Theater landscapes

Founded in 1951, the Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus is not only closely associated with the name of its first director Gustaf Gründgens, but is also a successor to the Schauspielhaus Düsseldorf, which was founded in 1904 by Luise Dumont and Gustav Lindemann as a private theater.
After the death of Luise Dumont and the forced resignation of Gustav Lindemann due to his religion, the Städtische Bühnen took over the Schauspielhaus in 1933.

Gustav Gründgens freed the directorate from the control of the municipal administration and had the former municipal opera house on Jahnstraße converted into a theater.
The venue remained a temporary solution for almost 20 years.
The costs for the elaborate conversion were originally estimated at 26 million German marks, but in the end they amounted to a whopping 40 million.
Even though Gustav Gründgens and his successor Karl Heinz Stroux provided great theatrical experiences, the theater remained popularly known as the "barn".

When the Schauspielhaus on Gustav-Gründgens-Platz was finally completed and officially opened in 1972, there were riots.
Pupils and students demonstrated against the elitist cultural policy of the time and the "closed" party that evening, which consisted exclusively of the cultural chic crowd.
No tickets were available on the open market.
"Citizens into the Schauspielhaus - throw out the fat cats," was the chant.
Ulrich Brecht responded to this call in 1972 as the new director of the Schauspielhaus and presented a program "for citizens and those who want to become citizens".
His attempt to create moderate political theater failed after a few years.
He was followed by Günther Beelitz and Volker Canaris.