51-552: The Hebbel-Theater ( Hebbel Theatre ) is a historic theatre building for plays in Berlin-Kreuzberg , Germany. It has been a venue of the company Hebbel am Ufer (HAU) from 2003. The theatre, with approximately 800 seats, was built by Oskar Kaufmann in 1907/08 in Jugendstil . The corner building is integrated into the row of houses. It was an early and unique work by the theatre architect, and established his fame as
102-652: A master theatre builder who then created five more theatres in Berlin. The Hebbel-Theater thrived in the 1920s. It was the only Berlin play theatre to survive World War II almost without damage. The Hebbel-Theater, the Schaubühne am Halleschen Ufer [ de ] and the Theater am Ufer are all venues of HAU. In May 1906, the Hungarian theatre director Eugen Robert [ de ] (aka Jenö Kovázs) planned
153-566: A result, housing was of low quality, but cheap, which made the borough greatly attractive to immigrants. Starting in the late 1960s, increasing numbers of students, artists, and immigrants began moving to Kreuzberg. Enclosed by the Berlin Wall on three sides, the area became famous for its alternative lifestyle and its squatters , especially the SO36 part of Kreuzberg. Starting in 1987, there have been violent riots in SO36 on Labour day. After
204-656: Is a district of Berlin , Germany. It is part of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg borough located south of Mitte . During the Cold War era, it was one of the poorest areas of West Berlin , but since German reunification in 1990, it has become more gentrified and is known for its arts scene. The borough is known for its large percentage of immigrants and descendants of immigrants, many of whom are of Turkish ancestry . As of 2006, 31.6% of Kreuzberg's inhabitants does not have German citizenship. Kreuzberg
255-484: Is in a reduced two-aisle layout. Here, the second tier is not completely brought forward to the stage space in order to provide all spectators with the best viewing conditions and to prevent a distorted view of the stage. The tail shape of the balustrade is characteristic of Kaufmann's architecture and was also used as a single-aisle system in the Berlin Renaissance Theatre [ de ] and
306-479: Is known for its diverse cultural life and experimental alternative lifestyles, and is an attractive area for many. However, some parts of the district are still characterized by higher levels of unemployment. Kreuzberg is bounded by the river Spree in the east. The Landwehrkanal flows through Kreuzberg from east to west, with the Paul-Lincke-Ufer street running alongside it. Other characteristics are
357-402: Is preceded by a perron leading to the three entrances set into the wall. The facade is crowned by a polygonal bay bordered by a balustrade and terminated by a gable with a copper roof. This niche-like construction is articulated by elongated window tracks and oculi . The latter are framed by relief figures. The subdivision by windows is repeated on the staircases to the left and right of
408-683: Is the point of the highest elevation in the Kreuzberg locality, which is 66 m (217 ft) above sea level. The hill is traditionally a place for weekend trips. It received its name from the 1821 Prussian National Monument for the Liberation Wars by Karl Friedrich Schinkel within the Viktoriapark , built in commemoration of the Napoleonic Wars . Except for its northernmost part—the quarter Friedrichstadt (established at
459-406: Is unadorned and without the "obligatory" chandelier. Oskar Kaufmann aimed for a strict separation of stage and auditorium by designing the stage frame similar to a picture frame. This funnel-shaped proscenium promotes the impression of a peep-box stage and was to become a characteristic feature of Kaufmann's architecture. With the almost square format of 12 m height as well as width of the opening,
510-637: The Austro-Hungarian Empire on 31 March 1882. She was one of the leading operetta singers in Berlin and Vienna . During World War I , she performed for the soldiers of the Imperial German Army in theatres in occupied Belgium . In 1920, she worked with the composer Oscar Straus , and performed in several of his operas, including Der letzte Walzer . Massary was of Jewish familial extraction, and she had converted to
561-528: The Hobrecht-Plan in an area that came to be known architecturally as the Wilhelmine Ring . Far into the 20th century, Kreuzberg was the most populous of Berlin's boroughs even in absolute numbers, with more than 400,000 people, although it was and still is geographically the smallest. As a result, with more than 60,000 people per square kilometer (160,000 people/sq mi), Kreuzberg had
SECTION 10
#1732782520100612-549: The Kaliningrad Regional Drama Theatre in Königsberg . The two cylindrical towers on either side of the stage, each housing stairs, match the curved tiers. The 800-seat auditorium is almost entirely covered with reddish to golden-brown stained panels of birch wood and was originally additionally decorated with valuable silk fabrics. The monotony of a usual rank theatre is avoided by rounding off
663-767: The American bombing by over a thousand aircraft on 3 February 1945. In remembrance of the old tradition, the Axel Springer press company erected its German headquarters at Kochstraße again, right next to the Berlin Wall . In July 1945, most of the then district was assigned to the American Sector. After the Berlin Wall was built, the most important transit location to East Berlin was Checkpoint Charlie . After World War II, Kreuzberg's housing rents were regulated by law which made investments unattractive. As
714-514: The City of Berlin. A restoration completed in 1987 returned the house to Kaufmann's design. Financed by the Senate of Berlin , it aimed at making the venue available for the 750th anniversary of the city. It conveniently served also a year later when Berlin was European Capital of Culture . In 1989, Nele Hertling took over as managing director and artistic director of the house. Through her efforts,
765-529: The Hebbel Theatre era ended with bankruptcy in 1978. Afterwards, the theatre was used as an alternative venue by other theatres including the Schaubühne am Halleschen Ufer, and as a guest venue. In 1984, the revival of Carl Graun's opera Montezuma took place there. The theatre was saved from being demolished by being a listed monument under Denkmalschutz . Since 1972, the theatre has been owned by
816-671: The Protestant religion in 1903. In late 1932, she departed Germany due to the rising persecution of the Jewish population by the Nazis , shortly before the group seized dictatorial power in a paramilitary revolution and declared the Third Reich . Traveling through Austria and Switzerland, she went to London, where she was befriended by Noël Coward and starred in his theatrical musical Operette in 1938. In February 1939, shortly before
867-494: The bay and on the front of the secondary facade. The rounded gable of the front facade is decorated on the sides with mask reliefs by Hermann Feuerhahn . The design of the main facade is a novel form, and was copied by other architects, such as Fritz Schumacher for the Dresden Crematorium. Kaufmann's exterior architecture is striking in its absence of superfluous building elements. The construction and decoration of
918-429: The building are largely limited to necessities and serve above all the actual purpose of the building: the theatre performances. The rear buildings are hardly noticeable due to their simple, functional design and plastering. In front of the towering stage house are the two stair towers, which are covered by simple domed roofs. The facades of the three rear buildings appear withdrawn due to the uniform vertical arrangement of
969-465: The construction of a Schauspielhaus in Berlin with the intention of staging popular and modern acting there. He remembered having seen a bedroom's design at an exhibition in Wertheim the same year, by Oskar Kaufmann , who afterwards gained experience in theatre building with the Berlin architect Bernhard Sehring . Robert commissioned him to build a playhouse at Berlin's Café Central. Kaufmann found
1020-411: The design of the theatre, architects Albert Weber and San Micheli Wolkenstein , and the private lecturer and structural engineer Bruno Schulz . The theatre was opened on 29 January 1908 after a three-month construction period. It was named Hebbel-Theater, after the playwright Friedrich Hebbel who died in 1863. His Maria Magdalena [ de ] was chosen to celebrate the opening. Robert,
1071-478: The destroyed city, it was always a sold-out venue for modern US and Western playwrights. Admission could be bought by offering coal for heating. The artistic director until 1948 was Karlheinz Martin . In line with the denazification , his repertoire favoured works by playwrights who had been defamed between 1933 and 1945. With the reopening of the larger Schiller Theater in 1951, the Hebbel Theatre lost importance. On 1 September 1952, Klaus Kinski performed there in
SECTION 20
#17327825201001122-418: The end of the 17th century)—today's Kreuzberg was a very rural place until well into the 19th century. This changed when, in the 1860s, industrialization caused Berlin to grow rapidly. This called for extensive housing—much of which was built exploiting the dire needs of the poor, with widespread land speculation. Many of Kreuzberg's buildings originate from that time. They were built on the streets laid out in
1173-519: The epicenter of LGBTQ life and arts in Berlin. Kreuzberg is home to the Schwules Museum , established in the 1980s and dedicated to preserving, exhibiting, and discovering queer history, art, and culture. Fritzi Massary Fritzi Massary (31 March 1882 – 30 January 1969) was an Austrian-American soprano singer and actress. Fritzi Massary was born Friederike Massaryk in Vienna in
1224-632: The equipment and reduced the hall to 672 seats. The house was largely spared destruction in the Second World War, apart from a bomb that hit it in the 1943/44 season, damaging the foyer and the roof of the stage. By the end of July 1945, the theatre was operational again. In 1945, the Hebbel-Theater was the only working theatre building in Berlin. For the reopening on 15 August 1945, the Dreigroschenoper by Brecht and Weill
1275-439: The fall of the Berlin Wall, Kreuzberg suddenly found itself in the middle of the city again. The initially cheap rents and the high concentration of 19th-century housing made some parts of the borough more attractive as a residential area for a much wider (and richer) variety of people. Today, Kreuzberg has one of the youngest populations of all European city boroughs; statistically, its population has been completely swapped twice in
1326-416: The finest new-wave venues in the world. There has also been a significant influence stemming from African-American and hip hop culture on Kreuzberg's youth and the area has become a centre for rap and breakdance within Berlin. Though the majority of Kreuzberg's residents are of German or Turkish descent , some identify more with (African-)American or other cultures. Hip hop was largely introduced to
1377-669: The first designs for the theatre in August 1906. Construction was postponed due to the sudden death of the financier Herzfeld causing financial uncertainties. In addition, the Ministry of Public Works initially refused permission due to unsettled legal relations of the adjacent private road on which the theatre was to be built. After minor changes to the plans, the execution of the construction could finally begin in February 1907. In addition to Kaufmann, three other collaborators were involved in
1428-466: The founder and first director of the theatre, had to give up the management at the beginning of 1909 due to financial problems; and was criticised for numerous miscasts, unfavourable choices of plays and the lack of independent direction. After a short period of self-administration, the two directors Carl Meinhard [ de ] and Rudolf Bernauer followed, and the theatre was renamed Theater in der Königgrätzer Straße on 30 September 1911. One of
1479-483: The highest population density in Berlin. Kreuzberg became a district of migration during the late 19th century when Berlin began growing rapidly as an economic and cultural hub. Before World War II, it was home to a diverse population, with a large portion of the population being Ashkenazi Jews . Central to Kreuzberg Jewish life was the Fraenkelufer Synagogue , with a capacity of 2,000. This synagogue
1530-532: The incorporation of suburbs and the reorganisation of Berlin into twenty boroughs. The eastern Friedrichsvorstadt, the southern Friedrichstadt , the western and southern Luisenstadt , and the Tempelhofer Vorstadt were merged into the new sixth borough of Berlin, first named Hallesches Tor . On 27 September 1921, the borough assembly of Hallesches Tor decided to rename the borough after the homonymous hill . Kreuzberg, literally meaning 'cross hill',
1581-533: The last two decades. Berlin's 2001 administrative reform combined Kreuzberg with Friedrichshain to form the new borough of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg . Since the two areas are linked only by a single bridge over the Spree River, the Oberbaumbrücke , this combination seemed awkward to many residents. The two areas not being able to agree on a common location for the future borough's city hall,
Hebbel-Theater - Misplaced Pages Continue
1632-570: The management in 1925, and engaged stars such as Hans Albers , Fritz Kortner , Paul Hörbiger and Curt Bois . In 1927, Hans Kaltneker's mystery The Sister was performed, with Orska as Ruth. He also engaged director Erwin Piscator . During the Nazi era , the theatre was gleichgeschaltet in 1934, under the general directorship of Eugen Klöpfer from the Volksbühne , who completely renewed
1683-541: The murdered Jews who lived in the area. In addition to housing, Kreuzberg was also an industrial center of Berlin. The "export quarter" along Ritter Street consisted of many profitable small businesses, and the "press quarter" along Koch Street ( Friedrichstadt ) was the home of most of Germany's large newspapers, as well as the Ullstein , Scherl , and Mosse book publishers. Both industrial quarters were almost entirely destroyed by air raids during World War II , with
1734-587: The old U-Bahn line of the present-day U1, Görlitzer Park in the SO36 district, and Viktoriapark on the slope of Kreuzberg hill in SW 61 . Kreuzberg is divided into 2 zones ( Ortslagen ): In contrast to many other areas of Berlin, which were villages before their integration into Berlin, Kreuzberg has a rather short history. It was formed on 1 October 1920 by the Greater Berlin Act , which provided for
1785-681: The outbreak of World War II engulfed Europe, she moved to Beverly Hills, California. Beginning in 1952, she regularly spent summers in Germany. She had been suggested by Cecil Beaton for the role of the Queen of Transylvannia in the 1964 musical film My Fair Lady , but she demanded too much pay, and the part went to Bina Rothschild . She continued to reside in Beverly Hills until her death in Los Angeles on 30 January 1969. Massary
1836-520: The play on stage appears as a framed picture, thus completely spatially separating the dramatic action from the audience hall. The spacious stage house (19 × 16 × 14 m) included a novel revolving stage with a diameter of 12.3 metres. Kaufmann's concept also included musical and opera performances. The first rows of stalls in the auditorium could be removed and the cavity beneath them used as an orchestra pit . Berlin-Kreuzberg Kreuzberg ( German pronunciation: [ˈkʁɔʏtsbɛʁk] )
1887-503: The present location in Friedrichshain was decided by flipping a five- Mark coin. Kreuzberg has historically been home to Berlin's punk rock movement as well as other alternative subcultures in Germany. The SO36 club remains a fixture on the Berlin music scene. It was originally focused on punk music and in the 1970s was often frequented by Iggy Pop and David Bowie . In those days, the club rivalled New York's CBGB as one of
1938-526: The property in the southern Friedrichstadt , which the registered Building owners' association [ de ] Theater in der Königgrätzer Straße acquired in October 1906 for 460,000 marks. The corner plot was located between Belle-Alliance-Platz and Askanischer Platz in what is now Stresemannstraße 61, in a middle-class residential area. The theatre was incorporated into the existing perimeter block development [ de ] . Kaufmann delivered
1989-414: The ramps. The wooden panelling, which was made by the company E. E. Lehmann, extends up to the second tier and also includes the two towers. This cladding creates the uniform impression of the room, which is deliberately not broken up by the installation of rear boxes behind the first tier and thus represents Kaufmann's decisive innovation in comparison with other theatre constructions of the time. The ceiling
2040-597: The stars was Maria Orska who appeared as Wedekind's Lulu in 1916, and as Wilde's Salome . The Hebbel-Theatre had its heyday in the 1920s, when Paul Wegener , Tilla Durieux , Elisabeth Bergner and Fritzi Massary appeared in plays by Henrik Ibsen , August Strindberg , Frank Wedekind and later in works by William Shakespeare and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe . The repertoire was expanded to include comedies, social satires , political comedies and operetta -type performances, in keeping with prevailing audience preferences. Victor Barnowsky [ de ] took over
2091-408: The theatre became an internationally respected stage for contemporary theatre. She had to rely exclusively on guest performance groups, as the theatre did not have its own ensemble. In 2003, the Hebbel Theatre merged with the Schaubühne am Halleschen Ufer and the Theater am Ufer in the 2003/04 season to form Hebbel am Ufer (HAU). The artistic director was Matthias Lilienthal until July 2012, when he
Hebbel-Theater - Misplaced Pages Continue
2142-499: The theatre serves optimal use of space and a clear disposition, divided into a front building with anterooms (entrances, cloakrooms, staircases and foyers), the audience and stage house and the administrative wing. On the secondary facade, this grouping of front and rear buildings is visible. Both facades are covered by a bossage almost up to the gable , with a sculptural effect by the block bond of alternately wide and narrow stone courses. The representative main facade of shell limestone
2193-399: The theatre's representative room, is built in an oval-elliptical shape and panelled with reddish-brown mahogany and black pear wood. In the upper finish there are inlays of rosewood and mother-of-pearl. Kaufmann attached great importance to the interior decoration of all rooms. Even the administration and dressing rooms were especially furnished and carefully decorated by him. The auditorium
2244-449: The windows and the simple plastering without decorative elements. The front building of the Hebbel-Theater houses the entrances and vestibules to the auditorium. An oak-lined entrance hall, where the box-office counters are located, leads to cloakrooms and walkways panelled with rosewood. From there, side staircases lead to the main foyer and the tiers. The second tier is reached from the outside via two staircases. The two-storey main foyer,
2295-471: The world premiere of the ballet (or mimodram ) The Idiot , based on Dostoyevsky's The Idiot , with music by Hans Werner Henze and choreography by Tatjana Gsovsky . After the Hebbel-Theater was transferred to a private company in 1952, it became popular again in the 1960s as a Volkstheater . Rudolf Külüs was the director, and engaged popular stars such as Hans Epskamp , Harald Juhnke , Inge Meysel , Klaus Schwarzkopf and Rudolf Platte . The theatre
2346-582: The youth of Kreuzberg by the children of American servicemen who were stationed nearby until the reunification of Germany . The art collective Berlin Kidz who are known for their pichação influenced graffiti , parkour , and train surfing are from the Kreuzberg area. The Carnival of Cultures , a large annual festival, celebrates different cultures and heritages with colourful street parades and festivities including street entertainment, food, arts and craft stalls, music, and art. Kreuzberg has long been
2397-411: Was destroyed during Kristallnacht , as were numerous Jewish businesses and property. The vast majority of Kreuzberg's Jews were deported to their deaths between 1942 and 1944 by the Nazis during The Holocaust , and their houses and businesses were seized and given to ethnic Germans. The Jewish Museum Berlin stands in Kreuzberg, and many Stolpersteine can be seen on Kreuzberg streets, commemorating
2448-466: Was married twice, first to an eye doctor Bernhard Pollack . With Karl-Kuno Rollo Graf von Coudenhove (1887–1940), she had her only child, Elisabeth Maria Karl (called Liesl) (1903–1979). Liesl later married the author Bruno Frank . Although Coudenhove was Liesl's father, Massary never was married to him. Massary's second marriage in 1917 was to the Austrian actor Max Pallenberg (1877–1934), who died in
2499-451: Was modernised in 1960 by the architect Sigrid Kressmann . She preferred pastel colours, made the house appear brighter by wide glass doors, and covered the walls with roughcast . She also installed advertising lettering above the entrance portals that could be seen from afar, and renovated the lighting in the interior. After Külüs' death, his wife Hela Gerber took over the management, but was unsuccessful. After years of financial difficulties,
2550-525: Was performed, with Hubert von Meyerinck as Mackie. Restoration work on the house was led by Karl-Friedrich Demmer in 1946/47. He had the oak entrance doors replaced with plain wooden portals, covered the roof of the front of the building with tiles and made many changes in the design of the interior. The theatre, in the American Sector, was renamed Hebbel Theatre, and was soon considered the most important stage in West Berlin . Due to its unique position in
2601-518: Was succeeded by the Belgian Annemie Vanackere . Due to the narrow plot, Oskar Kaufmann decided to erect a Logentheater [ de ] with two facades, a main facade on Stresemannstraße and a secondary facade on the adjacent private street. This form of building a theatre with tiers strictly separates the auditorium from the stage and at the same time offers the possibility to integrate numerous seats. The structure of
SECTION 50
#1732782520100#99900