The Theater der Jugend is deeply affected by Professor Reinhard Urbach, who died on September 5, 2025 at the age of 85. With him we lose an extraordinary theater scientist, dramaturge, former director and a formative personality of Austrian cultural life.
A life for literature and theater
Born on November 12, 1939 in Weimar, Reinhard Urbach came to Vienna in 1964. From the beginning, his scientific work was closely linked to Arthur Schnitzler’s work. With his monograph on the poet published in 1968, he opened a renaissance of the author in the post -war period. His name remained inseparable from the research and mediation of Schnitzler.
After his work in the Austrian Society for Literature (1968–1975), he shaped the literary landscape of the city as a literary officer of the Vienna Cultural Office. During this time, he founded and directed the literary quarters in the old smithy. In 1977 he moved to the Burgtheater, where he worked as a dramaturge and from 1979 to 1986 the management of dramaturgy held. There he initiated the legendary series of events in March and set new cultural policy impulses.
Director of the Theater der Jugend
From 1988 to 2002 Reinhard Urbach headed the youth theater. With great commitment, he managed to realign the house artistically and at the same time to give the largest children’s and youth stage in Europe. The series of publications he is responsible for and his programmatic theater work combined research, literature and stage in a unique way.
Teacher, researcher, intermediary
In addition to his activity on the theaters, Urbach inspired generations of young people as a teacher and visiting professor: at Washington University in St. Louis, at the Institute for German Studies and the Institute for Theater, Film and Media Science at the University of Vienna and at the Max Reinhardt Seminar. His journalistic work includes basic studies on Austrian literary and theater history, from Raimund and Nestroy to Jandl, Freud and Soyka.
Awards and worthings
Urbach was often honored for his cultural work: with the Belgian Order of Crown (1988), the Golden Honor of Merit to the State of Vienna (2000), the Professor of the Location (2003), the Medal of Honor of the Federal City of Vienna in Gold (2004) and the Stella special Prize for outstanding cultural policy impulses (2008).
In November 2024, he left a legacy with his donation to the Arthur Schnitzler Archive in Freiburg im Breisgau, which will benefit generations of researchers.
Farewell
With Reinhard Urbach we not only lose a brilliant intellectual and tireless cultural mediator, but also a long -time companion who shaped the cultural life of Vienna and Austria with passion, critical spirit and humor.
Our deep sympathy applies to his family, especially his wife and son.
The theater of youth bows in gratitude in front of the life’s work of Reinhard Urbach.
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