Überbrettl

Überbrettl (German pronunciation: [ˈʔyːbɐˌbʁɛtl̩] super-cabaret) was the first venue in Germany for literary cabaret, or Kabarett, founded 1901 in Berlin by Ernst von Wolzogen. The German Kabarett concept was imported from French venues like Le Chat Noir in Paris, from which it kept the characteristic atmosphere of intimacy. But the German type developed its own peculiarities, most prominently its characteristic gallows humour.

The distinct cabaret atmosphere was sketched by Otto Julius Bierbaum in his 1897 novel Stilpe, which inspired Wolzogen in the foundation of the Überbrettl. He chose the initial name both to parody Friedrich Nietzsche's Übermensch concept and to contrast the widespread Brettl (i.e. "(stage-)board") variety shows without further artistic ambitions.

The venue opened in a former theatre on 18 January 1901 on Alexanderstraße No. 40, vis-à-vis the Alexanderplatz police headquarters. Victor Hollaender, the father of Friedrich Hollaender, served as musical director, temporarily superseded by Arnold Schoenberg, with Oscar Straus as chief composer. Performances included parodies written by Christian Morgenstern and the one-act play Episode by Arthur Schnitzler. They soon became very popular entailing the establishment of numerous Kabarett venues all over Berlin.

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