Maxim Gorki Theatre

The Maxim Gorki Theater stands in Berlin-Mitte, a theatre named after the Soviet writer Maxim Gorky. The building itself is the oldest concert hall in Berlin, constructed between 1825 and 1827 for the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin. Carl Theodor Ottmer designed it in the classical style under Karl Friedrich Schinkel’s plans. The hall hosted Alexander von Humboldt’s Cosmos lectures and Felix Mendelssohn’s revival of Bach’s St Matthew Passion in 1829. In 1848 it served as the venue for the Prussian National Assembly. The building suffered severe damage in the Second World War before being used by Soviet forces as a theatre from 1947. The theatre became the Maxim Gorki Theater in 1952, founded as a socialist model theatre under its first director Maxim Vallentin. It gained recognition for staging works by Heiner Müller and Volker Braun during the GDR era. After reunification, a long legal dispute between the Sing-Akademie and the State of Berlin was resolved in 2012. Şermin Langhoff became artistic director in 2012 and, with Jens Hillje, transformed the theatre into a venue reflecting the city’s diversity. The theatre has won Theatre of the Year twice and received the Federal Government’s Theatre Prize in 2015. Visitors find a theatre that programmes radical new works and reflects Berlin’s multicultural life. The building’s classical interior contrasts with contemporary productions. The stage hosts plays by international writers alongside German classics. The foyer and auditorium provide space for discussions and performances. The theatre’s programme includes festivals and guest appearances. Its location in Mitte places it close to other cultural landmarks. The building remains a living part of Berlin’s theatre history.