Dr. Strangelove: The Cold War in Context
What happens when a system designed to prevent war actually increases the risk of catastrophe? Before the screening of Dr. Strangelove, Jos Notermans explores the threat posed by the Cold War in Maastricht (Dutch).
The Cold War: a constant threat of a war that no one actually wanted to fight. Yet for decades, ever larger nuclear arsenals, military strategies and plans were developed for a conflict that was, in theory, supposed to be manageable. But what happens when a system designed to prevent war actually increases the risk of catastrophe?
Dr. Strangelove: the (ir)rationality of the Cold War
Stanley Kubrick posed that question in 1964 with Dr. Strangelove, one of the sharpest satires of the political and military logic of the Cold War. With its dark humour, the film shows how rationality, power and fear can collide in absurd ways. The film is being screened in connection with an exhibition on the Cold War, which runs from 10 to 25 October 2026 at the Dinghuis. The exhibition explores, among other things, the impact of this period on everyday life, from conscription and air-raid shelters to protest, music and film.
Introduction by Jos Notermans
Before the film, Jos Notermans will give a short introduction (in Dutch). Notermans is a retired doctor and amateur historian who has been researching the history of the fortified city of Maastricht for more than fifty years. He is a co-founder of Stichting Maastricht Vestingstad and is actively involved with the Schuilkeldermuseum Maastricht. Drawing on this local history, he will explore the Cold War and how the threat of conflict was also felt in Maastricht.