about the school

Life has no opposite, for life goes on;

only its forms must change unceasingly…

Whether yours or mine, or that of the mountain, the empire, or the fly. 

— Christmas Humphreys

Founded in October 2017 in Berlin, The School of Death is a living laboratory

for anyone curious about our alleged end and all that it means to let go.

Founded by arts scholar & filmmaker Janna Maria Nandzik,

the school moves fluidly between the mystical and the practical,

creating spaces for reflection, conversation, screenings, rituals, talks, and workshops.

We gather a global community of poetic and philosophical minds to explore death not as an end point, but as a lens through which to better understand life.

It's an invitation to remember the dead, make peace with our own mortality, consciously honor small and grand goodbyes, learn the art of letting go, and reimagine how we'll one day exit stage left.

We believe death isn't the opposite of life — birth is. Life, in all its forms, simply keeps shape-shifting.

At The School of Death, we see dying as a radical, creative transformation. One that deserves far more nuance, grace, and care than most healthcare systems or cultural scripts allow.

We welcome you, the curious, the contemplative, the quietly rebellious, to join our community.

Come to a gathering. Speak your truth. Laugh. Cry. Question everything.

You might find the Grim Reaper is less horror and more… Wizard of Oz.

Together, let's dismantle fear and give the proverbial elephant in the room a warm group hug.

Death is a community project.

*Please be adviced that The School of Death does not provide any grief counseling or psychological help.