Move to the Gymnasium Thusneldastraße (Cologne-Deutz)
- 2016Move to the Volksbühne am Rudolfplatz (former Millowitsch-Theater)
- 2016Season henceforth in May and June
Map
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Sources & links
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-26
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