Remembered still is Otto Reutter. The Berliner Gedenktafel Otto Reuter Plaque commemorates a celebrated German comedian and singer. It is a special form of memorial plaque. These plaques were founded in 1986. This plaque honors Otto Reutter’s life and work.
The Berliner Gedenktafel Otto Reuter Plaque is located at Bregenzer Strasse 5. Reutter lived in this house from 1911 to 1920. He was born Otto Pfützenreuter on April 24 1870 in Gardelegen. Reutter died on March 3 1931 in Düsseldorf. He was a popular Kabarett artist. He was a star in the Wintergarten variety theater.
Reutter wrote over a thousand couplets. One of his famous songs is Der Überzieher. His career began in 1895. It started at the Apollo-Theater on Friedrichstrasse in Berlin. Later he became popular at the Wintergarten. He delighted audiences with witty and ironic songs. His chansons were often satirical. Some of his songs are still well-known today. For example In fünfzig Jahren ist alles dahin.
Kurt Tucholsky wrote about Otto Reutter in 1932. He said Reutter had to fight against a language. It was heavy and needed bending. One needed to practice for years to make it dance. With Reutter it hopped. The Berliner Gedenktafel Otto Reutter Plaque was unveiled in 1991.
Reutter’s songs often reflected the times. They offered comfort during difficult periods. He foresaw societal changes in his work. Some other selected works include Ach wie fein wird’s in 100 Jahren sein and Alles wegn de Leut. Also Berlin is ja so große and Der gewissenhafte Maurer. In f’ünfzig Jahren ist alles vorbei and Wir fang’n noch mal von vorne an are some of his works too.