Author Archives: Brendan

Strandbad Wannsee

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Brendan

“Otto was the coming of warmth and color to the drab cold city, bringing the linden trees into leaf, sweating the citizens out of their topcoats, making the bands play outdoors. Christopher rode on the bus with him to … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Tagged 1930, Christopher and His Kind, Christopher Isherwood, Conny Froboess, Die Kleine Cornelia, FKK, Martin Wagner, Pack die Badehose ein, Richard Ermisch, Stiftung Denkmalschutz Berlin, Strandbad Wannsee | 3 Comments

Siegfried Arno – ‘The German Charlie Chaplin’

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Brendan

The extraordinary career of Hollywood star Sig Arno is mostly remembered through the 150 films he appeared in from 1921 to 1962, but his roots in the cabaret scene of Weimar Berlin is a lesser told story. Born Siegfried Aron … Continue reading →

Posted in History, People | Tagged 'German Charlie Chaplin', Anita Berber, Barbara Kiranoff, Bruno Arno, Camilla Spira, Grosse Schauspielhaus, Im Weißen Rossl, Kadeko, Kitty Mattern, Kurt Gerron, Lia Dahms, Marek Weber, Max Hansen, Peter Arno, Siegfried Arno, Sig Arno, Willy Rosen, Zähringerstraße | 1 Comment

Hans Otto

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Brendan

Hans Otto was born in Dresden on August 10th, 1900 and attended school with the author Erich Kästner. He made his stage debut at the Künstlertheater in Frankfurt am Main in 1921 and, in October 1922, married the actress Mie … Continue reading →

Posted in History, People | Tagged Armin-Gerd Kuckhoff, Bertolt Brecht, Der gestohlene Gesicht, Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Erich Kästener, Erich Schmidt, Fürstlich Reussischen Theater, Gera, Gustaf Gründgens, Hamburger Kammerspielen, Hans Otto, Hans Otto Theater, Hansa-Ufer 5, Leipzig, Lessing-Theater, Max Rheinhardt, Mie Paulin, Potsdam, Staatstheater am Gendarmenmarkt, Stolpersteine, Theaterhochschule, Walter Bruno Litz, Werner Krauss, Wilmersdorfer Waldfriedhof Stahndorf | 2 Comments

Bowie’s ‘Dschungel’ – The Femina-Palast

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Brendan

“Sitting in the Dschungel, on Nürnberger Straße A man lost in time Near KaDeWE” Where Are We Now – David Bowie, January 2013 The Femina-Palast was built in 1928 by architects Richard Bielenberg and Josef Moser for businessman Heinrich … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Venues | Tagged Badewanne, Barbra Streisand, Boy George, Chen-Kuen Lee, Count Basie, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Die Stachelschweine, Dschungel, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Ellington Hotel, Femina-Palast, Frank Zappa, Grace Jones, Heinrich Liemann, Iggy Pop, Josef Moser, Josephine Baker, Kaffee Tauentzienpalast, Mick Jagger, New Objectivity, Nürnberger Straße, Richard Bielenberg, San Lin Nan, Studio 54, Tauentzienpalast, telephones on the tables, The Aquarium, Tranvestite waiting staff | 3 Comments

Cabaret comes home

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Brendan

If you’re considering a visit to Berlin in 2013, of course, the summer is the ideal time to come. The weather is great, the ‘beach bars’ are open, you can spend a day at Wannsee and, this year, Cabaret is back … Continue reading →

Posted in Shows | Tagged Bar Jeder Vernunft, Cabaret, Christopher Isherwood, Fraulein Schneider, Fraulein Schroeder, Fraulein Thurau, Goodbye to Berlin, I Am A Camera, Joe Masteroff, John van Druten, Tipi am Kanzleramt | 1 Comment

Author Archives: Brendan

Strandbad Wannsee

Siegfried Arno – ‘The German Charlie Chaplin’

Hans Otto

Bowie’s ‘Dschungel’ – The Femina-Palast

Cabaret comes home

Walking Tours

Isherwood's Neighbourhood

A circular walk through the Schöneberg of the late 1920s as seen by Christopher Isherwood

Suggested further reading

Archive