Union-Theater in Fürstenwalde / Germany

It's always a surprise when I find a nice old cinema postcard and find out that the cinema is still being used. The cinema Union-Theater in Fürstenwalde (50 km away from Berlin) opened on December 18th, 1909. Then it had 400 places (I counted about 180 seats on the picture). Today, the cinema Filmtheater Union has 150 seats.

The postcard was sent in 1911 - 111 years ago. Another surprise - the cinema is mentioned on the back.

The Rietsch family wrote to Mr Lepke in Parchim (in German handwriting Kurrent): 

"Zur Erinnerung an den Kinntopp sende (ich) Ihnen die besten Grüße vom ganzen Personal. Jetzt bin ich dabei aus dem alten Kintopp eine Wohnung zu machen. Da gibt es viel Arbeit, Schmutz und Geldausgaben, Mit Gruß, Familie Rietsch"

"As a reminder of the Kinntopp, I send you the best greetings from the whole staff. Now I'm making an apartment out of the old Kintopp. There's a lot of work, dirt and money to be spent. Best regards, the Rietsch family."

Kintopp is a slang term for a cinema in the 1910s, especially in the Berlin area.

Emil Rietsch was the owner of the cinema until spring 1912. The new owner Otto Gerlach had later at all three cinemas in Fürstenwalde. I don't know what Rietsch wrote about converting the old cinema into an apartment.

He was also the owner of the first cinema in Perleberg, the cinema Union Theater. It has been in use since 1912, today Moviestarkino Perleberg.