Henning Venske

Henning Venske is a German Kabarett artist, actor, journalist, director and writer, born on April 3, 1939 in Stettin (today Szczecin, Poland). He is considered one of the outstanding protagonists of political cabaret in postwar Germany. Kabarett is a German literary tradition of political satire that differs from US-style stand-up in its theatrical and journalistic character. Venske is based in Hamburg and worked for decades across stage, radio and television.

Venske became nationally known as host of the children's TV show "Die Sesamstrasse" in the 1970s, but his core identity is political Kabarett. From 1985 to 1993 he was a regular ensemble member, author and director of the legendary Munich Lach- und Schiessgesellschaft, one of the most influential cabaret stages in German-speaking Europe. He worked as journalist, radio host and columnist for outlets including NDR. His tour repertoire spans decades of solo programs combining sharp political commentary with literary precision. In 2018, accompanied on accordion by Frank Grischek, he closed his farewell tour "Summa Summarum" with a final show in Hamburg on November 25, formally retiring from the touring stage at age 79. He has published several books and continues to write.

Henning Venske retired from the touring stage in November 2018 after his farewell tour "Summa Summarum." Recordings of his programs and selected radio work remain available on his YouTube channel and via his official site venske.de. He lives in Hamburg with his wife Hilde and remains active as a writer.