The comedy on Kurfürstendamm is celebrating its 100th anniversary – in alternative accommodation. In an interview, theater makers Martin and Jürgen Wölffer talk about how they are dealing with the long transition phase since the demolition of their historic original building.
rbb: Martin Wölffer, you are not celebrating your 100th birthday on Kurfürstendamm, but in an intermediate location, in the Theater am Potsdamer Platz. How did you react in 2004 when you learned for the first time that the two historic theaters, the Theater am Kürfürstendamm and the associated Comedy am Kurfürstendamm, could be threatened with demolition?
Martin Wölffer: That was terrible. We then fought for 15 years to prevent that from happening. But it became clear that the theaters had to move so that more returns could be made here. In the end, the compromise was that a new theater would be built on Kurfürstendamm, so at least the cultural location would not be lost. Although it is of course still a shame that the old theaters were demolished for profit reasons.
The new theater building in the Ku’damm-Karree should actually have opened long ago. But in the meantime the construction project was threatened with bankruptcy and construction work came to a complete standstill for a year. Now it is said that the new theater will be completed by the end of 2026. In recent years they have repeatedly had to look for alternative accommodation. At the beginning of this week the information came, that they are currently looking for a new one for 2025. How do you experience this back and forth?
Of course it was very nerve-wracking and exhausting. Actually we should concentrate on our main task and that is, Theater close. This had to happen almost at the same time. All this political struggle, the discussions with investors, constantly looking for new spaces as temporary solutions – all of that was and is of course difficult. Also because we were able to welcome and say goodbye to one investor after the other. There were seven or eight in total. But we did great and people followed us everywhere. Even more spectators came than before.
Jürgen Wölffer, you took over the directorship from your father Hans. You, in turn, handed over the management to your son Martin in 2004, exactly the year in which it became known that demolition was imminent.
Jürgen Wölffer: Yes, I was the sole boss until 2004. He had already helped me before, but for my father’s 100th birthday, I handed over the management to him.
Martin Wölffer: Of course I was 20 years younger back then – and wanted to know! I wanted to compete against the big capitalists. I never thought back then that everything would take so long in the end. And I never thought we even had a chance. It was very nerve-wracking and takes a toll on your personal substance, so you don’t have to kid yourself.
What have you learned for yourself in these 20 years?
Martin Wölffer: To stay in the moment as much as possible, not to constantly think about the future, but also not to always look backwards. I have also seen that such a family business, which always thinks about the next generation, is very difficult for investors who only want to make a quick buck. They don’t understand why you can’t come with a big check – and the problem is solved.
Jürgen Wölffer: Theater people want to make theater and not earn money. Of course you also need money to live and if it’s a little more, that’s nice too. But basically you want to do theater and that’s just what you’re there for.
Alternative accommodation Schillertheater
What is it like for you both to visit the construction site where the new comedy on Kurfürstendamm is soon to open?
Martin Wölffer: It’s great that things really seem to be coming to the finish line and that work is really going on here after the long construction stop. That was a difficult phase for us, in which we had no home and always had to find a theater somewhere in Berlin where we could play.
Jürgen Wölffer: Not only Berliners come to us, but also many tourists. They really gave us a run for their money and we didn’t have enough cards to handle the rush.
The demolition was one of the saddest days ever for us theater people. If we heal this wound and stand here again and say, now we are back, then we have achieved something.
How many seats will there be in the new comedy on Kurfürstendamm?
Martin Wölffer: 670.
Jürgen Wölffer: Before we had more because we had a theater with 600 seats and one with 800.
Martin Wölffer: The goal here was to create an intimate theater in the new building that can still accommodate a lot of people, because that is important for income. But at the same time it’s not a huge theater where you have to scream, but you still have this intimacy from the stage to the audience. I look forward to the day we open here. Then the trauma of this demolition will finally be overcome. That was one of the saddest days ever for us theater people. If we heal this wound and stand here again and say, now we are back, then we have achieved something.
Jürgen Wölffer: My son did a great job bridging this time and I’m proud of him. And he also has two children who might be interested in it. Who knows, maybe it will last forever.
Ku’damm comedy has to move again in 2025
What do your children say about this?
Martin Wölffer: They feel the same way we did at that age. We weren’t sure whether we wanted to take over the theater either. For example, I found a lot of what happened here very bourgeois. I wanted to rework a lot of things. My son studied cultural studies and, among other things, plays as a DJ. My daughter is studying singing, popular music. Both are not averse. But they still can’t get used to actually taking over a family business like this. Maybe one day they will be like me. I was never told I had to do this. But there was actually the day when it came out of me and I made the decision. And that’s what I want for my children too, that it’s not a pressure, but maybe one day a joy.
Thank you for the conversation.
The interview was conducted by Vera Drude.
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Broadcast: rbbKultur, October 26, 2024, 6:30 p.m.
