Die Kurbel

Giesebrechtstraase 4,
Berlin 10629

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Additional Info

Architects: Karl Schienemann

Functions: Housing, Supermarket

Styles: Streamline Moderne

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Die Kurbel

Built in 1934 within a residential block of apartments, the cinema being on the ground floor which opened in 1935. The architect was Karl Schienemann and it had a seating capacity of 576 in orchestra and balcony levels. It had a corner entrance with glass doors at each side and a centrally located pay-box on the street.

The name Die Kurbel translates as ‘the crank’;as used in early film projectors. Initial opposition to the opening in 1934 came from the nearby Minerva cinema, plus the fact that the owner of Die Kurbel was Jewish.

After World War II it was one of the first cinemas to re-open. The foyer was enlarged in 1970 and in the early 1970’s it became an adult porn cinema for a while, until 1974 when it reverted back to mainstream movies.

In 1990 the basement was converted into a screen seating 210 and part of the foyer became a third screen seating 89. Die Kubel was closed in 2011, it was gutted and converted into a supermarket and apartments.

Contributed by KenRoe

Recent comments (view all 2 comments)

kinokompendium.de
kinokompendium.de on June 30, 2007 at 8:06 am

More infos and photographs on this theater (and many others) can be found on the German language only Berlin Movie Theater Guide – www.kinokompendium.de: Die Kurbel

kino
kino on October 8, 2014 at 12:21 pm

The cinema was closed down in 2011, its interiors completely gutted. An organic supermarket was installed in the groundfloor, the first floor where the balcony of screen 1 was and screen 2 were remodelled into apartments.

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