The day of validity

A late work based on Jeremias Gotthelf

The well-known actress Anne Hodler and over 30 amateur actors will be performing in the play "Der Geltstag" at the Landschaftstheater Ballenberg from July 2 to August 16.
Gotthelf's novels and stories take us back to the 19th century with powerful words and strong images and bring the life of that time to life. It is a pleasure for us with "Der Geltstag" the fifth Gotthelf production on the Ballenberg.

The plot

His father has bought an inn, the "Gnepfi", for the affable Steffen. The son thinks it would be easy to run an inn. All he needs is a real woman who can cook and run the inn with him. Steffen finds the cheerful and carefree Eisi, they get married and many guests come to the "Gnepfi". So there is always money in the house and the landlords think that things must go on like this: relaxed and easy.
But when a new inn opens in the neighborhood, the wind changes. Eisi and Steffen, inexperienced and unreasonable, don't want to admit that things are going downhill for them. After Steffen's unexpected death, Eisi has to realize that their inn is run down. It comes to bankruptcy and Geltstag, the auction of all their assets.

Gotthelf and Ballenberg: a perfect match!

"Der Geltstag" is one of Gotthelf's last and rather unknown works, but one of his most topical. It almost seems as if Gotthelf was writing in 1845 about the present day in all its facets. facets. The two main characters, Eisi and Steffen, both don't know how to handle money. Eisi is the "role model" of all those women who capitulate to the abundance of an exaggerated offer because they have never learned to say no and Steffen prefers to drink his own wine. Both of them are excessive, greedy and eager to show off. Gotthelf warns them urgently, vividly and with his unique sense of humor against the things that could lead our society astray.

The Swiss Open-Air Museum Ballenberg (FLM) is a unique place
for communicating rural culture

The "Geltstag" takes place around the beautiful farmhouse from Therwil BL, in the middle of Ballenberg. The farmhouse, which has been in the open-air museum since 1986 and is one of the most beautiful and architecturally and architecturally one of the most interesting buildings in Ballenberg, will be converted into the "Gnepfi" inn.

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July 2 to August 16, 2025

We will be happy to book you a ticket for the Ballenberg Landscape Theatre and for the Trauffer World of Experience in addition to your hotel room. Please enter the dates and times you would like for both experiences (add a note in the in the "Special requests" field at the end of the room booking) and enjoy your stay soon...