The Renaissance-Theater at Knesebeckstraße 100, corner of Hardenbergstraße, in Berlin's Charlottenburg district is the only fully preserved Art Deco theatre in Europe. It is a listed monument. The architect was Oskar Kaufmann. The building had been erected in 1902 by Konrad Reimer and Friedrich Körte as a corporation house for the Academic Association Motiv, founded in 1847, and had housed a cinema since 1919. On 18 October 1922 Theodor Tagger opened the Renaissance-Theater with Gotthold Ephraim Lessing's play Miss Sara Sampson. Tagger remained director until July 1926, after which the theatre was rebuilt by the theatre architect Oskar Kaufmann, incorporating the upper floor. The reopening took place on 8 January 1927. From 1927 to 1930 Gustav Hartung was director of the Renaissance-Theater. The theatre was closed in 1933. On 27 May 1945 the Renaissance-Theater resumed operations despite war damage. A restoration was carried out only in 1985 by Michael Lindenmeyer, which also included the installation of the blue glazing by Hella Santarossa.
The Renaissance-Theater was founded in 1922 and is one of the oldest preserved private theatres in Berlin — its Art Nouveau hall is preserved almost in its original state.
At a glance
- Type
- Theatre
- Location
- Berlin, Germany
- Address
- Knesebeckstraße
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