From its humble beginnings as a school auditorium to its final curtain call the Tribüne’s story is one of remarkable transformation. This very spot once housed the Aula of the Ottilie-von-Hansemann-Haus a girls’ gymnasium built in 1915 by the architect Emilie Winkelmann. In 1919 this space was reborn as the Tribüne a politically charged expressionist theatre.
Imagine the electrifying atmosphere of its opening nights. Plays like Der Retter and Die Entscheidung by Walter Hasenclever graced its stage. But it was Ernst Toller’s Die Wandlung with Fritz Kortner in the lead role that catapulted the Tribüne to fame. This premiere on September 30 1919 directed by Karlheinz Martin marked a turning point. The theatre soon became a haven for avant-garde artists. Dadaists like Raoul Hausmann George Grosz and Richard Huelsenbeck frequented the Tribüne their audience-baiting antics adding to the vibrant chaos.
Eugen Robert took over the Tribüne in December 1919. The repertoire shifted. It included more lighthearted productions alongside serious works. Stars like Marlene Dietrich Paul Wegener and Heinrich George graced its stage. Directors such as Erwin Piscator and Jürgen Fehling shaped its artistic direction. The Tribüne however faced periods of closure between 1938 and 1945. The Second World War interrupted its regular performances. Ironically the Deutsches Theater even used its stage in the war’s later years.
The resilience of the Tribüne is truly remarkable. On June 1 1945 Viktor de Kowa reopened it the first Berlin theatre to do so after the war. The audience paid with food cigarettes even socks. The programme featured Hildegard Knef’s cabaret shows. Later stars like Horst Buchholz and Käthe Haack further cemented the Tribüne’s legacy.
From the 1970s the Tribüne received public funding. Klaus Sonnenschein led the theatre from 1972 to 1997. The programming blended boulevard comedies with classics. Ingrid Keller and Rainer Behrend continued this tradition until 2006. Politically charged pieces like Die verbrannten Dichter a prize-winning revue by Behrend were added. The theatre even experimented with unconventional productions. One production Claus Peymann kauft Gudrun Ensslin neue Zähne explored the political past of Gudrun Ensslin and Claus Peymann.
Despite its rich history the Tribüne ultimately closed on December 31 2008. Funding cuts led to its demise. A brief revival under Gunnar Dreßler from 2009 to 2011 proved short-lived. The building’s eventual sale sealed the Tribüne’s fate. The entrance area was demolished during renovations in 2015. Yet the memories of this once vibrant space linger on a testament to the tribulations and triumphs of a theatre that bravely defied the odds.