Komödie Winterhuder Fährhaus

Did the Komödie Winterhuder Fährhaus always exist as a theater? No. This spot, nestled on the Hudtwalckerstraße, at the corner of Winterhuder Kai, has a history far richer than you might suspect. The Komödie Winterhuder Fährhaus stands on the site of a former establishment with the same name. It started its life in 1854, not as a stage for actors, but as the home and coal shed of Carl Friedrich Jacobs. Imagine passengers waiting for the Alster steamer, with no shelter from the elements. They’d often ask Jacobs if they could wait inside his building. This sparked an idea. He obtained a license to operate a small business, a “fine establishment,” and the “Fährhaus” was born. The Komödie Winterhuder Fährhaus location became a popular destination. In 1876, it even gained permission to host dances. Around 1890, a new Art Nouveau hall was constructed. Through changing owners and programs, it evolved into a tavern, excursion and dance hall, and a cultural center for meetings, conferences, and celebrations. It became a true Winterhude, and indeed Hamburg, institution. After World War II, in May 1946, Otto Friedrich Behnke took over. He also ran the Fährhaus Schulau. Costume parties returned, and in 1951 alone, the Komödie Winterhuder Fährhaus hosted 67 carnival balls. It also housed trade fairs and sporting events. Even political rallies took place here. Parties like the KPD and the Vaterstädtischer Bund Hamburg held their election campaign kick-off events for the 1949 citizenship election here. Federal ministers, such as Anton Storch and Hans-Christoph Seebohm, also graced its halls. From 1949 to 1966, the literary cabaret “Die Wendeltreppe,” run by Dirks Paulun, found its home at the Komödie Winterhuder Fährhaus. Sadly, in 1979, this “second” Winterhuder Fährhaus had to be demolished. The wooden piles supporting the building had rotted in the damp ground by the Alster. While the Hamburg Senate proposed building apartments on the vacant site, the SPD, CDU, and FDP factions in the responsible district assembly of Hamburg-Nord advocated for a new communication center, albeit with differing concepts. Builder and owner Uwe Spranger planned to rebuild the “third” Winterhuder Fährhaus as a multipurpose building. However, after meeting theater director Jürgen Wölffer, he embraced the idea of transforming it into a theater. Designed by architect Peter Schweger, the current Komödie Winterhuder Fährhaus sits atop 750 concrete piles. These should provide a solid foundation for far more than 90 years. It boasts a large hall with 586 seats and a smaller hall with 103 seats, along with a restaurant. The Komödie Winterhuder Fährhaus opened on September 2, 1988, with Tom Stoppard’s “Rough Crossing.” Today, its program ranges from light boulevard comedies to modern and classic plays, folk pieces, and farces.