Philipp Ruch is a philosopher and action artist. Born in Dresden in 1981, founder of the Centre for Political Beauty, moral hardliner, belongs to the generation of directors who, after Schlingensief, regard theatre as an artistic form and not as an institution. All actions push radical and illegal humanism. Ruch studied the history of political ideas and did his doctorate in ancient history of violence (»Ehre und Rache. Eine Gefühlsgeschichte des antiken Rechts« (Honour and revenge. An emotional history of ancient law)).

In 2015, his book »Wenn nicht wir, wer dann?« (If we didn't show up, who would?) was published, which challenges the dominance of scientific interpretations of the human being and identifies a series of »toxic ideas« that make the humane self-examination of the human being impossible. In autumn 2019, his book »Schluss mit der Geduld« (Ending Patience) was published on the relationship between imagination and humanity in the tension between journalism and politics. It calls for the end of domestic appeasement politics (»Talking to the Right«).

In 2019, the Federal Ministry of the Interior issued an appearance ban against Ruch because, according to a spokeswoman for the FMI, he was dividing society - with humanistic radicalism, mind you. The far-right »Hannibal« network, which has remained unpunished to this day, lists him for »Day X« on its death list (»Franco A.«). The state investigated him for 16 months for »forming a criminal organisation« (by »criminal organisation« was meant the CPB).
His works explore the power of fiction and the power of history. The processing of the shock experience of the West's inability to act in the face of renewed population murders runs through his early work. For an artist, what he makes is what he wants to say. Numerous productions: GORKI Theater, Münchner Kammerspiele, Theater Neumarkt, Wienwoche, Berlin Biennale, Schauspiel Dortmund, Steirischer Herbst, NGBK.