German theater

The building of the theater was built in 1848 as a summer theater, in 1850 it was rebuilt for the permanent City Theater of Friedrich-Wilhelm ( German: Friedrich-Wilhelm-Städtisches Theater ), where singspils were performed (“Two Arrows”, “Poacher” by A. Lorzing ), dramas and comedies ("Journalists" of Freytag, "Royal Lieutenant" K. Gutskova ). Famous E. Rossi , T. Salvini , A. von Sonnental , Joseph Levinsky gave performances at the theater, in 1874 the Meiningen Theater toured). In 1883, the theater building was acquired by playwright Adolph L'Arrong . Together with actors E. Possart, L. Barnay, A. Forster, 3. Friedman, F. Haase, he opened the “German Theater” in this building, a partnership of shareholder actors who sought to create the first national theater in Germany.

The theater was opened on September 29, 1883 by the tragedy of F. Schiller “Cunning and Love” directed by August Forster ( J. Kainz (Ferdinand), L. Barnay (President), 3. Friedman (Wurm), F. Haase (Kalb), Forster (Miller)). In the first season there were Don Carlos (at two in the evening, dir. L. Barnay; Carlos Kainz), Schiller 's Robbers ; "Iphigenia in Tauris" by I.V. Goethe (Pilad - Kaynz), "Romeo and Juliet" by W. Shakespeare (Romeo - Kaynz). In the second season, Goethe's plays “Goetz von Berlichingen”, “Torquato Tasso”, “Egmont” and others; Schiller's “William Tell”, “Emilia Galotti” by G. E. Lessing , “Prince Frederick of Homburg” by G. von Kleist , “ King Lear ” by Shakespeare. The troupe of the theater included actors A. Zorma, A. Gaverland, G. Niman-Rabe, G. Kadelburg , L. Dumont (since 1885), E. Leman (since 1891). But the repertoire policy of L'Arronge did not suit the rest of the creators of the theater, and the leading actors gradually left the theater.

In 1894-1904, the theater was headed by Otto Brahm , a follower of the naturalistic trend in art . Under Brahma, “Weavers” (1895), “Carter Genschel” (1898), “Florian Geyer”, “Drowned Bell” (both in 1896), “Ascension of Hannele”, “Feast of Reconciliation”, and “Rose Bernd” (1903) were staged ) G. Hauptmann , “ Nora ”, “Ghosts”, “John Gabriel Borkman”, “Wild Duck”, “Enemy of the People”, “Pillars of Society” by G. Ibsen and others. Leading actors: E. Reicher, R. Ritner, E. Lehman, R. Bertens, O. Sauer, L. Dumont, A. Basserman, F. Kaisler, R. Valentin. In 1895, Max Reinhardt , a young graduate of the theater school at the Vienna Conservatory , joined the troupe. Reinhardt was engaged in the roles of Engstrand, Foldal ("Ghosts", "Ion Gabriel Borkman" by Ibsen).

In 1900, Bram poses The Power of Darkness by L. N. Tolstoy (Akim - M. Reinhardt). Brahm, fighting against dominance in court theaters of recitation and pathos , was guided by the principles of naturalism, which led to the other extreme - the dominance of household parts, etc., which led, among other things, to the failure of the tragedy of "Cunning and Love", 1894. Then O. Bram went to the Theater. Lessing.

After a short directing of the playwright Paul Lindau, the theater in 1905 was headed by Max Reinhardt, who had already gained fame as a director. Reinhardt was continuously at the head of the Theater until the outbreak of World War I and with several interruptions until his forced emigration in 1933 .

In 1905-1914, the repertoire was predominantly classical; Shakespeare dominated: “The Merchant of Venice” , “A Midsummer Night's Dream” (both in 1905), “Winter's Tale” (1906), “Romeo and Juliet” (1907), “King Lear” (1908), “Hamlet” , “ The Taming of the Shrew ” (both in 1909) and others. Several Shakespeare’s plays have been staged several times by Reinhardt’s various directors (Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream). A large place in the repertoire was occupied by German classics: “Owls” (1906), “Faust” (1909) Goethe , “Robbers”, “Fiesco in Genoa” (both in 1908), “Messina bride” (1910) Schiller , “Ketchen from Heilbronn "(1905)," Prince Friedrich of Homburg "(1907) G. Kleist ," Minna von Barnhelm "Lessing (1904). The theater’s repertoire also included plays by F. Grilparzer , K. F. Hebbel , G. Hoffmannsthal , F. Vedekind , and antique drama. Russian drama was also staged at the theater: “The Living Corpse” by L. N. Tolstoy (1913, Fedor Protasov – A. Moissi ), “Examiner” by N. V. Gogol (1907), etc. During World War I, despite censorship , the youth studio staged plays by Arnold Zweig , R. Goering , R. Sorge in the direction of G. Herald. The “Soldiers” by Jacob Lenz and the “Death of Danton” by G. Buchner were also staged.

Actors in the theater during this period: G. Eisold, A. Moissi , L. Höflig, M. Kupfer, P. Wegener , V. Kraus , E. Jannings , G. Kerner , E. Deutsch , F. Kortner , V. Arnold, A. Straub, R. Schildkraut, F. Kaisler , E. Bergner , E. Klepfer, G. Gheorghe , E. Winterstein , O. Gomolka , G. Grundgens , G. Muller, L. Baarova , E. Balzer , M. Dietrich , T. Durie , V. Fritsch , G. Fröhlich , O. Gebür , P. Herbiger , B. Horney , O. Klopfer , G. Lidtke , T. Loos , A. Moissi , L. Riefenstahl , H. Ryman , S. Schmitz , C. Feidt , F. Alten , E. Wagner , G. Vedekind .

In 1924-1926, B. Brecht and Karl Zuckmayer worked as playwrights in the theater.

In 1905, a theater school was founded at the German Theater. The German theater, led by Reinhardt, was a pioneer in the use of new theater equipment, including a rotating stage. In the 1920s, the German Theater was forced to temporarily unite financially with other Berlin theaters (the organization of so-called theater trusts), which could not but affect the results of the theater. Artistic directors that frequently changed during Reinhardt’s temporary work in other theaters (F. Hollender, C. Rosen, G. Herald, K. X. Martin) did poorly with their mission.

In 1945, the German Theater found itself in the Soviet zone of occupation and became one of the first theaters to resume its activities in ruined Berlin - under the direction of the playwright and director G. Wangenheim. Lessing's “Nathan the Wise”, previously banned by Nazi censorship, was staged; starring P. Wegener.

After 1945, the troupe of the theater was replenished with many actors and directors. Famous German actors - Gustaf Grundgens , E. Bush ( Yu. Fuchik - “Prague remains mine” by Yu. A. Buryakovsky, German name “Julius Fucik”; Mayorov - “Deep intelligence ”A. A. Kron; Mephistopheles, Iago), G. Muller, E. Winterstein, P. Bildt , A. Wesher, V. Kleinau (Egor Bulychov, Gorodnichny; Vasilkov -“ Crazy Money ”by A. N. Ostrovsky) ,

Continuing national traditions, the theater staged plays by Goethe , Schiller , Lessing, Buchner , as well as Shakespeare , and often turned to Russian drama: the German theater's repertoire included Uncle Vanya (1945), The Examiner (1950), and The Storm (1951) ), “ Wolves and Sheeps ” (1948), “ Mad Money ” (1954) by A. N. Ostrovsky; “Restless old age” (1946, professor Polezhaev - P. Wegener), “ Yegor Bulychov and others ” (1952), “Somov and others” (1954), “ Enemies ” (1967) by M. A. Gorky , “Plato Krechet” (in it. post. "Surgeon", 1951), "Storm" (1957); “ Virgin Soil Upturned ” by M. A. Sholokhov , ins. T. London (1959), “ Irkutsk History ” by A. N. Arbuzov (1962), “ A Man with a Gun ” by N. F. Pogodin (1962).

Among significant productions: “ Fear and Despair in the Third Empire ” by B. Brecht (1948), “Beaumarchais” (1946), “Thomas Münzer” (1953) F. Wolf, “Pastor Hall” by Ernst Toller (1947), “Bride of the Dutchman” " E. Stritmatter (1958)," The Process in Nuremberg "(1967) and" Entry into the Castle "(1971) by Schneider," The Assembly Hall "by Kant (1969)," New Suffering of Young V. "by W. Plenzdorf (1972), “The Miners at the Dump” by Brown (1973).

Among the actors are W. Birnbaum, H. Grosse, H. Drind, F. Duren, F. Zolter, I. Keller and others. In the 1960s. P. Wegener took an active part in the theater.

Playwright and director G. Wangenheim (Gustav von Wangenheim; 1945–1946), director and actor Wolfgang Langhoff (1946–1963; father of director Thomas Langhoff), Wolfgang Heinz (Wolfgang Heinz; 1963–1969), Hanns Anselmenthen Perth ), Gerhard Wolfram (1972-1982), Rolf Rohmer (1982-1984), Dieter Mann (1984-1991), Thomas Langhoff (1991-2001), Bernd Wilms (2000-2008), Oliver Riese (since 2008).

• "Emilia Galotti" Lessing (dir. M. Talmhayer)
• “Lolita” by V.V. Nabokov (dir. O. Rize)
• “Rats” by G. Hauptmann (dir. M. Talmhayer)
• “Faust. Part I ”(dir. M. Thalmheier)
• “Uncle Vanya” by A.P. Chekhov (dir. Jürgen Gauche )
• 2006 Chekhov's “ Cherry Orchard ” (dir. Barbara Frey)
• 2007 “Hamlet Machine” by H. Muller (dir. Dimitar Gotchev)

• German theater in the encyclopedia " Around the World "
• About the German Theater on the website of the Alexandrinsky Theater
• Theater Education - German Theater in Berlin
• German theater and chamber scene in Berlin .