12 Nov 2026
LMU is launching the President’s Lectures, a new lecture series for the entire University. The series will bring prominent figures and topics of interdisciplinary relevance to the Audimax. Cabaret artist Gerhard Polt will open the series.
The President’s Lectures were initiated by LMU President Matthias Tschöp. His aim is to strengthen the University’s role as a place for dialogue and exchange within society. At regular events, prominent figures from academia, culture, business, and public life will share their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities of our time — and engage in discussions with a broad audience.
“A university like LMU offers a unique opportunity to explore major questions from the perspectives of very different disciplines. With the President’s Lectures, we want to introduce outstanding individuals whose insights and ideas encourage us to think beyond the boundaries of our own disciplines,” says LMU President Matthias Tschöp.
is returning to his alma mater for his performance. He studied history at LMU. | © M. Korbel
The President’s Lectures aim to create a space where diverse perspectives can come together and new ideas can emerge. What happens, for example, when a cabaret artist comes to the University to philosophize about humor?
With Gerhard Polt, this exchange begins with an artist who observes society with remarkable precision. His characters and stories reveal the contradictions of everyday life. With his subtle, thought-provoking humor, he invites audiences to take a closer look — even when laughter catches in their throats.
A return to his alma mater
For Polt, the event on November 26 also marks a return to his former university. Born in Munich, he spent his youth in the Maxvorstadt neighborhood near LMU, where he later studied history.
Whether on stage, on television, or in film, Polt has shaped German cabaret for decades and continues to do so today. His many honors include the German Cabaret Award (Deutscher Kleinkunstpreis), the Adolf Grimme Award, and the Karl Valentin Award. Polt has performed with the Bavarian musical cabaret group Biermösl Blosn and the punk rock band Die Toten Hosen. Now, for the first time, he will take the stage in the Audimax of his alma mater.
The event will be introduced by Dr. Claudia Pichler, a cabaret artist, presenter, and LMU alumna. Her doctoral thesis focused on the topic of otherness in the work of Gerhard Polt (Fremdheit bei Gerhard Polt).
The first President’s Lecture, “Humor ist …?” (“Humor is …?”) with Gerhard Polt, will take place on Thursday, 26 November 2026, at 6 p.m. sharp in the Audimax at LMU Munich.