Berliner Kabarett-Theater "Die Wuhlmause"

Located in the west Berlin district of Charlottenburg at the intersection of Heerstrasse/Pommernallee and Theodor-Heuss-Platz. The new cinema on the Reichskanzlerplatz (now known as Theaodor-Heuss-Platz) was opened in 1930 as the Oberon Filmtheater and was located in the Amerikahaus. It was designed in an Art Deco style by architect’s Heinrich Straumer and Oskar Kaufmann. The entrance is on the corner of Pommernallee. In 1934 it was renamed Westpalast following alterations to the plans of architect Gustav Neustein, and again in 1936/1937 alterationns to the plans of architect Paul Rettig. A feature of the building on its Heerstrasse façade is a tall tower on the right-hand side. This tower of the Amerikahaus was used as radio studios from 1st November 1938. Allied bombing in 1943 damaged the Amerikahaus building slightly. They were targeting the transmitter that was adjacent to the site, which they managed to destroy completely. Seating in the auditorium was provided for 746, with 630 on the main orchestra floor, 84 in a small balcony and 32 in loge boxes.

In 1947 it found itself in what had become the British Sector of the divided city of Berlin, and it was taken over by the British Army for use by the occupying troops and re-named Naafi-Club Cinema and there were also shops and restaurants adjacent to the cinema. It became the Globe Cinema (Globe being the preferred name for Army Kinema Corps cinemas). It was later renamed Jerboa Cinema. It was closed in 1990 when the last of the troops were withdrawn from Berlin. It reopened briefly as Die Wuhlmause a cabaret club & restaurant (a members only club), which wasn’t very successful.

It was re-named Internationales Kinovariete Oberon, presenting a programme of films and variety shows, which continued until 1990.

When seen in August 1998, the cinema was closed and ‘mothballed’ awaiting a new use. It later re-opened as the Berliner Kabarett-Theater “Die Wuhlmause”.