The Circle of Chalk

play by Klabund

Also known as: “Der Kreidekreis”

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Last updated

June 24, 2026

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The play you're asking about, "The Circle of Chalk," is actually the German title of a drama by Klabund from 1924. Klabund was known for adapting and translating non-Western literature into German. His play, Der Kreidekreis, was inspired by a Chinese drama and later served as the basis for Bertolt Brecht's more famous work, The Caucasian Chalk Circle.

Brecht's play features a parable about two women disputing custody of a child. An eccentric judge uses a chalk circle to determine who the true mother is, awarding the child to the woman who shows the most love by refusing to harm him.

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Klabund
…renderings include Der Kreidekreis (1924; The Circle of Chalk), a drama that inspired the German playwright Bertolt Brecht to write his play Der kaukasische Kreidekreis (The Caucasian Chalk Circle).
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…renderings include Der Kreidekreis (1924; The Circle of Chalk), a drama that inspired the German playwright Bertolt Brecht to write his play Der kaukasische Kreidekreis (The Caucasian Chalk Circle).
Read More