Christa Winsloe – Gestern und Heute

Munich, 1926: The city is buzzing with art, culture and cabaret, and a turbulent bohemian lifestyle. One figure stands out amidst this scene: the sculptor Christa Winsloe, who specialises in animal sculptures and, towards the end of the 1920s, is working on an autobiographical play: *Ritter Nerestan*, which would later take the stage by storm under the title *Gestern und Heute* – including at the Munich Kammerspiele.
In 1931, the play was adapted into a feature film entitled *Mädchen in Uniform* (directed by Leontine Sagan), which became a global success. To this day, the film is regarded as a revolutionary milestone in queer and lesbian cinema.
However, Christa Winsloe’s career came to an abrupt end with the Nazis’ rise to power. She emigrated to the USA, then to the south of France, where she and her partner were shot dead in 1944.

Munich 2026: At a time when militarisation and hostility towards queer people are once again on the rise, director Justina Jürgensen ventures to make a remake of “Girls in Uniform”, almost 100 years after its original release.
And at the Habibi Kiosk, Christa Winsloe – played by Annette Paulmann – meets Justina Jürgensen and Paula Lochte. They talk about girls, women, queerness, uniforms, sculptures and stories – and about the Christa of yesterday and the Christa(s) of today.

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Renate von Gebhardt

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