An Interview with Ralf Rauker and Karin Tramp-Lutz
Melville's Wireless Hill stands as a symbol for our enduring human drive to communicate and connect. Long before modern technology, the Whadjuk Noongar people recognized the hill's vantage point, calling it Yagan Geninny—the long-necked turtle looking.
More recently, in 1912, the German Company Telefunken established the technology for the first wireless transmission from Wireless Hill to London.
German theatre artist Ralf and Japanese musician Sanshi each have personal stories that connect them with Wireless Hill and its history. As performing artists, they want to share this experience with an audience by presenting "The Caller," a performance commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe on May 8th, 2025.
Supported by WAGBA, Writing WA, and the City of Melville, "The Caller" is a meditation on how communication has shaped, and continues to shape, our lives and histories.
The event on May 8th will begin at 6:30 PM with a Welcome to Country, followed by "The Caller."
On May 9th, "The Caller" will be performed at 6:30 PM, followed by a reading from "Cracks in the Wall," a story based on true events in 1961, in the aftermath of Germany's division after WWII. Two German eight-year-old girls are taken from their homes overnight—one brought from East to West Germany and the other from West to East Germany. One of the girls is Karin Tramp-Lutz, who was born in the former GDR and now calls Perth her home.
The audience is invited to share their feedback on this developing East-West German drama, a work in progress by Karin and Ralf.
Ralf grew up in West Germany and moved to West Berlin in 1981 to study acting. Living and working in West Berlin during the Cold War era, he experienced the Iron Curtain dividing Europe and the world firsthand. The Berlin Wall was a constant reminder of that unique situation.
Karin is a long-time member of WAGBA and is associated with the film production company Periscope Pictures. She and Ralf started their artistic collaboration three years ago. "Cracks in the Wall" is a deeply personal story for Karin, reflecting her experiences growing up in both East and West Germany.
WAGBA supports "The Caller" and "Cracks in the Wall" and encourages members and friends to attend the performances at Wireless Hill Museum. RSVP links will be sent to WAGBA members by email before the end of March.
022 Berlin - Solidarity with the people of Ukraine - "The Caller" facing Brandenburg gate - Strasse des 17ten Juni. (photo by Merit Fakler)
The project, "rewire@wireless-hill," also extends to the people of the Melville community to reflect on their own stories, whether inspired by history or personal experiences. After creative writing workshops in April, selected storytellers will have the chance to develop their narratives with the guidance of Ralf and creative writing specialist Alan Hancock. This will culminate in storytelling performances by workshop participants on May 10th and 11th, accompanied by Sanshi's evocative musical improvisations. Presentations on both days start at 4 PM at Wireless Hill Museum, followed by "The Caller" at 5 PM.
For information on the storytelling workshops in April, please visit the City of Melville website and search for “rewire@wireless/hill - Writing for Storytelling Performance in April and May 2025”.
2019 Hyderabad, India - Ralf (center) and his ensemble of “The Himalayan Peer Gynt”
