Producer
Leopold Hoesch
Director
Sebastian Dehnhardt
Producer
Susanne Feikes
Genre
Culture
Broadcaster
ZDFtheaterkanal / 3sat / ZDFdokukanal
Length
1 x 30'
Editor
André Hammesfahr
Year
2002
Theatrescapes
Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus

Düsseldorf's theatre history can be dated back to the year 1585.

The Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus, founded in 1951, is not only closely associated with the name of its first artistic director Gustaf Gründgens, but can also be seen as a successor to the Schauspielhaus Düsseldorf, which was founded in 1904 by Luise Dumont and Gustav Lindemann as a private theatre. After the death of Luise Dumont and Gustav Lindemann's forced resignation due to his religion, the Städtische Bühnen took over the Schauspielhaus in 1933.

Gustav Gründgens freed the artistic management from the control of the municipal administration and had the former municipal opera house on Jahnstraße converted into a theatre. For almost 20 years, the venue remained a provisional arrangement. The costs for the elaborate conversion were originally estimated at 26 million German marks, but in the end they amounted to an impressive 40 million. Even though Gustav Gründgens and his successor Karl Heinz Stroux provided great theatrical experiences, the theatre remained the "barn" in the vernacular.

When the Schauspielhaus on Gustav-Gründgens-Platz was finally structurally completed and officially opened in 1972, there were riots. Pupils and students demonstrated against the elitist cultural policy of the time and the "closed" party of that evening, which consisted exclusively of the cultural chic. No tickets had been available for free sale. "Citizens to the Schauspielhaus - throw the fat bigwigs out," was the chant. Ulrich Brecht responded to the call in 1972 as the new director of the Schauspielhaus and presented a programme "for citizens and those who want to become citizens". His attempt to create moderate political theatre failed after a few years. He was followed by Günther Beelitz and Volker Canaris.

Theatrescapes: Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus

Düsseldorf's theatre history can be dated back to the year 1585.

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