An event and its faces: 500 years of the Peasants’ War [Ein Ereignis und seine Gesichter: 500 Jahre Bauernkrieg]
Five hundred years ago, the Peasants’ War shook the established order and left behind a tangle of voices, images, and conflicting interpretations. Even today, contemporary accounts and later readings overlap. The 2025 anniversary highlights this diversity: not one narrative, but a variety of perspectives. Böblingen, as a historic battle site, positions itself as a place of encounter where the faces of the uprising appear—different protagonists are emerged in various scenes throughout the exhibition. The exhibition translates the plurality of events into a clear visual system. Colors inspired by the Bundschuh banner structure the chapters, each representing an aspect of the uprising and giving space to different actors; the backgrounds are painted in a color scheme similar to flags, to commemorate this.
In the first exhibition area, guiding lines trace the course of the conflict—from its beginnings to confrontation and tragedy. They connect spaces and build tension. Illustrations give insight into imaginary scenes of this era, while interactive elements encourage visitors to explore decisions and how context shapes perception. Typographic headings function like stage-play chapters, marking key turning points. Audio stations with protagonist Matern Feuerbacher, one of the leaders of the peasants’ uprising, embed personal voices into the space.
The second exhibition area examines how the Peasants’ War has been politically reinterpreted over centuries. Different points of view offer varying perspectives: It is either celebrated, moralized, or used as propaganda. The uprising also turns into a projection surface to characterise how ideas and identities can shift over time and how such reception can change when viewed up on today. The exhibition creates a space where perspectives coexist in a dialogue and where visitors can form their own view of the uprising.
Client: |
Deutsches Bauernkriegsmuseum [German Peasants’ War Museum] |
Partners: |
Lea Wegner, Johannes Hucht, Steffen Knöll, Sven Tillack |
Photos: |
Studio Tillack Knöll, Sven Tillack |
Studio Tillack Knöll is a multicreative design practice that concerns itself with the visual and spatial aspects of communication. We design exhibitions, wayfinding systems, books, posters, visual identities and digital experiences for a variety of clients involved in architecture, art, science and commerce to cultural institutions and NGOs.