The Wintergarten was the most famous variety theater in Berlin. It was housed in the same building complex as the Central-Hotel. The Central-Hotel opened in 1880 near the recently opened Friedrichsstrasse railway station. It boasted a large glass-decked palm-garden, 75 x 23 meters, used for concerts and other shows. In time, the winter garden became a venue for so called "varieté", with famous stars appearing, like Yvette Guilbert, Loie Fuller, La belle Otero, Cleo de Merode, Saharet, The Five Sisters Barrison, and Lillian Russell. And in 1895, the world’s first commercial film showing took place there.
"As their name suggests, "varietés" provided a "variety" of unconnected and "specialized" entertainments, primarily songs, acrobatic stunts, and animal acts, but also skits, magic tricks, tableaux, and even popular opera arias. The variety show was an urban institution that had originated in England, where it was called music hall, in the first half of the nineteenth century. The concept of the variety show soon spread to the continent, as well as to America, where it was known as vaudeville." (Peter Jelavich, Berlin Cabaret)
In 1900 the place was rebuilt by Bernhard Sehring, who became famous for building the Theater des Westens. Among other things, the glass dome was covered and the room received an interior typical of a theater. Based on an idea by Bernhard Sehring, light bulbs were attached to the ceiling to imitate a starry sky. In 1928 the theatre was rebuilt again. With around 3,000 seats it was now one of the largest and most modern theaters in Europe, including a space where dining was possible during the performance.
The Wintergarten had become one of the most popular meeting places of feverish Berlin (the other one being Scala, on the Lutherstrasse). Some of the most famous artists producing themselves were the enormously popular satiric singers Claire Waldoff and Otto Reutter, and also Grethe Weiser.
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| Otto Reutter |
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| Revue 1932 |
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| Hotel Central |
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