#Cinema #Kempten #Germany #1938
Description
The Parktheater is located next to the Kempten city park. The building predominantly features characteristics of the Art Deco style. It is a two-part building combining a prominent semicircular front section with a more conventional rectangular rear block. The front section, the street-facing facade, is a rounded, half-cylindrical volume, clearly articulated by vertical pilaster-like strips that divide the exterior into narrow vertical bays. The ground floor under this curved facade features a wrap-around canopy above the entrance zone, creating a sheltered entry and emphasizing the horizontal base in contrast to the vertical articulation above. The roof is not flat but appears slightly domed when viewed from above. The rear part of the building is a simple rectangular block with more modest proportions. On the front façade, the name “PARKTHEATER” is mounted in large, bold letters.
Description
The Parktheater is located next to the Kempten city park. The building predominantly features characteristics of the Art Deco style. It is a two-part building combining a prominent semicircular front section with a more conventional rectangular rear block. The front section, the street-facing facade, is a rounded, half-cylindrical volume, clearly articulated by vertical pilaster-like strips that divide the exterior into narrow vertical bays. The ground floor under this curved facade features a wrap-around canopy above the entrance zone, creating a sheltered entry and emphasizing the horizontal base in contrast to the vertical articulation above. The roof is not flat but appears slightly domed when viewed from above. The rear part of the building is a simple rectangular block with more modest proportions. On the front façade, the name “PARKTHEATER” is mounted in large, bold letters.
History
The following is a summarized excerpt from the information kindly provided to us by Ms. Birgit Kata of the Kempten City Archives regarding the history and development of the building:
The construction of the Parktheater was preceded by preliminary developments beginning at the end of 1936. The new cinema building in Kempten was undertaken at the explicit request of the "Reichsfilmkammer" (Reich Film Chamber) in Berlin. The builders, the Zacharias family of operators, moved from Bad Wiessee to Kempten for this purpose. The architect, Ernst Zeh from Munich, was specialized in the construction of movie theaters.
In Kempten, neither the mayor and city administration nor the other cinema operators were enthusiastic about the project. Ten possible locations were examined according to the criteria of quick availability, centrality, and minimal effort required to prepare the site. After lengthy discussion, the decision was finally made in favor of the plot at the corner of Wilhelm-/Sedanstraße (today Lingg-/Beethovenstraße). Contrary to the requirements, the administrative effort involved in developing the site, which was actually too small, was considerable, but the prominent location outweighed all concerns. Special building-code exemptions regarding spacing had to be granted, the Hasengasse had to be relocated, and land transfers were required. The Reich Film Chamber exerted considerable pressure.
The architectural design met with little enthusiasm from the mayor. He opposed the felling of street trees because they concealed what he considered an unattractive facade. After a very short construction period, the cinema was opened on 25 March 1938. A historical film which can be found on YouTube, had been commissioned by the Reich Film Chamber for the newsreel and contributed nationwide to increasing the visibility of the city of Kempten.
History
The following is a summarized excerpt from the information kindly provided to us by Ms. Birgit Kata of the Kempten City Archives regarding the history and development of the building:
The construction of the Parktheater was preceded by preliminary developments beginning at the end of 1936. The new cinema building in Kempten was undertaken at the explicit request of the "Reichsfilmkammer" (Reich Film Chamber) in Berlin. The builders, the Zacharias family of operators, moved from Bad Wiessee to Kempten for this purpose. The architect, Ernst Zeh from Munich, was specialized in the construction of movie theaters.
In Kempten, neither the mayor and city administration nor the other cinema operators were enthusiastic about the project. Ten possible locations were examined according to the criteria of quick availability, centrality, and minimal effort required to prepare the site. After lengthy discussion, the decision was finally made in favor of the plot at the corner of Wilhelm-/Sedanstraße (today Lingg-/Beethovenstraße). Contrary to the requirements, the administrative effort involved in developing the site, which was actually too small, was considerable, but the prominent location outweighed all concerns. Special building-code exemptions regarding spacing had to be granted, the Hasengasse had to be relocated, and land transfers were required. The Reich Film Chamber exerted considerable pressure.
The architectural design met with little enthusiasm from the mayor. He opposed the felling of street trees because they concealed what he considered an unattractive facade. After a very short construction period, the cinema was opened on 25 March 1938. A historical film which can be found on YouTube, had been commissioned by the Reich Film Chamber for the newsreel and contributed nationwide to increasing the visibility of the city of Kempten.
Sources
Sources
