The “Resi” was the nickname of a vast, luxurious dance-hall called The Residenz-Casino at Blumentrasse 10, just by Alexanderplatz. At various times in it’s history it has been known as Balhaus Resi, Tanzpalast Resi, Residenz Casino and just plain Resi.
It was built and opened in 1908 by Paul Baatz, but it was in the Weimar Period that the venue really came into its’ own.
The dance-floor was large enough for 1000 people and it’s ceiling made from reflective glass. There were four bars, private rooms and even a carousel.
Above the dance-floor were one hundred mirrored globes which opened and closed to the rhythm of the orchestra, and in 1928 a dancing water feature was installed. In the late 20′s the venue housed 86,000 electric lights!
Its’ most talked about feature were 200 private telephones fixed to tables and various stations around the venue, where customers could contact other tables or flirt anonymously with other patrons. Guests could also choose from a menu of 135 gift items and have them sent to other patrons via pneumatic delivery tubes (Rohrpoststation) suspended above the tables.
The venue closed just before the war in 1939, but was recreated in 1951 in Kreuzberg at Hasenheide 32, and was hugely popular with British and American servicemen and women. Once again, it featured the telephones on the tables, the rohrpoststation, and spectacular water shows created by Otto Przystawik, whose son Michael Przystawik still designs and installs water shows to clubs and venues around the world.
The venue closed in 1978 and the building demolished that same year.
Bravo ! Bravo ! Très bons souvenirs…
A l’époque des pneumatiques encore dans les années 1970 !
Le spectacle des jets d’eau , magnifiques , sur la scène !
Impossible de retrouver ailleurs dans le monde
une ” Boîte ” de cette Grandeur !!
I was there in 1963…wonderful place. Attending many times, we often found young families bringing their teen daughters and sons to let them dance and meet others. Met many people from all over Europe.
Thanks for the article!!
As a U.S. Army Lieutenant in 1956 I visited the “Resi.” In addition to using the telephone, I engaged in exchange of messages passed from table to table via the pneumatic tube system. I still have a number of the “Resi ROHRPOST” notes that I have retained over the years. Notes from table 448 to my table 482 included the following messages: “Hello, how do you like the Resi – Wonderful,” “Would yo like to correspond with me,” “My height 1.65, weight 142, blond, blue eys, blue costume,” “Please come you to the table for me, Blue Color.” Being a single guy, I responded to the notes and ultimately ended up meeting and dancing with Blue Color; her name was Edith. A wonderful memory for me.
I visited the “Raycee” bar in 1974 as part of an American Express “Quickie” tour of Berlin, and was bowled over by the “mechanics” of the place.
Last year some friends of mine were going to Berlin and I said “you HAVE to go to the “Raycee” bar.” When they both said they couldn’t find it, I was perplexed. I recently read a book by Ian McEwan called “The Innocents” which contained a scene in the “Reci” bar, and I realized my verbal misdirection. If one Googles “Reci” you quickly find some write-ups of the History of this magnificent place, AND the fact that it was demolished in 1978! Someone should build a new one.
Whoops. Make that “Resi”
I have read the your article about “Resi” as well as the comments with great interest.
The Allied Museum is currently planning an exhibition on GI clubs in Berlin between 1945 and 1995. “Resi” was one of the hot spots of Allied night life in Berlin until it was closed. We already have a bunch of interesting photographs but we are also looking for other artefacts such as the Rohrpost note that was mentioned in one of the earlier posts.
If you feel that you could contribute anything please contact me under pauls@alliiertenmuseum.de
The Resi bar, first place that I was brought to after the one week quarantine for new arrivals. Don’t forget the KBS, the white elephant, the golden horseshoe the re fi fi, the green lantern “green latrine”, the latter plots casino, the sports pallis, bob hope at true man hall free university, etc.
I was in Berlin as a 5 year old when finally the war was ended and I survived. My best years in the proceedings years growing up as a teenager were going to “RESI” to dance, the rohrpost and all the wonderful notes and gifts I received. Of course, the Wasserspiele were spectacular. I met my first love there.
I live in the USA now and have not encountered anything like it here.
I too lived with my family in Berlin when the war finally ended. As a teenager, I spent many lovely evenings in Resi. Too bad it was taken down. I live in the USA with three grown children. My life is filled with wonderful memories, and I would like to remenice……
Best Wishes…..
I would love to hear from some one, who used to live in Berlin when the war ended.
See my previous message.
I was there, at the Resi, in 1964. It was a Fascinating experience. I was alone, but soon met up with a beautiful German lady. He sent me a note via the tube, asking me to rescue her from her blind date. It was fun until her friends dragged her out against her will. Then another G.I. Called me to help him out as he had met four German girls. Finally met some American girls from NY city and had a blast with them. They put me into a cab and I got back safely to my hotel. I had way too much to drink. I was in Berlin In 2005, and my friend showed me where the Resi had been, and it has been replaced with residential housing. Agree, it would be great thing if a new RESI were build in Berlin. I would happily return.
A few friends and I being stationed in Ulm, took our special order papers through the Russian check point established during the cold war and traveled, via vw bug, thrugh the Russian zone.(no picture taking allowed) to Berlin. Fortunately we wound up one evening at The “Resi”. That was sixty years ago in 1954 and I had so much fun there that I can still remember that night as if it were 10 minutes ago. Each table had a place mat that gave you the phone number at all the rest of the tables along with telephones and pneumatic tube for sending written messages to any table. This fabulous room centered with a dance floor. Every town in the world should have a place like the “Risi” to help bring exciting new communications avalable to the front for old and young alike
I was stationed in Berlin in 1956. The RESI was the best thing since Sadie Hawkim’s day with hundreds of Daisy Mays! There was a shortage of men, so it was quite flattering to be called on the phone. This was a somewhat more elegant place than the Jazz cellars. You dressed up and so did the girls; you drank German wine(not cheap for Germans), etc. The water show was a gas! You can see it in the spy thriller film with James Mason. I went back in the 70′s. It was a time-warp period- piece with doting dads bringing their deb-age daughters to see what it was like in the good old days. It is now gone. What a beautiful memory of may nights on the town! For a young GI dollars, it was paradise!with