Daniel Gerlach - Kampf um Frieden im Nahen Osten

Daniel Gerlach - The Struggle for Peace in the Middle East

Following the enthusiastic public response in the spring of 2026, Daniel Gerlach, “one of Germany’s leading Middle East experts” (ZDF, heute journal), will once again go on tour through five German cities in 2027. Under the title “The Struggle for Peace in the Middle East,” he sheds light on the wars, global political contexts, and diplomatic interconnections of a region that is still unfamiliar to many in Germany but is drawing ever closer. His program based on the book *The Art of Peace* combines a reading with a history show to create a journey through history and the present that is as informative as it is exciting.

The show spans approximately 3,000 years—from antiquity to the current conflicts in the Middle East. Daniel Gerlach recounts historical turning points, courageous negotiators, and risky strategies that have shaped the region’s destiny. In doing so, he challenges the widespread perception of the region as a perpetual hotbed of crisis where conflicts are resolved exclusively through violence, and highlights the role that negotiations and diplomatic initiatives have played over the centuries.

Tickets are now available exclusively through eventim.de. Advance ticket sales will also begin at all major ticket outlets on Friday, October 23, at 11:00 a.m. The program is based on Daniel Gerlach’s book *The Art of Peace*, published by C. Bertelsmann in November 2025. Spanning over 3,000 years, he paints a panorama of secret diplomacy, courageous negotiators, risky strategies, and adventurous encounters.

Daniel Gerlach is familiar with the region’s diplomatic processes not only from the perspective of an author and chronicler. For years, he has been personally involved in peace work and has participated in discreet negotiations between hostile groups, including in the Israeli-Palestinian context and in Syria. On stage, he shares firsthand accounts of encounters with decision-makers and offers insights into the often-invisible mechanisms of international politics. Who negotiates with whom, and through what channels? What is currently happening in Syria following the fall of the Assad regime? Are there realistic paths to peace in the Middle East? And what role can secret diplomacy play in the future of Palestine?

Known from talk shows, news programs, and the Terra-X series he hosts, “The Last Secrets of the Orient,” Daniel Gerlach combines historical depth with current political analysis. Whether it’s archaeology, history, or contemporary politics, he challenges clichés, bridges cultural divides, and repeatedly holds up a mirror to the Western view of the Middle East—sharp, nuanced, and knowledgeable. With his encore tour “The Struggle for Peace in the Middle East,” Daniel Gerlach invites audiences to view one of the world’s most influential regions from a new perspective and discover the possibilities for peace beyond the headlines.