Karl-Marx-Allee 33 (north side)
Construction period: 1961–1964
Architecture: Josef Kaiser collective
Cast stone relief: Waldemar Grzimek (design), Karl-Heinz Schamal, Hubert Schiefelbein (production)
Elegant cinema for premières
Opened in 1963, the large cinema with space for up to 550 cinema-goers, was a highlight in the social centre of the residential area built between Strausberger Platz and Alexanderplatz from 1959 to 1964. It is an icon of 1960s architecture.
The cinema theatre was on the upper floor, extending far beyond the area of the ground floor. The elegant glass façade of the foyer, the golden neon sign and the traditionally hand-painted cinema poster are unique.
The three windowless façades feature 14 extensive cast stone reliefs. They tell stories ‘From the lives of modern people’ in socialism, depicting scenes from the worlds of work, leisure, sport and culture.
The entrance, foyer and cinema theatre, with its undulating acoustic ceiling, are considered among the most impressive interiors of the early 1960s.