The Ballhaus Rixdorf is an architectural testament to the golden age of Berlin’s ballrooms. Here are the key details of its history:
Foundation and Style (1910): It was built in 1910, during the Wilhelmine period, as an opulent ballroom. Its original design is notable for its Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) and Art Deco styles, characterized by soaring ceilings of over 3.5 meters and a column-free layout that allowed for large gatherings for dancing.
Context of “Rixdorf”: The name comes from the former village of Rixdorf (now Neukölln). At that time, the area was notorious as the epicenter of “sinful” entertainment and illicit pleasures outside the gates of Berlin. In fact, in 1912, the name was changed from Rixdorf to Neukölln in an attempt to cleanse the area’s reputation for vice.