Old Theater (Heilbronn)

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The old theater in Heilbronn shortly after its completion in 1912
Condition of the building after the Second World War

The Old Theater in Heilbronn (also known as the Fischer Theater ) is the predecessor of what is now the nearby “ Stadttheater Heilbronn ”. The building was constructed between 1911 and 1913 and damaged during World War II . As one of the first buildings in the city, the first reconstruction work began in 1947 under the architect Rudolf Gabel . Sculptor Robert Grässle renewed two mask heads on the parapet. After years of controversial discussion, the old building was blown up on July 18, 1970.

The theater was considered to be an “important architectural work” by Theodor Fischer , who, as chairman of the Deutscher Werkbund, significantly advanced reform architecture after it was founded . This is why the Heilbronn theater building mainly took up local building traditions, such as the architecture of the so-called “Heilbronn Renaissance”.

The theater building is described as "probably the most important building" of architectural modernism before the First World War in Heilbronn. Due to its architectural quality, it was regarded as a "qualitatively supra-regional building".

Location and surroundings

The old city theater was built as an eye-catcher at the north end of Heilbronner Allee , a boulevard-like promenade, on which two striking buildings stood with the synagogue at the south end and the old Harmonie in the east.

history

Building decision and inauguration (September 30, 1913)

Preliminary draft from 1902 for the Heilbronn theater under Mayor Hegelmaier
Laying of the foundation stone for the theater in 1912
Site plan around 1913
Auditorium around 1913

In 1902 the Lord Mayor of Heilbronn, Paul Hegelmaier, commissioned the architects Theodor Fischer, Fellner and Hellmer in Vienna and Moritz in Cologne to draw up plans for a new theater building on the corner of Bismarck and Herbststrasse. Due to a lack of financial resources, the building project could not be implemented. In 1903 it was believed that the stock theater located in the Harmoniegarten on the avenue was out of date. It was known as a junk box and in November 1903 Lord Mayor Hegelmaier had the stock theater closed due to a lack of fire protection. This act of sovereignty, perceived as an "act of violence", prompted the Harmonie-Gesellschaft to undertake some improvement work. Because she could not modernize the stock theater because of the high costs, she rented the house to the city of Heilbronn, which turned the stock theater into a city theater. Because the necessary renovations were not carried out, the performances were poorly attended.

On February 17, 1908, the Steng-Krauss theater directorate presented the city administration with a plan to convert the stock theater at a cost of 120,000 marks. After the Neckar-Zeitung spoke out against the conversion of the Aktientheater on March 9, 1908 and on March 12, 1908 demanded a public survey to decide on conversion or new construction, on April 9, 1908, the Lord Mayor Dr. Paul Göbel called a citizens' assembly that rejected the renovation and supported a new building. On May 9, 1908, Göbel called for foundations for the new building. On June 4, 1908, there were already loan commitments of 505,900 marks and foundations of 69,725 marks. Although this money came in quickly, it would take more than five years for construction to be completed.

The building site was to be selected by a theater commission formed by the local council on June 11, 1908, made up of the city council, five local council members, three citizens' committee members and six representatives of the draftsmen. On July 31, 1908, the local council approved the representation of the citizens' committee with five members in the theater commission. On September 23, 1908, the committee refused to approve the choice of Bismarckplatz as the location for the new theater building. In contrast, the local council existed on Bismarckplatz as a location. Theodor Fischer , who was commissioned to solve the location question on October 15, 1908, compared the advantages and disadvantages of the three locations on December 3, 1908. Thereupon the "bourgeois colleges", the Heilbronn municipal council and the citizens' committee voted with 24:16 votes for the location for the new theater building on Heilbronner Allee , at one of the head ends of what was then the promenade.

On February 8, 1909, Dr. Buttersack and the businessman GA Pfleiderer object to the avenue project. As a neighbor of the Allee site, Pfleiderer was directly affected because the specified building line in the city development plan was not adhered to. Dr. After consulting Theodor Fischer, Buttersack withdrew his objection. Pfleiderer's objection was rejected by the local council on August 6, 1909. Pfleiderer turned to the ministry, which on September 27, 1909 recognized the complaint as justified and refused the city the dispensation , the exemption from the prescribed building line. The Heilbronn municipal council changed the building line on December 2nd, 1909. Pfleiderer accepted this and was compensated by the city with 23,000 marks. On January 20, 1910, he withdrew his objection. On February 10, 1910, the ministry approved the change to the town plan.

In the case of the “bourgeois colleges”, the principle was not to use any tax funds for the new theater. They insisted on receiving an "exact cost estimate" from master builder Theodor Fischer. Fischer's cost estimate was 520,000 marks and provided for 750 seats and 200 standing places. On June 22, 1910, Fischer was hired as a "theater builder". However, the cost estimate was revised and checked again by Scherer from the Munich architecture office of Theodor Fischer. On December 9, 1910, Scherer incurred costs of 620,000 marks, i.e. 100,000 marks additional costs. The town hall then demanded that the costs be reduced by ten percent. When the Fischer architects were not ready, the city commissioned the Munich company Heilmann & Littmann , which had also built the Stuttgart court theater, to prepare a cost estimate, which was higher than that of the Fischer architects. The town hall then decided on February 16, 1911 to finally commission Fischer as a theater builder, but requested a smaller construction, which was to cost only 585,000 marks instead of 620,000. Instead of 750, only 650 seats were provided. Overall, the theater was built shorter and narrower, and the orchestra and storage rooms were also made smaller.

There were differences of opinion regarding the construction of the upper end of the main facade. After the colleges had discussed on February 23, 1912 whether the new theater building should have a gable with the Heilbronn city eagle or a turret with a clock, they voted on March 8, 1912 in favor of the Heilbronn city eagle. After a competition for an inscription on the new theater building on May 8, 1913 was unsuccessful, on May 23, 1913, at Fischer's suggestion, the inscription Erbaut von der Bürgerschaft 1912/1913 was chosen .

The foundation stone was laid on May 9, 1912 and the inauguration took place on September 30, 1913.

Damage (December 4, 1944)

The theater survived the heavy air raid on Heilbronn on December 4, 1944 relatively unscathed. The most expensive components were destroyed and the interior, the auditorium and the facilities were burned out. The enclosing walls remained untouched except for a few “blemishes”. Two of the six mask heads on the parapet were lost, and the parapet or parapet of the semicircular porch was also damaged.

Decision to rebuild (December 15, 1947) and reconstruction

Even in the reconstruction plans for Heilbronn's old town after the air raids on Heilbronn , the old city theater remained unchanged at the north end of the avenue. Some of the plans envisaged connecting the Bläß'sche Palais , which was located to the west parallel to the theater but was also badly damaged during the war, with the theater building by means of a transverse building.

  • Executed design with the location of the old city theater at the north end of the avenue in Heilbronn

  • Location of the old city theater in the development plan of the old town by Hans Volkart from August 26, 1946

  • Location of the old city theater in the construction plan of the old town in 1948 as a result of the planners Hans Volkart, Karl Gonser and the competition

  • Location of the old city theater in Prof. Hans Volkart's development plan from November 9, 1947

1949 newly created mask heads in the Heilbronn Lapidarium, sculptor Robert Grässle.

On December 15, 1947, the internal department decided to entrust the architect Rudolf Gabel with the management of the restoration of the theater building (without the stage) including the expansion of the auditorium. The first roofing of the city theater ruin had already taken place in November 1947. The roof over the auditorium, together with the iron truss structure, was restored with Reichsmarks. At the same time, the bent remains of the seating and its lower framework were cleared, the old Rabitz ceiling and the rubble removed from the auditorium. The plastering of the ticket hall, the cloakrooms and the staircases were renewed. On April 21, 1949, the Heilbronn municipal council decided to “provisionally restore the auditorium of the city theater”. On June 8, 1950, the finance committee of the Württemberg-Baden state parliament approved a grant of 35,000 DM. On the occasion of the donation, experts carried out the preliminary reconstruction of the most important rooms - spectator u. Orchestra room, stage with side rooms - planned. - "The result ... can be summed up in the fact that the auditorium is already in a stage that corresponds to the completion of the shell". According to the financial situation, the ceiling in the auditorium should be drawn in on the existing iron beams and the wall plaster and the floor covering should be applied to a substructure to be erected as part of a “modest reconstruction”. The seating and the most necessary technical systems should be renewed. A small stage five meters deep and nine meters wide was to be built. The costs should not exceed 150,000 DM. On January 29, 1951, the stage of the city theater ruins was roofed over. On August 9, 1951, the Heilbronn municipal council approved the connection of the theater building to the district heating system of the gas works, which was carried out on May 6, 1952. The lost mask heads were replaced by two new mask heads created by Robert Grässle.

Uses (KTH etc.)

A limited number of theater activities took place in the building. In 1955 the rehearsal rooms of the KTH (Kleines Theater Heilbronn eV) were housed in the theater building and after 1957 the ballet master Brunhild Münch staged the ballet scenes for the KTH operettas there . Since 1967 the KTH has used the foyer as a rehearsal stage for musicals.

The theater building was mainly used for other purposes. The rooms of the roofed, heated and partially restored theater building served as accommodation for municipal offices. The building department was located in the theater, which was only open on 22–24. December 1952 moved to the fourth floor of the town hall extension. After the building construction department moved out on January 15, 1953, the department for road construction and the rubble clearance department moved in. In addition, until March 26, 1953, the city planning office was located in the building of the old theater, which then moved into the Wilhelmsbau . Finally, on October 12, 1953, the city library opened its headquarters in the Old Theater and until 1957 it also housed Police Station II and the city tax office, which then moved into the new building of the Heilbronn district savings bank.

Reconstruction controversy

View into a room restored by Rudolf Gabel

The reconstruction had stalled after 1952, so that in 1955 the members of the small theater asked the local politicians and the cultural workers to rebuild the old theater and symbolically began to build a theater wall on the stage. However, the Heilbronn municipal council and the city administration continued to reject the reconstruction. But not only members of the small theater wanted the reconstruction of the old theater, but also large parts of the population, Heilbronn artists and readers of the Heilbronn voice, demanded a reconstruction. On January 19, 1957, at an artist festival in the Haus des Handwerks, 1,000 marks were donated to rebuild the theater. From 1948 to 1969, numerous donations and events were made in favor of the reconstruction of the city theater, such as the Kunstverein's artist festivals, the proposal for a “theater penny” and the press balls in 1948 and 1949 organized by Heilbronner Demokratie.

The discussion about the reconstruction of the theater was rekindled in 1966 when a state grant of eight million marks was approved for the Ulm theater building. As early as 1964, the Lord Mayor of Ulm, Pfizer, tried to bring the seven “theater cities”, including Heilbronn, together into a joint initiative. According to this, the municipal theaters in the “provincial cities” should receive a 50% state subsidy on the basis of the state theaters. Finance Minister Müller refused - "Anyone who believes in the provincial towns that such a 50:50 financing is practicable is overlooking ... that the state theaters have other tasks ... They are top theaters for the whole country that also have to represent externally".

In a questionnaire by the Heilbronner Voice regarding the reconstruction of the city theater in November 1967, 4,286 of 4,515 readers took part, with 2,177 voting for a “reconstruction of the old theater”. "An intimate theater utilizing the old theater building" demanded 1309 readers. 295 wanted a "reconstruction or a small new building". 3714 wanted to found a support association for the reconstruction of the old theater. Heinrich Röhm , who, as head of the municipal building department, led the first reconstruction work on the old theater, represented the cost-saving, intimate form of reconstruction in 1968. He said that "the most important parts of the theater facade of the Fischer Theater should be preserved, even if it was not one of the strongest works by Professor Fischer ..." Röhm justified this solution with the fact that the theater building was a contemporary witness of the city's history and of citizen consciousness is:

“The main parts of the facade were preserved, the interior was modernized… the reason is that a building that is so much a testimony to the city's history and citizens' awareness must be preserved in this form that meets today's requirements… One more proof of the requirement itself to wrestle in Heilbronn to a cost-saving intimate form. "

The reason for the demolition was given by scientific reports, which stated that the building fabric "was so annealed that its durability was limited and the stability of the building was not guaranteed for static reasons". Röhm did not accept the reason given for the insufficient statics:

“ Based on multiple experiences, I am simply suspicious when I hear: 'For static reasons a termination is inevitable' . Aborted, destroyed is done so easily and quickly. Behind this, as in everything that is destructive, there is something fundamentally negative. You have to be fully aware of the responsibility as a master builder, who should be a 'creator of culture' , as to whether the substitute solution that I create in place of what has been destroyed is better for future generations. "

The architect Gerhard Graubner , who advocated the demolition of the old building, did not assess the facade as historic, but merely as a historicizing imitation. Even Theodor Heuss , who had praised the theater at its inauguration, described the old theater as "the only [...] youthful sin of the otherwise outstanding master builder Fischer". When the majority of the readers of Heilbronn's vote voted for the building to be retained, " Mayor Hoffmann countered that politics were not being made in the " oice building, but in the town hall" .

Decision to demolish and blow up (July 18, 1970)

Short film about the preparation of the demolition and the actual demolition

The architect Gerhard Graubner from Hanover visited the theater building in December 1960 and February 1961 and then prepared an expert opinion in which he weighed the reconstruction of the theater against a renovation with possible reuse of old parts of the building. In the report, he refused to rebuild the old building, as the room layout of the old theater no longer meets the technical requirements of modern theaters with the three branches of theater, opera and operetta. Above all, there was a lack of washrooms, workshops and a sufficiently large foyer. At the beginning of 1969, the municipal council approved the drafts for the new building and thus also a schedule up to the demolition of the building. The long planning and decision-making period since the demolition decision in 1961 was also due to the fact that the expansion of the entire Heilbronner Allee was planned at the same time , with the old building standing in the way of a planned street straightening and the new building a few meters in the planning of a new one building shopping center had to be integrated.

The old theater was blown up on July 18, 1970 by the Sprengtechnik company. The cost at that time was DM 126,406. The demolition remained controversial and aroused mixed feelings.

Architecture and furnishings

Pre-war period

Exterior architecture

In its external appearance, the building primarily took up local building traditions, such as elements of the Kilian's Tower as well as the gable forms of the town hall . The theater was on Berliner Platz between Turmstrasse, Oberen Allee and Weinsberger Strasse. The longitudinal axis of the structure was aligned with the middle of Untere Allee. On the west side was the expansion with the magazines, on the north side the stage house with the ancillary rooms and on the south side the auditorium. The building was surrounded by a green area.

The most noticeable design feature was a semicircular porch on the south facade, "that is where the focus of the architecture rested". This porch, located in the central axis of the avenue, to which an outside staircase led, formed the front and the “jewel” of the theater building with stone heads, frescoes and theater sculptures on the window walls .

  • Floor plan and porch

  • Floor plan and location

  • Semicircular stem

Sandstone Figures (JWFehrle + K.Gimmi)
The mask head comes from the window with the dragons , it serves as a tombstone

Two large twin windows flanked the porch on either side. Atlases of the female sex adorned the central mullions of the twin windows. They served as architectural supports for two triangular gables above the windows, which were adorned with small sculptures of mythological mythical creatures such as griffins , pegasus , sphinx , mermaid and aquarius . The sculptures on the reveals also represented mythological creatures such as winged dragons , mermaids , birds of prey , big cats and harpies . All sculptures were based on the model of the "imaginative, demonic ornamentation of the Kilian Tower" by the sculptors Bauer, Gräter and Lehmann from Heilbronn based on models by Fehrle .

The architectural jewelry was often described. The following characterization comes from the former Federal President Theodor Heuss :

“The recognition can then be all the livelier. Above all, it applies to the use of the plastic jewelry on the windows of the facade, which is strong, imaginative and yet not clumsy and presumptuous. The two sculptors Fehrle and Gimmi have created a convincing expression of the builder's ideas. "

- Theodor Heuss : The new theater building.

Six grotesque mask heads by the Heilbronn sculptor Karl Gimmi modeled on ancient Greek actor masks looked down from the parapet of the upper terrace. The upper end of the south facade formed a small Blend gable with the rich urban Adler, modeled on the Renaissance - gable of Heilbronn Town Hall . Below the eagle, the words “Built by the citizens 1912–1913” were carved into the sandstone.

  • Large twin windows flanked the porch on either side.
  • Twin windows on the porch with a larger than life female figure
  • Twin windows on the porch with a larger than life female figure
  • Mythological creatures as sculptures on the window frames

  • Dragons , the mask head was recovered and is now a tombstone.

Frescoes (AH Pellegrini)

The five fields of the attic on the parapet of the terrace showed various frescoes by the Stuttgart painter AH Pellegrini . Each of the five narrow rectangles showed a lying naked figure. The rectangle in the middle showed a left-facing female figure with short, curly hair. The other rectangles showed male figures. The figures in the left rectangles, facing the naked woman's gaze, symbolized emotions such as sensuality and adoration. The right in the woman's back represented emotions of unrequited love , such as despair and resignation. The figures were an allegory on four levels of the unfulfilled desires of male passion.

The delicately designed figures showed "increasing slenderness and elongation". The "open leg position with pronounced calves" gave a clear view of the genitals and emphasized the eroticism of the scene through the developed muscles of the calves. The color scheme of the frescoes was reserved and finely coordinated and harmonized with the yellow sandstone of the building. The frescoes should look like a monument from a distance and be recognizable from afar. The figures were shown larger than life, and the bodies almost completely filled their rectangles. Clear contour lines and a plain background supported their long-distance effect. The frescoes were lost in the post-war period.

  • The five rectangular fields once had allegorical frescoes depicting sensuality, adoration, passion, despair and resignation.

Interior design

The inside of the building could be entered via three main entrances on the south facade, through which one got into the ticket hall with the day and evening box office. To the left and right of this were the entrances to the stairs of the second tier . Two other doors led to the changing rooms of the parquet, from where two staircases on the left and right led to the first tier and two spiral or emergency stairs to the proscenium boxes .

The special architectural charm of the vestibules in the first tier resulted from the interplay of the low room height and umbrella-like or fan- shaped vaults , creating a space that appears free and light. The food and drink counter was located in both corners of the vestibules. The refreshment room, the theater doctor's practice and the right proscenium box could be reached from the vestibules on the right. On the left side, you came to a platform that led to the outside and was intended for use during the breaks.

Foyer bronze figures (JW Fehrle)

The oval foyer was a small ballroom on the first floor above the ticket hall . The walls of this ballroom were covered in dark red-brown with a precious wood wallpaper made of African woods and structured with black and silver profile strips. Showpieces of the interior decoration were the silver-colored lamps and radiator cladding, which underlined the character of the foyer as a ballroom - "a little showpiece of beautiful, elegant festivity". Selected curtains, furniture and bronze figures on black pedestals also enriched the room. During the ten-minute break, it was possible to stay in the smoking room or in the tea room, two small adjoining rooms on both sides of the foyer.

Auditorium decorations (GA Friedrichson + W. Nida-Rümelin + B. Goldschmitt + V. Nagel)

In the auditorium of the old theater there were 648 seats and around 200 standing places. The dimensions of the stage openings were 9 × 6.5, those of the stage 18 × 12.8 × 17, those of the back stage 13 × 5.50 meters. The entire stage area was almost 302 square meters. 45 to 50 musicians found space in the orchestra room, which is partly built under the stage. The auditorium with its numerous boxes created a distinctive sense of space or privacy, depending on the visitor's wishes.

The fine wood wall cladding of the auditorium was based on a veneer technique that was used around 2900 BC. Was invented by the Egyptians. African woods were processed into fine wood veneer . In conjunction with a barrier veneer and 3/4 centimeter thick cork linoleum , this form of wall cladding offered many room design options. Due to its pliability, the veneer adapts to all structural forms and is equally suitable for veneering the parapets as well as for cladding the proscenium frame . The auditorium was worked out and completed like a work of art, with "a lot of passion and love" down to the smallest detail - "a perfect work of art in all pieces"

The designs for the artistic wall decorations in the auditorium came from Gustav Adolf Friedrichson from Dachau. The inlaid work by this artist, which adorned the fine wood veneer of the two parapets, was characterized by a “simple and rich execution”. The opulent ones on the first parapet showed many exotic animals from the rainforests, depicted in an airy manner . In addition to birds such as flamingos , cranes , birds of paradise and pelicans , predators such as lions and leopards were also depicted. Also, monkeys , antelopes , deer and snakes were displayed. The parapets of the second tier, however, were rather simple. The Lauburu was used there in "diverse" forms as a motif for the inlay work. Above the stage, the inlays showed a fountain on which an eagle sat with outspread wings. Water flowed from two tubes into the well basin, in which two small birds bathed. Above it was a quote from Goethe as an inscription: “So old, so young, we are all invited to bathe happily in our ether”.

The stucco ceiling of the auditorium was partly scaled , partly designed as a coffered ceiling based on models by W. Nida-Rümelin , Munich. There were various lighting fixtures made of cut glass on the ceiling. Bruno Goldschmitt (1881–1964) designed the gray stage curtain with flaky aluminum panels. The painting of two birds on the stage curtain, which was supposed to be reminiscent of Egyptian textiles, came from the Munich painter Valentin Nagel.

post war period

Reconstruction of the sculptures (R. Graessle) and their whereabouts

The reconstruction of the damaged theater building began as early as 1947. The mask heads on the parapet that were destroyed in the war were reconstructed by the sculptor Robert Grässle. In the last week of June 1970, the heads of the museum and the city planning office recovered the artistically significant sculptures on the south facade of the theater, including the mask heads, the gable inscription, the sculptures on the window frames, the railing and the sculpture of the imperial city eagle from the theater gable. These were first kept at the Neckargartach stonemason company Hamerla, from there they came to the Alte Kelter on Gymnasiumstraße. Most recently, the sculptures found their place in the basement of the then Neckar Shipping Museum and today's Lapidarium in Frankfurter Straße. A masquerade stone is used as gravestone decoration for Anne and Fritz Wilde in the New Cemetery . The bronze figures of Professor W. Fehrle from the foyer of the old theater were shown in 1974 in the Heilbronn Historical Museum as part of the exhibition “Bloom and Fall of the Old Theater”. The mask heads of Karl Gimmi and Robert Grässle , which have now been painstakingly restored, are exhibited on the terrace of the Heilbronn City Theater .

Reconstruction of the building and the interior (R.Gabel)

After the war, the interior architecture should be restored. On December 15, 1947, Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Gabel was entrusted with the management of the restoration of the theater building (without the stage) including the expansion of the auditorium. The partially reconstructed interior design is described in a report from April 14, 1948:

"The building construction department is in constant touch with the design of the city theater by the government master builder Dr. Fork. According to his information and drafts, it is currently from the plastering school, the ceiling of the cash room, which was completely destroyed, redesigned. The next work is plastering in the western cloakroom. At the same time, the preparations for the restoration or redesign of the ceiling of the auditorium are being made. Dr. Today, Gabel presented preliminary plans at a scale of 1: 100 showing the future layout of the theater. According to these plans, 72 seats (previously 658, now 730) and 30 standing places (previously 200, now 230) would be gained ... "

In a report by Dr. Gabel explains the structural condition, the capacity and the planned design. The two tiers should be made more open without box separations. The parapet of the 2nd tier should be pulled out as far as the parapet of the 1st tier and both should be clad with wood. The walls should be designed without precious wood veneer, with lime and plaster and some figurative decoration. The ceiling of the auditorium should have the shape of a horseshoe, as it was before the war, and be designed with indirect lighting:

Structural condition: The surrounding walls, the reinforced concrete framework of the 1st and 2nd tier and the roof trusses of the completely burned-out auditorium are well preserved. The entire ironwork for the floor covering in the parquet must be removed as far as possible, straightened again and reinstalled. Most of the iron in the ceiling also has to be replaced. Capacity of the auditorium: ... In the first tier, additional seats could be obtained by removing the box partitions, which were not particularly beautiful anyway ... The second tier should be presented against the stage as far as the first tier. From an architectural point of view, this results in a clearer room design ... Planned design: It is planned to finish the auditorium as quickly as possible. It should be used as versatile as possible, namely as a meeting room, concert room (for chamber and symphony orchestras) and also as a theater room. A narrow stage about 5 m wide could be provisionally set up so that the stage building could be built independently of this ... With regard to the architectural design, one is bound to the currently available options. It is now impossible to clad the walls with fine wood veneer. The following building materials come into question: Essentially lime and plaster of paris for walls and ceilings, to a limited extent wood for the doors and parapets of the tiers, brass or copper for lighting, ventilation grilles and the like. If the walls need to be structured, they can be colored, possibly figurative jewelry in question. Due to the existing iron construction, the ceiling of the auditorium should again be designed as a Rabitz ceiling. It is planned to provide the large inner horseshoe, which is the same as the parapet of the first tier, with indirect lighting. This light would be particularly recommended for a theater because it looks calm and festive. "

On June 8, 1950, the old theater was granted funding. On August 1, 1950, the building department architect Dr. To commission Gabel with the planning of the roofing of the stage house and the planning of the Schnürboden in the city theater. On January 29, 1951, the stage was given a roof. In September 1955, the stage and auditorium were still a heap of rubble when the members of the Small Theater symbolically began to build a theater wall on the stage. After a renovation between 1953 and 1961, the foyer served as a lending library and catalog room with 5,000 volumes of the dissolved America House. The rooms, which were partially destroyed in the war and then reconstructed, were finally destroyed by the blast in 1970.

Art historical significance

The architect Theodor Fischer emphasized the origins of the building from the Romantic era in the sense of a "passionate [...] also national movement ", whereby "a real citizen and city theater, namely a theater of the old city of Heilbronn should be created". When the building was inaugurated, Theodor Heuss recognized primarily local building traditions in its architecture, as can also be found on the Kiliansturm and on the gable forms of the town hall. The resumption of the local building tradition does not take place as a continuation of historicism ("historical dubiousness"), but in free development of it.

"It is not a building that could just as easily stand in Königsberg or Mainz, in Breslau or Würzburg, but rather it seeks connection to the building traditions of our country, which are not further developed with historical concern but with free impartiality [...] something in the exterior was used in ornamental form, evokes the memory of the easy and imaginative invention of that time, since the stimulus of the Italian style revolution at the beginning of the 16th century in the southern German sandstone cities were fruitful. It is not difficult to discover the echoes of the shape that created our wonderful Kiliansturm in the artistic decoration of the facade [...] "

- Theodor Heuss

The building is assigned to the Art Nouveau. Furthermore, on the eve of the First World War in Heilbronn, it is considered to be “probably the most important building” of an era in which moderately modern construction was carried out. It is also considered a "significant architectural work" by Theodor Fischer as a representative of the Stuttgart School . As a "high-quality supraregional building", the building was of supraregional importance due to its high-quality architecture.

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literature

  • Bauer, Robert: The building history. Neckar-Zeitung (special edition for the inauguration of the Heilbronn City Theater) from September 30, 1913.
  • Bruckmann, Peter: Theodor Fischer. Neckar-Zeitung (special edition for the inauguration of the Heilbronn City Theater) from September 30, 1913.
  • Fischer, Theodor: Thoughts on the architecture of the theater. In: Hugo Licht, Das Stadttheater in Heilbronn (special print o. Edition of the magazine for architecture and building "Der Profanbau") Verlag JJ Arnd, Leipzig 1913, p. 3 f.
  • Fekete, Julius: Art and cultural monuments in the city and district of Heilbronn , Theiss, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-8062-1662-2 .
  • Fix, Marianne, Back in the Center: In the City Theater (1953–1961) , in: City of Heilbronn (Ed.), 100 Years of Heilbronn City Library (Festschrift for the 100th anniversary of the Heilbronn City Library in 2003), Heilbronn 2003. (PDF- File; 1.75 MB)
  • Graubner, Gerhard: Expert opinion on the theater building in Heilbronn , Hanover 1961.
  • Haldy, Herbert: Theater Heilbronn , Heilbronn 1982.
  • Heuss, Theodor: The new theater building. Neckar-Zeitung (special edition for the inauguration of the Heilbronn City Theater) from September 30, 1913.
  • Hildebrandt, Hans: The new theater in Heilbronn , 2nd morning paper of the Frankfurter Zeitung from October 1, 1913.
  • Jacobi, Uwe, That was the 20th century in Heilbronn , Heilbronn 2001.
  • Kühle, E., Das neue Stadttheater in Heilbronn , 4th sheet of the WZ, No. 226, from September 27, 1913.
  • Krusemarck (city archivist): From the history of the Heilbronn theater. In: Stadttheater Heilbronn (Festschrift for the 25th anniversary, published by the artistic director of the Stadttheater Heilbronn, compilation by Dr. Erich Ziemann), Heilbronn 1938.
  • Lattner, Bernhard / Hennze, Joachim: Silent contemporary witnesses. 500 years of Heilbronn architecture , Heilbronn 2005.
  • Leber, Claudia Giani: Five lying nudes on the porch of the Stadttheater in Heilbronn aN, 1913. In: Claudia Giani Leber: Alfred Heinrich Pellegrini 1881–1958 and the Hölzel School (with special consideration of the wall painting) , Basel 1988.
  • Licht, Hugo: Das Stadttheater in Heilbronn (special edition from the journal for architecture and building "Der Profanbau") Verlag JJ Arnd, Leipzig 1913.
  • Putlitz, Joachim zu : The Stuttgarter Hofbühne and Heilbronn. Neckar-Zeitung (special edition for the inauguration of the Heilbronn City Theater) from September 30, 1913.
  • Renz, Alexander / Schlösser, Susanne: Chronicle of the city of Heilbronn. Volume VI: 1945–1951 , Heilbronn 1995.
  • Renz, Alexander / Schlösser, Susanne: Chronicle of the city of Heilbronn. Volume VII: 1952-1957 , Heilbronn 1996.
  • Scherer (Stadtbaurat a. D.): The building history of the Heilbronner Stadttheater. In: Stadttheater Heilbronn (Festschrift for the 25th anniversary, published by the artistic director of the Stadttheater Heilbronn, compilation by Dr. Erich Ziemann), Heilbronn 1938.
  • Scherer, G .: Description of the building and its facilities. In: Hugo Licht, Das Stadttheater in Heilbronn (special print o. Edition of the magazine for architecture and building "Der Profanbau") Verlag JJ Arnd, Leipzig 1913, p. 3 f.
  • Schmolz, Helmut / Weckbach, Hubert: Heilbronn - The old city in words and pictures (1st volume), Heilbronn 1966.
  • Schmolz, Helmut / Weckbach, Hubert: Heilbronn - The old city in words and pictures (2nd volume), Heilbronn 1967.
  • City of Heilbronn (Ed.): Address book of the city of Heilbronn 1954 (based on official documents, published by the city of Heilbronn am Neckar. Edited by the Office for Statistics).
  • Ziemann, Erich: Twenty-five years of the Heilbronn City Theater (1913/1938). In: Stadttheater Heilbronn (Festschrift for the 25th anniversary, published by the artistic director of the Stadttheater Heilbronn, compilation by Dr. Erich Ziemann), Heilbronn 1938.

Archival material

  • Stadtarchiv Heilbronn B039-234, “Stadttheater, 1945, among other things: Correspondence with the ensemble member Raymond Ritter, use of the theater building (with plans), securing of the theater fund, closure order from May 15th, invitation to the opening evening of the Heilbronner Künstler-Theater in the Trappensee-Saal on November 14, 1945 "
  • Stadtarchiv Heilbronn B035-125, "Old City Theater, 1946-1949, plans, accommodation of the construction office, renewal of 2 masks by the sculptor Robert Gräßle, report on the reconstruction by the architect R. Gabel"
  • City archive Heilbronn B039-237 "City theater, 1948, among other things: reconstruction work on the theater ruins , bankruptcy of the Heilbronn theater and resignation of director Eberhard Schmohl, foundation of the New Theater Heilbronn under Fritz Wilde"
  • City archive Heilbronn B039-239 "Donations and events for the benefit of the reconstruction of the city theater 1948-1969, including: artist festivals of the art association, proposal of a theatrical dime, press balls of the Heilbronn voice 1948 and 1949"
  • Stadtarchiv Heilbronn B039-244, "Stadttheater, 1955, among other things: Comments on the memorandum on the subsidized stages and the planned city hall"
  • Stadtarchiv Heilbronn B039-245 "Stadttheater 1956-1957, among other things: Application of the small theater HN for the creation of a new costume fund, submission of the regional association BW of the Democratic Cultural Association of Germany to the state parliament for increasing the state subsidies for the city theater"
  • Stadtarchiv Heilbronn B039-246, "Stadttheater, 1958-1959, among other things: Thoughts on the theater (construction) question, proposal from Baurat Röhm to rebuild the city theater, considerations for a theater raffle 1957-1961"
  • City archive Heilbronn B035-126 "Reconstruction or new construction of the city theater (remaining files) 1960-1962, including: plans of the existing and new building 1: 100, draft of the Graubner report, reconstruction sketches by building councilor Röhm, proposal by architects Schmeisser"
  • Stadtarchiv Heilbronn B039-550 / B039-551 / B039-552 "Stadttheater, 1962, considerations for the reconstruction or new building (including theater discussion in GR, public differences with the BDA chamber group HN (Gabel, Schmeisser, Beutinger), architectural contract with Prof. Graubner, newspaper clippings) "
  • City Archives Heilbronn A034-3504, "Berliner Platz 1 (City Theater), 1964-1970, City of Heilbronn, new building city theater (1st building application with the Graubner - not built in this form, demolition of the Old Theater (with expert opinion on the statics and stability of the stage house 1968 - with photos)) "
  • Stadtarchiv Heilbronn B039-557, "Stadttheater, 1967-1969, new building planning or question of preservation of the old theater (including many newspaper clippings, GR consultations)"
  • Stadtarchiv Heilbronn E005-1586-0, "Stadttheater Heilbronn Reconstruction of 2nd floor (keywords: Theater Berliner Platz, reconstruction plan) Röhm Building Authority 1960"
  • Stadtarchiv Heilbronn E005-1578-0, "Stadttheater Heilbronn view from the south (keywords: Theater Berliner Platz, reconstruction plan) Building Office H. Röhm July 27, 1960, front view with stairs and balcony"
  • Stadtarchiv Heilbronn E005-1577-0, "Stadttheater Heilbronn view from the west" (Keywords: Theater Berliner Platz, reconstruction plan) Building Office H. Röhm June 16, 1960 "
  • Stadtarchiv Heilbronn E005-1576-0, "Stadttheater Heilbronn Dachgeschoß " (keywords: Theater Berliner Platz, reconstruction plan) Building Office H. Röhm April 5, 1960 "
  • Stadtarchiv Heilbronn E005-1575-0, "Stadttheater Heilbronn 2nd upper floor" (keywords: Theater Berliner Platz, reconstruction plan) Building Department H. Röhm April 5, 1960 "
  • Stadtarchiv Heilbronn D011-100, "Thoughts [from BM Fuchs] on the building of the theater and the establishment of the Theater-Förder-Verein, duration 1969-1977, 1989, remarks on the conflict [from BM Fuchs] with Mayor Hoffmann with associated newspaper cuttings and letters"

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Herbert Haldy (Ed.): Stadttheater Heilbronn: for the opening on November 16, 1982. Heilbronn 1982, p. 8.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Heuss: Der neue Theaterbau , p. 2 and Schmolz / Weckbach (1966), No. 56, p. 45
  3. ↑ a b Lattner / Hennze, Stille Zeitzeugen , p. 50 f .: “Build! is the demand of the hour, building in the spiritual as well as in the material sense "- On the way to modernity:
  4. ↑ a b Fekete, art and cultural monuments… , p. 19 f: - Modernism
  5. ↑ a b Fekete, art and cultural monuments…. P. 21.
  6. ↑ Fekete, Denkmaltopographie, p. 48
  7. ↑ a b c Scherer, The building history of the Heilbronner Stadttheater , p. 8 f.
  8. ^ Krusemarck: From the history of the Heilbronner theater. P. 19 “The old junk box no longer fits into the new era, into modern Heilbronn with its many beautiful buildings, into the flourishing, proud commercial and industrial city.” W. Widmann, a writer from Stuttgart, also gave this in Heilbronn prevailing opinion in 1906 in the Neckar newspaper again: "The old junk box no longer fits into the new era."
  9. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Bauer, Die Baugeschichte , p. 2 f.
  10. ^ Scherer: The building history of the Heilbronn city theater.
  11. ↑ Article in the Heilbronner Voice of Wednesday, October 15, 2003 by Kilian Krauth, No. 238, p. 19: Fischer's Art Nouveau Theater stood for Heilbronn citizenship before and after the war - Voice Architecture Series Part 2: Resonance the sense of form of the Kiliansturm
  12. ^ Renz, Alexander / Schlösser, Susanne, Chronicle of the City of Heilbronn. Volume VI: 1945–1951 , Heilbronn 1995, image no. 14 [The destroyed city theater] Alfred Birkle: Contributions to the history of the police in the city and in the district of Heilbronn after the Second World War . In: Yearbook for Swabian-Franconian History . Volume 33. Heilbronn Historical Association, Heilbronn 1994, image no. 97 [2. Police station, city theater]
  13. ↑ a b c d Will Heilbronn now also build its theater? Auditorium is ready to be built. In: Heilbronn voice . No. 167 , July 22, 1950, p. 10 .
  14. ↑ a b

    " Altes Stadttheater, 1946-1949, B035 - Hochbauamt (HBA): Contains plans, accommodation of the construction office, renewal of 2 masks by the sculptor Robert Gräßle, report on the reconstruction by the architect R. Gabel "

    - Heilbronn city archive, HEUSS database , expert search mask (then click on the magnifying glass symbol ) Signature: B035-125.
  15. ↑

    " Beginning of dating: beginning of the roofing of the city theater ruins in November 1947 "

    - Labeling of a photograph of the covered city theater from the Heilbronn city archive, signature F003-M_0004-1241 (Heuss database) on the HEUSS database, enter the signature: "F003-M_0004-1241" in the signature in the expert search mask.
  16. ↑ Alexander Renz, Susanne, locks: Chronicle of the city of Heilbronn. Volume VI: 1945-1951. Heilbronn 1995, p. 314.
  17. ↑ a b Renz / Schlösser, Chronik Heilbronn… 1945–1951 , p. 407
  18. ↑ a b c d Renz / Schlösser, Chronik Heilbronn… 1945–1951 , p. 472
  19. ^ Address book of the city of Heilbronn 1954, Introduction - Reconstruction - Further buildings
  20. ↑ a b Heilbronn Voice, date of issue: January 30, 1951, number: 24, p. 3, article: The stage is covered
  21. ↑ a b City of Heilbronn (ed.): Address book of the city of Heilbronn 1954 , I. Heilbronn under reconstruction - Further buildings - The district heating system
  22. ↑ Renz / Schlösser, Chronik Heilbronn… 1945–1951 , p. 521 and p. 522:
  23. ↑ City of Heilbronn (ed.): Address book of the city of Heilbronn 1954 , I. Heilbronn under reconstruction - further buildings - town hall
  24. ↑ a b Article in the Heilbronner Voice of September 28, 1955, No. 227, p. 3 Conference of the theater spirits in the old Heilbronner theater building - Spook at midnight in the city theater
  25. ↑ Uwe Jacobi: A generation's attitude to life: The 50s in Heilbronn and the region. Volume II. Wartberg Verlag. 1st edition 2002. ISBN 3-8313-1035-1 : Fascination of Ballet p. 47.
  26. ↑ Article in the Heilbronner Voice of June 21, 1968, No. 140, p. 9: New life through "studio stage" in the old city theater - Intendant Bison: "Provocation and Experiment" / studio stage of Heilbronner Theater GmbH / Board of Directors decides
  27. ↑ Renz / Schlösser, Chronik Heilbronn… 1952–1957 , p. 82
  28. ↑ Renz / Schlösser, Chronik Heilbronn… 1952–1957 , p. 88
  29. ↑ Renz / Schlösser, Chronik Heilbronn… 1952–1957 , p. 104
  30. ^ Fix, Again in the Center: Im Stadttheater (1953–1961) , p. 32 f.
  31. ↑ a b “Despite the heat and holidays, 113 books in one day. Heilbronn City Library 1949–1960: Bertha Danner's Notes ”, in: Schwaben und Franken , 40th year number 6/7 / July 1994, from p. 3
  32. ↑ Renz / Schlösser, Chronik Heilbronn… 1952–1957 , p. 422
  33. ^ Birkle, Alfred: Contributions to the history of the police in the city and district of Heilbronn after the Second World War. In: Historischer Verein Heilbronn, 15th Yearbook for Swabian-Franconian History 33 (1994), p. 242
  34. ↑

    “From the outside, you can see little of the destruction of the old theater, which is used in a variety of ways ... Here it is haunted in 1955: Impatient 'theater spirits' begin with the reconstruction: With a midnight spectacle of the 'theater spirits', members of the small theater demand the local politicians and the Kulturmacher to rebuild the old theater. The scene of the ghostly scene are the rubble of the auditorium in the old theater on the avenue. As the finale of the spook, the theater ghosts resort to self-help and start building a theater wall ... "

    - Jacobi, That was the 20th century in Heilbronn , p. 59
  35. ^ Jacobi, That was the 20th century in Heilbronn, p. 61
  36. ↑ Heilbronn City Archives B039-239 "Donations and events in favor of the reconstruction of the city theater 1948-1969, including: artist festivals of the Kunstverein, suggestion of a theatrical dime, press balls of the Heilbronner Voice 1948 and 1949"
  37. ↑ Article in the Heilbronner Voice of February 28, 1966, No. 48, p. 9 by Rudi Fritz Inside the old city theater, the beautiful illusions quickly vanish. A sobering tour of the Volksbühne through the remains of the Fischer building / More than just a contribution to the revived theater discussion
  38. ↑ fhu .: No 50% state subsidy for municipal theaters. Finance Minister Dr. Müller and Professor Erbe reject proposals from Ulm. In: Heilbronn voice . No. 223 , September 26, 1964, pp. 11 .
  39. ^ Jacobi, That was the 20th century in Heilbronn, p. 71
  40. ↑ Heilbronner Voice of August 28, 2004 No. 199, p. 34, title from the Heilbronn series yesterday-today voice series by Uwe Jacobi, part (10th) Theater ums Theater
  41. ↑ a b Saturday, March 9th . In: Heilbronn voice . March 13, 1968, p. 9 .
  42. ↑ a b Article in Heilbronner Voice of November 2, 2002, No. 254, p. 20: The second destruction from the Heilbronner Voice series by Uwe Jacobi: Hurray, we did it! The 1950s in the Heilbronn region
  43. ↑ thu: " Forsaken by all good spirits?" Building fabric that is valuable in terms of town history is to be saved for the future . In: Heilbronn voice . January 30, 1974, p. 15/16 .
  44. ↑ Erwin Fuchs, Mayor of Culture of Heilbronn 1964–79 in: 1250 years Heilbronn , Theodor-Heuss-Gymnasium 1990/91
  45. ↑ Uwe Jacobi: That was the 20th century in Heilbronn , Heilbronn 2001, p. 74.
  46. ↑ Article in the Stuttgarter Zeitung of September 30, 1983: 70 years ago today
  47. ^ Article in Heilbronner Voice of August 28, 2004, No. 199, p. 34: Theater ums Theater
  48. ↑ a b Reitmann, Die Allee in Heilbronn. Functional change in a street , p. 39
  49. ↑ Article in Heilbronner Voice of May 13, 1970, No. 108, p. 10: The old city theater is being torn down
  50. ↑ Article in the Heilbronner Voice by Jürgen Becker of September 11, 1999, No. 210, p. 19: Nobody would blow up the theater today
  51. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Schmolz / Weckbach (1966), No. 56, p. 45.
  52. ↑ a b c d e f g Scherer: Description of the building and its facilities. P. 3 f.
  53. ^ Schmolz / Weckbach, 1966
  54. ↑ a b Article in Heilbronner Voice of December 30, 2000, No. 301, p. 33: Neues Theater an der Allee
  55. ↑ Article in Heilbronner Voice of January 29, 1969, No. 23, p. 11
  56. ↑ a b c d e f g h Leber, Five lying nudes on the porch of the city theater in Heilbronn ... , p. 140 f.
  57. ^ Heuss: The new theater building. P. 2 f.
  58. ^ A b Heuss: The new theater building. P. 2
  59. ^ Heuss: The new theater building. P. 2: "extensive, spacious feeling"
  60. ^ Heuss: The new theater building. P. 2: "civil intimacy"
  61. ↑ Scherer, The Building History of the Heilbronner Stadttheater, p. 8 f.
  62. ↑ a b c d e Schmolz, Weckbach: Heilbronn - The old city in words and pictures. Volume 2, No. 67, 1967, p. 45.
  63. ↑ Theater Duisburg, Großer Saal ( Memento of the original from June 14, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , on www. duisburg.de, accessed on June 11, 2011  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.duisburg.de
  64. ↑ Article in Heilbronner Voice of February 14, 1970, N. 37, p. 15: From my notebook: Wednesday, February 11
  65. ↑ Article in Heilbronner Voice of April 18, 1987, No. 90, p. 15: Theater sculptures are waiting for a more valued future - sandstone heads are stored in the old dairy farm
  66. ^ Kilian Krauth: What the Heilbronn War left over . In: Heilbronn voice . December 4, 2009 ( from Stimme.de [accessed December 5, 2009]).
  67. ↑ Weekly supplement to the Heilbronner Voice of February 23, 1974, No. 8, p. 1 by Jachim Schweller: Auf Heilbronner boards - on the exhibition "Bloom and Fall of the Old Theater"
  68. ↑ sprache.de  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.stimme.de  
  69. ↑ a b StadtA HN, B39-249
  70. ↑ StadtA HN, B35-125
  71. ^ City of Heilbronn (ed.): Address book of the city of Heilbronn 1954 , I. Heilbronn under reconstruction - further buildings
  72. ↑ a b Jacobi, That was the 20th century in Heilbronn, p. 59
  73. ↑ sprache.de  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. foyer@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.stimme.de  
  74. ↑ Festschrift of the city library. Chronicle of the city library: Back in the center: In the city theater 1953–1961 Marianne Fix, page 32
  75. ^ Fischer: Thoughts on the architecture of the theater

Web links

Commons : Altes Theater  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 49 ° 8 ′ 44.5 ″  N , 9 ° 13 ′ 23.5 ″  E