The origin of the oldest theater festival in Europe lies in an act of solidarity, when miners from the König Ludwig 4/5 mine smuggled coal for the Hamburg theaters past the occupying forces during the harsh winter of 1946/47. As a thank you, the Hamburg stages reciprocated the following summer with theater performances. Since then, the Ruhrfestspiele have developed into a groundbreaking theater festival that opens every year on May 1 at the festival house on the "green hill" in Recklinghausen and regularly hosts award-winning directors, well-known actors, and young talents from the theater scene. Built in 1965, the festival house was modernized in 1998: a glass entrance hall connecting all floors was created with a large canopy.
This claim reveals itself in a programmatic realignment of the Ruhrfestspiele. Under Olaf Kröck's directorship, children’s and youth theater has gained significantly greater importance on the "green hill". Furthermore, a new festival series dedicated to the 'Young Scene' has been launched. Within this framework, young theater artists, as well as independent groups, can present and develop projects that reflect the latest developments within the theater scene. The most ambitious innovation that Kröck has initiated during his tenure is the endeavor to establish the festival as a central place for the still relatively unknown art form of 'New Circus' in Germany.
Beyond these innovations, the Ruhrfestspiele also continue to rely on guest performances by German and international theaters, where famous actors stand on the stage of the festival house. Additionally, large and smaller co-productions with renowned stages continue to be created, which will then have their premieres in Recklinghausen during the festival.
As in the years before Olaf Kröck took over the leadership of the festival, cabaret evenings, prominently cast readings, and concerts complement the festival's program as diverse as possible. Besides the Ruhrfestspiele, the venue is used for theater, cabaret, concerts, and conferences.
