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room, which has also been restored to virtually its original condition, are the carefully inlaid gold cornicing on the ceiling as well as decorations on the walls through the wooden columns. Two large French doors provide access to the
Meistersaal that has a 4 x 6 m stage built-in with two adjacent dressing rooms over two floors. The original fixed rows of seating were lost during or shortly before the end of the Second World War and were not replaced. Since its reopening in 1994 the Meistersaal has been equipped with a modern lighting and PA system which had to be carefully installed given its protected status. The most recent renovation work was carried out in spring 2009 and completed n the middle of the same year.
386:. He also went on to perform here himself for a period of time. The programmes concentrated on piano and choral evenings, theatre pieces and readings. However, without state support it was unable to pay for itself. Towards the end of 2002 Mr Lutz left the Meistersaal and was superseded by the auctioneer Mark Karhausen; Although his reign, as it were, was fairly short lived too, spanning some six years. In February 2009, after a further phase of technical refurbishment, the Meistersaal was re-opened for a third time, this time through the auspices of BESL Business Event Services & Locations GmbH. Since then the Meistersaal has been run as an event location and platform for cultural events. And after
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commemorative brochure from the original opening of the
Meistersaal from 1913 came to light showing pictures of the rooms in their original condition. Although most of the work was almost finished by then certain areas had to be completely changed to remain true to the original. From October 1994 the Meistersaal was under the directorship of Kurt Lutz, co-founder of the "Berliner Globe Theatre" which had been located in what was previously the
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was split in the course of the restoration work and replaced as a mirrored door to allow access to the staircase. The Foyer allows access to the
Meistersaal and to the toilets, also to the smoker’s lounge and the Green Salon as well as to the Meistersaal’s kitchen. The floor area of the Foyer covers 90 sq metres. During its times as "Ballhaus Susi" there was also a dedicated "Beer Buffet" bar as well as a "Liquor buffet".
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to the first floor lobby which itself leads to the
Meistersaal and the adjacent GrĂĽner Salon. The 79 sq metre GrĂĽner Salon is the official bar area of the Meistersaal complete with fixed bar-counter. Toilets can be found on both ground floor and first floor and after a general smoking ban was introduced in 2009 a smokers lounge was created next to the GrĂĽner Salon.
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that only came to light during the restoration work and has subsequently itself been the subject of restoration. In the middle of the room there is a golden board with the signs of the companies residing in the building. To the right is a large mirror. Previously there was a small house for the concierge that was most probably removed during restoration.
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cloakroom has been split by the building of a wall and now forms part of the restaurant adjacent to the
Meistersaal. According to the original floor plans the ground floor contained only a ladies toilet; a gentleman’s toilet has subsequently been added. The ground floor also was home to the cashier’s desk but that is now no longer recognisable today.
136:, a feat that aided considerably his subsequent fame and popularity. During the night from the 22 to 23 November 1943 the rear wing of the building was completely destroyed by an allied bombing attack. The Meistersaal itself remained relatively intact although during the war no further events took place here.
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The
Meistersaal-Ensemble with its associated rooms today extends over two floors and covers a total area of some 650 sq metres, of which 266 sq metres is the Meistersaal itself (including stage). On the ground floor the foyer and cloakroom are located. Leading up from here is the staircase
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and owner of the building, decided to return the
Meistersaal as near as possible to its original condition and run it as an event location. The restoration work began on 1 March 1993 and lasted 18 months, more than twice as long as originally intended. One of the main reasons for this was that a
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staged frequent performances in the
Meistersaal. As a result of some rather controversial exhibitions held in the ground floor gallery, which took a critical look at social issues of the times and gained some notoriety in Berlin, The Guild of Masons, who considered themselves to be representatives of
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From studying the photos found in the original commemorative brochure for the opening of the
Meistersaal the Lobby has been re-built faithful to its original appearance. A distinctive feature of the Lobby alongside the many cornicing decorations on the ceiling are the two large mirrors, although one
157:. It continued in this guise until the erecting of the Berlin wall in 1961 which brought about an abrupt end to activities. Its location which once placed it at the epi-centre of a bourgeoning capital city, now left it high and dry, cut off from its public, at the centre only of a political dispute.
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that was written and recorded here during the spell he lived in Berlin. The
Meistersaal was known across the globe in music circles as "The big hall by the wall" or "the studio by the wall". These days visitors can experience some of the history for themselves by taking part in guided tours through
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The façade of the Meistersaal was restored in a strictly neo-classic style. Six period Ionian columns separate the northern part of the building from the rest. Within the frieze directly above the columns, the name and year of the association is engraved into the columns in triangular gables. Today
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The bar area of the Meistersaal covers 79 sq metres which was then renamed as the Green Hall subsequent to the renovation work and then later re-christened as Green Salon. It is tastefully decorated in green throughout including the fixed bar counter. The ceiling is also decorated with period
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The entrance area, originally known as the vestibules, is distinctive with its dark marble cladding and heralds the entrance to the foyer and the Meistersaal as well as providing access to the staircase and lifts to the offices. On the left hand side there is a display cabinet from the Meistersaal
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In 1945 the Guild was dispossessed by the Allied forces. The building was put under marshal ownership and after some essential renovation work the building was used mostly as a concert hall under different forms of management whilst on the ground floor a cinema was introduced. Although attempts to
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and at the same time (ref History of the Köthener Straße) one of the few remaining concert and dance halls from the golden 20s of Berlin. Although the golden era of the Meistersaal was during the epic times after 1961 when it was used as a recording studio. The scenery, created through the unique
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One of the most striking constructional features of the Meistersaal, which was originally conceived as a chamber music concert hall, is its 7 metre high wooden coffered ceiling – inspired by the old Berlin Philharmony concert hall. Further architectural characteristics to be found within the
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38, with the view to building there a head office for the association. After three years of construction the building was completed with offices for the association together with some solicitors' offices as well as a bookshop and was officially opened by the association’s chairman, Otto Heuer, in
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The Foyer together with its staircase as it exists today was originally foreseen as a lobby area to the Meistersaal. When comparing to the original floor plans from 1913 one can ascertain that this part of the building has undergone the most constructional changes. A large part of the former
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The falling of the Berlin Wall in 1989 meant the Meistersaal was back in the throng of things and lost some of the advantage it had had for recording music. Concurrently, the overall demand for recording studios of this kind was also in decline, meaning
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cornicing. In the 50s the Green Salon was used as a restaurant for guests to the Ball House. During 1961 to 1990 the Green Salon was used as the editor’s suite for the recording studios and was connected via cameras to the Meistersaal.
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atmosphere of the recording studios and through its location in the immediate vicinity of the Berlin Wall, is especially attractive and inspiring to Anglo-American artists. The most famous example is the song "
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In 2018, the story of Meistersaal featured within the documentary feature by filmmaker Mike Christie titled 'Hansa Studios: By The Wall 1976-90' which aired across Europe on Sky Arts and Sky Arte.
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October 1913. Even in its early days many small meetings and concerts were held within its 266-square-metre (2,860 sq ft) chamber music room located at the building's centre. The name
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studios. Many of the bomb-damaged rooms were renovated and converted to meet the demands of a recording studio. A restaurant opened on the ground floor, whereas the Meistersaal was reborn as
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was first coined as part of the invitation for tender for the project. The room found further use as the venue for the graduation ceremonies of the newly qualified guildsmen.
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In the 1920s the Meistersaal started to build a reputation for itself amongst the blooming artistic scene in Berlin. On the ground floor of the building the publishers
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widerruflich die Genehmigung erteilt, seine Vorführungen auf der Bühne mit brennenden Zigaretten, die mit Streichhölzern angezündet werden, vorzutragen
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establish the Meistersaal as a theatre failed to make an impact, the venue became popular for cabaret performers for example the famous magician
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used the Meistersaal as a recording studio. Amongst the famous artists of this epoque who recorded here were the composer and conductor
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637:, Oliver Glasenapp in der Berliner Zeitung Nr.196, unbekanntes Datum, unbekannte Seite, ca.1990, Quelle: Meistersaal Privatarchiv
34:, Germany. Built in 1910 as a chamber music concert hall, the building today enjoys protected building status. It is located in
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became no longer economically feasible and was closed. However, it went out with a bang as the last production done there was
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you can see the word "Meistersaal" engraved in the frieze whilst the newly created gables are without writing or decoration.
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From 1933 the State Chamber Music Orchestra held their concerts in the Meistersaal and in 1936 the Chilean pianist
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In zwei Schreiben vom 6. April 1948 und vom 13. April 1948 wird dem Zauberer Marvelli vom Polizeipräsidium Berlin
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to name but a few. Rubbing shoulders with the international stars were the local heroes of the time, including
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Furthermore, stars of the nascent silver screen made regular appearances here such as the silent film actor
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In 2018, Italian band Decibel recorded part of their music video for "Fuori dal tempo" in the Meistersaal.
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In August 2019, Netflix filmed scenes of an open chess tournament set in a 1960s Cincinnati hotel for
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house was forced to find new premises in 1926. Today their presence here is commemorated by a plaque.
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Broschüre zur Wiedereröffnung des Meistersaals, Meisel Musikverlag, Berlin, 1. Auflage 1994, S. 10.
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Broschüre zur Wiedereröffnung des Meistersaals, Meisel Musikverlag, Berlin, 1. Auflage 1994, S. 5–8
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Broschüre zur Wiedereröffnung des Meistersaals, Meisel Musikverlag, Berlin, 1. Auflage 1994, S. 21
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Broschüre zur Wiedereröffnung des Meistersaals, Meisel Musikverlag, Berlin, 1. Auflage 1994, S. 17
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Broschüre zur Wiedereröffnung des Meistersaals, Meisel Musikverlag, Berlin, 1. Auflage 1994, S. 15
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Broschüre zur Wiedereröffnung des Meistersaals, Meisel Musikverlag, Berlin, 1. Auflage 1994, S.18
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The Meistersaal is one of the remaining buildings in the Köthener Straße that had survived the
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conservative morality, refused to extend the leases to their unpopular tenants. Therefore, the
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In April 2009, Swedish band Kent recorded their 8th studio album "Röd" in the Meistersaal.
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Zentralblatt fĂĽr das deutsche Baugewerbe, Nummer 41 vom 10. Oktober 1913, S. 330.
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Also in 2018, the supergroup Hollywood Vampires recorded a Cover of David Bowies
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Zentralblatt fĂĽr das deutsche Baugewerbe, Nummer 41 vom 10. Oktober 1913, S.1 ff
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bought the entire building in the Köthener Straße 38 and created within it five
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Zentralblatt fĂĽr das deutsche Baugewerbe, Nummer 41 vom 10. Oktober 1913, S.333
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Zentralblatt fĂĽr das deutsche Baugewerbe, Nummer 41 vom 10. Oktober 1913, S.345
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in the Meistersaal and recorded some parts of the music video there too.
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Baupolizeilich geprĂĽfter Lage- und Bestuhlungsplan vom 18. August 1953
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held a series of concerts here performing the entire piano works of
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Die Legende ist am Ende – Im Hansa-Studio 2 wird der Ton abgedreht
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Abenteuer Kultur: Auktionator bespielt den alten Meistersaal
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1933–1945: National Socialistic times and the 2nd World War
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418:Front view of the Meistersaal today
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239:David Bowie
78:Meistersaal
28:Meistersaal
813:13°22′37″E
810:52°30′22″N
555:References
491:Importance
410:The facade
366:Since 1991
342:Jack White
326:Ute Lemper
295:Nina Hagen
275:Supergrass
191:René Kollo
187:Erika Köth
436:The Foyer
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338:Max Raabe
263:Nick Cave
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251:Marillion
840:Category
752:Archived
354:Studio 2
231:Iggy Pop
223:Studio 2
44:Studio 2
382:on the
362:by U2.
54:History
538:Heroes
523:R.E.M.
513:Trivia
502:Heroes
167:Ariola
32:Berlin
504:" by
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344:and
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