Prof. Dr. Helbig, at the time of the Cold War foreign policy advisor toKonrad Adenauer, was not only well-known for his special knowledge aboutCatherine the Great and Grigori Potemkin but also for his boat trips on theRhine. On these trips, which generally lasted several hours, with hisprominent guests from the CDU and show business Prof. Dr. Helbig liked togive the impression that it was child's play to make historical celebrities like the Prince de Ligne, Potemkin, Diderot, even the Csarina herself comealive again and, if not reality, create the illusion there were a whole rowof Potemkin's villages on the foggy banks of the Rhine.

Shortly before his death Prof. Dr. Helbig decided to leave his whole estateto the Potemkin Foundation in Dnjepropetrovsk, after he had tried in vain tofind rooms or a museum for his unique collection of Potemkiana. In spite ofthis, Helbig's collection was left for years in his boathouse on the Rhineand suffered every year from the repeatedly high water. Thanks to thecooperation of the Helbig Society and the Potemkin Foundation inDnjepropetrovsk it is now possible to present Helbig's collection for thefirst time to the German public. Within the bounds of the "Theater der Welt2002" Festival, which will take place from 21st-30th June in four big citiessimultaneously in the Rhineland, the memorable boat trips on the Rhine willbe held once again by Hans-Peter Litscher.

22.6.-23.6.2002, 9.30 p.m. Bonn, boat departs at the Alter Zoll

24.6.-25.6.2002, 9.30 p.m. Cologne, boat departs an der Bastei

26.6.-27.6.2002, 9.30 p.m. Düsseldorf, boat departs an den Rheinterrassen

29.6.-30.6.2002, 9.30 p.m. Duisburg, boat departs from the mooring: Anleger Schwanentor

90 minutes per boat trip