oranienpalast-history

1912

Merchant and City Councilor Leopold Jacobi (1847-1917) commissions renowned architects Cremer & Wolffenstein to design a new representative office building at Oranienstrasse 40/41. The building features the café Oranienpalast on the ground floor and offices on the upper floors.

1913

The café Oranienpalast offers its guests outstanding concerts and cabarets under the direction of Oscar Barton. Upper floors are rented by industrial giant AEG, a publisher and a fashion shop.

1917

Leopold Jacobi passes away.

1924

The café Oranienpalast closes its doors. The ground floor is converted into a clothing store owned by C&A Brenninkmeyer. The upper floors are converted into a hotel named "Ahlbecker Hof".

1933

Cäcilia Jacobi, the widow of Leopold, transfers the property to her children Ernst, Frieda and Charlotte. 

1934

The jewish owners had to sell the property to C&A below market value in order to be able to emigrate. C&A converts the entire building into a clothing store. During World War II the building survives undamaged.

1977-1995

The building changes ownership several times while it is used as a furniture & food store, restaurant & billiard salon.

1995

The club "Trash" opens its doors on the first floor. The building is registered as a national monument the same year.

2008

Dietrich von Boetticher acquires the building. After basic renovations the building is used free of charge for art & cultural events including the Berlin Biennale (2010), Kunsthochschule Weißensee and the Ostkreuz Bildagentur.

2014

Dietrich von Boetticher commissions Hilmer Sattler Architects and Dietmar Mueller-Elmau respectively to undertake the conversion and interior design of a hotel with 41 rooms and suites, a small restaurant, breakfast in Kreuzberg, literary salon, bar & concert stage.

2017

The Orania.Berlin opens on August 14th, 2017.