Bietigheim-Bissingen. The name Moscow Circus had a good reputation in the industry. That’s why the Frank family chose him for their circus years ago. The ensemble includes artists from Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, Austria, Russia and the Ukraine. The Moscow Circus has nothing to do with the Russian State Circus. But now he suffers from Russian war of aggression in Ukraine because of his name.
The circus director’s wife is from Ukraine herself
“Putin’s war against Ukraine hurts us a lot,” says Gino Frank. His Ukrainian wife Leyla’s parents live near the Russian-Ukrainian border and are now at risk. “For us, it’s all about high circus art, and our show ‘One World’ is about international understanding and peaceful coexistence of all nations,” emphasizes Frank. He fears new difficulties from the war. “There is a lack of understanding and fear among our artists from Russia and Ukraine,” he says. Everyone agrees, Russians as well as Ukrainians, that the war between the sister nations will have devastating consequences. But nobody can stop Putin. “Some of us even fear the use of nuclear weapons,” says Frank.
Circuses are one of the groups that are already suffering in the corona pandemic. They were often stranded in one place for weeks, unable to perform and unable to move on. It is actually all the more gratifying for the Moscow Circus to finally be able to perform again. Today at 5 p.m. in a private place on Carl-Benz-Strasse it says “Manege free”. The program includes tightrope acts as well as performances with macaws, cockatoos, sun conures and the six Siberian tigers. Only 40 percent of the seats in the tent, which can accommodate 1,200 visitors, may be occupied. The guest performance lasts until Sunday.
The circus troupe would be there at a demo against Putin’s war
Gino Frank complains about the unfriendly reception in Bietigheim-Bissingen. “It’s a mess that we didn’t get the fairground at the viaduct and that many of our advertising posters were taken down,” says Frank, annoyed. Increasing fuel prices made it almost impossible to go on tour, says Frank. In addition, there would be constant protests by animal rights activists, who have also announced themselves in Bietigheim-Bissingen. The animal protection organization Peta wants to demonstrate today in convict costumes and with tiger masks against the animal shows. “If there were demonstrations against the war, then we would join in the demonstrations,” says Gino Frank.
His wife Leyla Mak is half Russian, half Ukrainian and comes from an old family of artists. Her father was a Russian circus director, and his wife was a Ukrainian artist. Leyla came to Germany with a group of artists and met her husband Gino here. This connection and Leyla’s family tradition became the Moscow Circus in Germany. The beginnings were difficult. Frank emphasizes that the circus is now one of the ten best and largest circus companies in Germany. But the future doesn’t look good. However, he does not want to give up just yet.
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