Stunning historical piece! The lottery seating system and Sunday afternoon scheduling were genuinly revolutionary for democratizing culture. What strikes me most is how the Volksbühne didn't just lower economic barriers but actualy thought through every aspect—time, accessibility, even the visual/hearing impairment accomodations in 1914! That level of thoughtfulness feels rare even today. The architect Oskar Kaufmann clearly understood that the building itself had to embody the mission. I visited Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz last year and had no idea about this egalitarian history, dunno why it's not more widely celebrated.
I also find it should be remembered and emphasised more than it has been over the past decades. Perhaps another reason to make a good audio-tour of the place? I’ll put it on my to-do list for 2026:)
Stunning historical piece! The lottery seating system and Sunday afternoon scheduling were genuinly revolutionary for democratizing culture. What strikes me most is how the Volksbühne didn't just lower economic barriers but actualy thought through every aspect—time, accessibility, even the visual/hearing impairment accomodations in 1914! That level of thoughtfulness feels rare even today. The architect Oskar Kaufmann clearly understood that the building itself had to embody the mission. I visited Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz last year and had no idea about this egalitarian history, dunno why it's not more widely celebrated.
I also find it should be remembered and emphasised more than it has been over the past decades. Perhaps another reason to make a good audio-tour of the place? I’ll put it on my to-do list for 2026:)