As part of the temporary exhibition, “Bellum et Artes – Europe and the Thirty Years’ War”, the House of European History proudly presents three extraordinary and very different European films that represent and (re)imagine the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). The films will be introduced in English by film curator Wouter Hessels and will be followed by a Q&A and discussion. Entrance to the screenings is free - registration in advance is mandatory. Before the screening of each film, join us at 18.15 for a 45 minute tour for a guided tour of the Bellum et Artes temporary exhibition, assessing the Thirty Years' War through the lens of different kinds of art. The tour requires registration in advance (links below), and involves an 'active participation' method, based on 'Visible Thinking Routines'. A Jester’s Tale (Bláznova kronika) - Wednesday 13/11/2024 Karel Zeman, Czechoslovakia, 1964. 81’ Original version, EN subtitles. Guided tour (18.15 - 19.00) Film screening (19.00 - 21.30) A Jester’s Tale is an anti-war, black comedy, set during the Thirty Years’ War. The film director and animator Karel Zeman (1910-1989), often called the Czech Georges Méliès, combines live action with animation, inspired by the artistic work and style of the Swiss-born, German engraver Matthäus Merian, who lived during the Thirty Years’ War. Mother Courage and Her Children (Mutter Courage und Ihre Kinder) - Wednesday 20/11/2024 Peter Palitzsch & Manfred Wekwerth, Germany, 1961, 151’, Original version, EN subtitles Guided tour (18.15 - 19.00) Film screening (19.00 - 22.00) Mutter Courage, the political masterpiece by Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956), is set in the 17th century during the Thirty Years’ War. The play follows the fortunes of Anna Fierling, nicknamed ‘Mother Courage’. She wants to make her living from the war that involved all the German states, France and Sweden. Brecht wrote the play in resistance to the rise of fascism and nazism. In 1961, the great anti-war play was adapted for the screen with Brecht’s widow, Helene Weigel in the title role. Nightwatching - Wednesday 27/11/2024 Peter Greenaway, Netherlands/UK/France/Germany/Poland/Canada, 2007, 134’ Original version Guided tour (18.15 - 19.00) Film screening (19.00 - 22.00) Nightwatching is an extravagant fiction film by painter and filmmaker Peter Greenaway (born 1942) that imagines the personal life and art of the famous Dutch Golden Age painter Rembrandt van Rijn. It focuses on the creation of the 1642 painting, “The Night Watch”. Rembrandt (1606-1669), who lived and suffered a lot during the Thirty Years’ War, is one of the greatest visual artists of all time. Rembrandt pays a flamboyant tribute to the Dutch master. About Wouter Hessels Wouter Hessels studied Romance languages & literatures, philosophy and audiovisual and dramatic arts in Antwerp and Brussels. Since 1995 he teaches film and media history at RITCS (Royal Institute for Theatre, Cinema & Sound) in Brussels and film analysis at INSAS (Institut National Supérieur des Arts du Spectacle) in Brussels and at the Royal Academy for Fine Arts in Antwerp. From 2006 to 2011, he was a visiting professor film history at the Baltic Film, Media & Arts School (Tallinn University in Estonia) and from 2020-2022 visiting professor at the ULB (Free Universtity of Brussels). He has been teaching in Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Berlin, Bologna, Prague, Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro, Capetown. In 2011-2012, he was director and curator of The Royal Belgian Film Archive (Cinematek) and now he works as a film curator for Gaasbeek Castle. He writes essays and opinion articles on art, film, media, politics and education. Wouter writes and performs poetry in Dutch, French, English and Italian. His life motto is “Long live life, love and the arts”.

About a decade ago, the topic of looted art came to the forefront of public discussion thanks in part to the George Clooney film The Monuments Men. It dealt with art looting during World War II, but the practice is perhaps as ancient as war itself. It was certainly standard practice 400 years ago during one of the most destructive conflicts in European history - the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648). During this conflict, the victors took ownership of astounding collections of artworks and books. Due to the countless transfers of art objects, which sometimes even changed hands and locations several times, looted art from that period became a significant part of Europe’s common cultural heritage. Bellum et Artes (War and Arts), the museum’s current temporary exhibition, which delves into these issues, will be the starting point of a panel discussion on the topic of looted art in history on the evening of Wednesday, 4 December. An art dealer, a lawyer and an art historian - Patrick Mestdagh, Marie-Sophie de Clippele and Susanne Jaeger - will discuss the topic at the House of European History for about an hour and a half and will then take questions from the audience. Art journalist, Catherine Hickley, will moderate the discussion, which will be in English. Bellum et Artes focuses on the role of the arts during the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648). The exhibition, which runs until early 2025, tackles the relationship between conflict and artistic expression. It explores how the warring parties used the arts to demonstrate their power and examines how works of art documented and commented on the events of war. To attend, registration is necessary.