Haus der Berliner Festspiele

The Haus der Berliner Festspiele is a theatre in Berlin’s Wilmersdorf district on Schaperstraße. Built in 1963, it replaced the earlier Freie Volksbühne which had used the Theater am Kurfürstendamm since 1949. The architect Fritz Bornemann also designed the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the America Memorial Library. The building remains almost unchanged and is now a protected monument. It houses a main stage, a side stage, a rehearsal stage and several foyers. The federal government rents the building to the Berliner Festspiele for festivals and events. The theatre is worth visiting for its role in avant-garde theatre. Under Erwin Piscator it premiered Rolf Hochhuth’s Der Stellvertreter in 1963. Later artistic directors such as Kurt Hübner, Hans Neuenfels and Hermann Treusch staged risk-taking productions without a permanent company. The Berliner Theatertreffen and international guest performances have been regular fixtures since 2001. Every September the Berlin International Literature Festival welcomes authors from around the world. The house’s programme spans theatre, literature and other arts throughout the year. Inside, visitors find a spacious main stage with nearly a thousand seats. A smaller side stage seats 280, while foyers and rehearsal rooms provide additional space. The building’s clean modern lines still reflect Bornemann’s design. Outside, Schaperstraße is a quiet residential street near the U-Bahn. The theatre’s foyer often hosts pre-show gatherings and post-show discussions. Its programme changes frequently, offering something new on every visit.