Listen to Ruth Baumgarte – A podcast about art, life and attitude

Ruth Baumgarte was more than a painter. She was an observer, a storyteller, a chronicler of her time—and at the same time, an artist who touched upon the existential questions of human existence with great sensitivity.

This podcast invites you to rediscover her work: not only as an art historical oeuvre, but as a vibrant space for reflection. Her paintings encapsulate themes that are more relevant today than ever—migration, identity, labor, the environment, and social inequality. Her Africa cycle, in particular, testifies to a profound engagement with colonial structures, cultural encounters, and global connections, long before these topics entered the public discourse.

In each episode, we approach Ruth Baumgarte from a new perspective. We discuss individual works, illuminate her biography, place her oeuvre within its art historical context, and explore what her art has to tell us today. Voices from the arts, academia, and society offer diverse viewpoints—reflective, critical, and inspiring.

This podcast is an invitation: to look, to listen, to reflect. Ruth Baumgarte's work doesn't unfold its power through quick consumption, but through intensive engagement.

In this way, a space is created where art is not only viewed, but experienced – as a reflection of our present and as an impetus for the future.

Who is Ruth Baumgarte? – Intro

This podcast tells the extraordinary life story of artist Ruth Baumgarte within the context of the profound upheavals of 20th-century German history. From the Second World War and personal trauma to loss, suicide, and new beginnings, a multifaceted portrait unfolds of a woman who uncompromisingly translated her life into art and painting.

A production commissioned by the Ruth Baumgarte Art Foundation.

Author: Laura Mareen Janssen
Sound Design: Melanie Gäb

Ruth Baumgarte – Apokalypse

Berlin lies in ruins. Fear, violence, and a desperate decision mark the final days of the war. 21-year-old Ruth, then still Ruth Busse, stands at the edge of the abyss—and chooses life. This episode tells the story of a new beginning in the face of apocalypse—and of the origins of an extraordinary artist. With a contribution by Dr. Harald Jähner.

A production commissioned by the Ruth Baumgarte Art Foundation.

Written by Laura Mareen Janssen
Sound design by Melanie Gäb
25. February 2026, 00:00 Uhr00:32:00
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Ruth Baumgarte – Survival & Resistance

Berlin in the 1930s and 40s: A young woman observes, sketches – and puts herself in grave danger. Ruth Baumgarte sees what others don't want to see. In this episode, you'll learn why Ruth has to hide one of her artworks from the Nazis – and how the unexpected return of her long-lost husband changes everything. Featuring a contribution from Petra Rosenberg, Chairwoman of the Berlin-Brandenburg State Association of German Sinti and Roma.

A production commissioned by the Ruth Baumgarte Art Foundation.

Written by: Laura Mareen Janssen
Sound design: Melanie Gäb
25. February 2026, 00:00 Uhr00:32:00
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Ruth Baumgarte – New Beginnings

After the war, a new life begins—and a new struggle. Alone with her child, mother, and aunt, Ruth Baumgarte tries to build a life for herself in the devastated city of Bielefeld. She works tirelessly, drawing until she is exhausted—and finds her only solace in art. Then a man enters her life who promises her security—but also creates new dependencies. Caught between societal expectations, familial obligations, and her own inner yearning, Ruth wrestles with her path. And she makes her choice: against conformity—and for her art. With a contribution by Professor Dr. Gudrun König.

A production commissioned by the Ruth Baumgarte Art Foundation.

Written by Laura Mareen Janssen
Sound design by Melanie Gäb
25. February 2026, 00:00 Uhr00:32:00
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Ruth Baumgarte – The liberating breakthrough

Everything seems to have been achieved – and yet something crucial is missing. Ruth Baumgarte is caught between expectations, losses, and a life that has long since become too confining. Then she makes a radical decision: she sets off. Leaving everything familiar behind – and searches for herself in distant lands. In Africa, she finds a new visual language, a new freedom – and the courage to express what has long remained hidden. An episode about new beginnings, inner liberation, and the late, powerful breakthrough of an artist.

A production commissioned by the Ruth Baumgarte Art Foundation.

Written by: Laura Mareen Janssen
Sound design: Melanie Gäb
25. February 2026, 00:00 Uhr00:32:00
0:000:00