Großes Schauspielhaus
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The Großes Schauspielhaus (Great Theater) was a theater in
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
, Germany, designed by architect Hans Poelzig for theater director
Max Reinhardt Max Reinhardt (; born Maximilian Goldmann; 9 September 1873 – 30 October 1943) was an Austrian-born Theatre director, theatre and film director, theater manager, intendant, and theatrical producer. With his radically innovative and avant-gard ...
. The structure was built as a market hall in 1867 and then served as a circus and event venue. Poelzig transformed it into an Expressionist venue in 1919, when it began to host Reinhardt's productions. The design featured a domed ceiling with
stalactite A stalactite (, ; , ) is a mineral formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves, hot springs, or man-made structures such as bridges and mines. Any material that is soluble and that can be deposited as a colloid, or is in suspension (chemistry ...
-like decorations, indirect lighting and palm-like light columns in the foyer. The house later hosted
revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatre, theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketch comedy, sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural pre ...
and was used by the
Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
s for propaganda. After
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
it reopened as a variety house. Severe foundation damage led to its closing in 1980 and demolition in 1985.


History

The Großes Schauspielhaus was part of a network of theaters managed by
Max Reinhardt Max Reinhardt (; born Maximilian Goldmann; 9 September 1873 – 30 October 1943) was an Austrian-born Theatre director, theatre and film director, theater manager, intendant, and theatrical producer. With his radically innovative and avant-gard ...
, a leading figure in Berlin's theater scene. Reinhardt, who became director of the
Deutsches Theater Berlin The Deutsches Theater is a theater in Berlin, Germany. It was built in 1850 as Friedrich-Wilhelm-Städtisches Theater, after Frederick William IV of Prussia. Located on Schumann Street (Schumannstraße), the Deutsches Theater consists of two adj ...
in 1905, expanded his influence to include several venues in Berlin and Vienna, such as the
Volksbühne The Volksbühne ("People's Theatre") is a theater in Berlin. Located in Berlin's city center Mitte on Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz (Rosa Luxemburg Square) in what was the GDR's capital. It has been called Berlin's most iconic theatre. About The V ...
, the Theater am Kurfürstendamm, and the Großes Schauspielhaus. In 1867, the building that would later become the Großes Schauspielhaus was constructed as a market hall with an iron structure. By 1873, it was converted into a circus arena with a capacity of 5,000 spectators, operated by several owners, including Albert Salamonsky, Ernst Renz, and Albert Schumann. In 1890, it served as a venue for public events, including
Robert Koch Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch ( ; ; 11 December 1843 – 27 May 1910) was a German physician and microbiologist. As the discoverer of the specific causative agents of deadly infectious diseases including tuberculosis, cholera and anthrax, he i ...
's international congress on tuberculosis. In 1919, architect Hans Poelzig transformed the building into a theater for Reinhardt, redesigning the interior with a distinctive dome featuring hanging
stalactite A stalactite (, ; , ) is a mineral formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves, hot springs, or man-made structures such as bridges and mines. Any material that is soluble and that can be deposited as a colloid, or is in suspension (chemistry ...
-like forms, which became known as the "Tropfsteinhöhle" (Dripstone Cave). Between 1919 and 1921, Reinhardt used the Großes Schauspielhaus to stage several productions, including ''
The Oresteia The ''Oresteia'' () is a trilogy of Greek tragedies written by Aeschylus in the 5th century BC, concerning the murder of Agamemnon by Clytemnestra, the murder of Clytemnestra by Orestes, the trial of Orestes, the end of the curse on the House of ...
'', ''
Danton's Death ''Danton's Death'' (''Dantons Tod'') was the first play written by Georg Büchner, set during the French Revolution. History Georg Büchner wrote his works in the period between Romanticism and Literary realism, Realism in the so-called Vormär ...
'', and ''
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...
''. These productions were known for their elaborate staging and made full use of the theater’s advanced technical features, including a revolving stage, a cyclorama, and an adjustable forestage. The theater was referred to as the "Theater of Five Thousand". In the 1920s, the theater became one of the first venues in Berlin to feature
revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatre, theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketch comedy, sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural pre ...
s, under the direction of Erik Charell. After 1933, it was renamed "Theater des Volkes" (Theater of the People). During the
Third Reich Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...
, the theater played a significant role in
Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
state-directed culture and propaganda, overseen by
Joseph Goebbels Paul Joseph Goebbels (; 29 October 1897 – 1 May 1945) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician and philologist who was the ''Gauleiter'' (district leader) of Berlin, chief Propaganda in Nazi Germany, propagandist for the Nazi Party, and ...
. Following
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, in August 1945, artist Marion Spadoni reopened the venue as "Varieté der 3000" under license from the Soviet city command. In 1947, it was taken over by the Magistrate of Berlin and renamed "Friedrichstadtpalast," becoming the largest variety theater in
East Germany East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
. Severe foundation damage caused structural issues, and so the Friedrichstadtpalast was closed in 1980 and demolished by 1985.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Grosses Schauspielhaus Theatres completed in 1919 Expressionist architecture Hans Poelzig buildings Modernist architecture in Germany Theatres in Berlin Buildings and structures demolished in 1985