The Central Hotel on Friedrichstraße in 1900 Presentation in the Winter Gardens, 1940
The Wintergarten was an all-encompassing theater at the Friedrichstraße station in Berlin from 1888 to 1944. With this traditional name, a similar theater was opened in Berlin-Tiergarten in 1992. When in 1880 on the corner of Friedrichstraße 143-149 / Dorotheenstraße in Berlin-Mitte, the Central Hotel was opened in a beautiful corner house, a 2000m² glass palace was built for guests, built by Hermann von der Hude, with a huge dome like Winter Gardens available, lined with fountains, caves and exotic plants. Soon there were dinners, parties and concerts for up to 2,200 guests, when two years later, the Friedrichstraße station was opened.
The idea was not new. Already in 1848, the theater in the Winter Garden of the Brothers Hennig, Chausseestrasse 21, was not far from the Hotel Central. The hotel opened in 1887 under the official name of Wintergarten with small vaudeville performances. With famous guest stars like Saharet, Mistinguett and Yvette Guilbert, the 1889 theater became a concept in Berlin's nightlife.
On November 1, 1895, Skladanowsky Max and his brother, with their cinema, caused sensation with the first public film shows. The Winter Gardens are built next to the Apollo Theater (Friedrichstrasse 218, 1890-1910).
By the turn of the century, Berlin had about 80 varietal theaters, also called special theaters. The Wintergarten gave a mix of the colorful and the best of cabaret and circus. Stars from the opera and circus, virtuoso acrobats and international artists performed here. The clowns Grock and Charlie Rivel, the youngster Enrico Rastelli, as well as the booth king Harry Houdini appeared in the theater and made for a sold out house. The orchestra was sunk into a trench for the scene. Berlin became the international capital for entertainment and the conservatory (Wintergarten) became a popular meeting place.
In January and March 1944 there were devastating bombings in Berlin. After the last show on 21 June, the theater was completely destroyed by a new attack. The ruins of the Winter Gardens were inflated with dynamite in 1950.
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