Astoria (Bremen)

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The Astoria was a well-known variety theater in Bremen , in which international stars performed.

history

In 1908 the restaurateur Emil Fritz (1877–1954) leased a restaurant on Katharinenstrasse that owned a variety concession and was operated by the hotelier Tobeck. After months of renovation according to plans by the architect Joseph Ostwald , Fritz opened his vaudeville on September 5, 1908 and named the establishment "Astoria" - based on the New York Waldorf-Astoria . He bought outbuildings and expanded the business by 1929 to include several lounges and a hall for the variety theater. By 1944, the Bremen Varieté had developed into a renowned address for national and international stars such as Claire Waldoff and Otto Reutter . Prominent guests were: Heinrich George , Emil Jannings , Otto Fee , Theo Lingen , Rudolf Caracciola , Lotte Werkmeister , Willy Birgel and Carl Raddatz .

The Astoria was completely destroyed in the British air raid on Bremen on October 6, 1944.

After the war, the 73-year-old rebuilt the company. After opening in 1950, the company quickly regained its old reputation. The Astoria now comprised the variety hall, a “Bodega”, the “Gypsy Cellar”, the “Pilsener-Urquell Stube”, the “Arizona Bar” and the “Klosterkeller”. It again became a renowned address for national and international stars like Zarah Leander , Marika Rökk , Heinz Erhardt and Trude Herr and those who wanted to become one like Udo Jürgens or Siegfried and Roy .

After the death of the company founder on July 25, 1954, the son Wolfgang Fritz and his stepmother Elisabeth Fritz continued the business. In 1959, Wolfgang Fritz left his father's business and went into business for himself. Lothar Gräbs became the managing director . Elisabeth Fritz had to close the Astoria on New Year's Eve 1967/68 due to declining visitor numbers. She then sold the property to the Beck & Co. brewery . Today the property belongs to the Bremer Landesbank Kreditanstalt Oldenburg - Girozentrale , which has built its extension there.

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Weser-Kurier of September 4, 2008, p. 10.
  2. ↑ Bremer Anzeiger from April 20, 2008.
  3. ↑ Astoria: Once upon a time there was a variety show in Bremen. In: rolfwolle.de. Archived from the original on February 19, 2015 ; Retrieved January 19, 2015 .
  4. ^ Herbert Black Forest: The Great Bremen Lexicon. Volume 1: A-K. 2nd, updated, revised and expanded edition. Edition Temmen, Bremen 2003, ISBN 3-86108-693-X , p. 43.
  5. ↑ Radio Bremen: "Our Astoria" //de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Defekte_Weblinks&dwl= http://www.radiobremen.de/magazin/geschichte/astoria/ Page no longer available ] , Search in web archives: [ http://timetravel.mementoweb.org/list/2010/http://www.radiobremen.de/magazin/geschichte/astoria/@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.radiobremen.de
  6. ↑ WESER-KURIER January 21, 2013, District Courier Mitte, page 4
  7. ^ Marie-Luise Scherer: Bremen's brave vicious cave closed. In: zeit.de . January 12, 1968, archived from the original on February 20, 2016 ; Retrieved January 19, 2015 .

Coordinates: 53 ° 4 ′ 39 ″  N , 8 ° 48 ′ 30 ″  E