Das Laterndl: Various papers

Identifier
WL599b
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 70138
Level of Description
Collection
Languages
  • German
  • English
Source
EHRI Partner

Creator(s)

  • Das Laterndl

Biographical History

The Laterndl theatre opened on 21 June 1939 at the address of the Austrian Centre, 126 Westbourne Terrace. It was conceived of as a Kleinkunstbühne. Kleinkunst was a term created in the 1930s for a type of anti-Nazi cabaret. It is described as being at the serious end of the comic market, and whilst it included many of the elements common to cabaret, it didn't include the more frivolous and bohemian.

Martin Miller was responsible for production as well as being one of the main character actors. The writers were Franz Hartl, Hugo Königsgarten, Rudolf Spitz, and Hans Weigel. Kurt Manschinger dealt with the music, décor was by Carl Josefovics and costumes by Käthe Berl. The actors were Lona Cross, Greta Hartwig, Willy Kennedy, Jaro Klüger, Fritz Schrecker, Sylvia Steiner and Marianne Walla.

The theatre moved to 153 Finchley Road and then to 69 Eton Avenue by November 1941. One of the most famous achievements associated with "das Laterndl" was the Martin Miller's spoof Hitler broadcast on April Fools' Day, 1940, in which Hitler claimed that Columbus had discovered America with the aid of German science, giving Germany territorial claim. A text of the speech is included in this collection.

Archival History

It was deposited by Hanna Norbert, wife of Martin Miller, both of whom were actors in "das Laterndl".

Acquisition

Donor: Hanna Norbert

Scope and Content

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This microfilm collection of programmes, reviews, photographs, etc relates to "Das Laterndl", the London-based, Austrian exile, anti-Nazi theatre. Also included in the collection is material relating to the life and work of Jura Soyfer, a young Austrian communist party member who was recognised as leading social commentator in the 1930s and who was arrested after the Austrian Anschluss in 1938 and died in Buchenwald in 1939.

Conditions Governing Access

Open

Conditions Governing Reproduction

R:\Document collections\MF54\Working images\36 frames 276-447

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Microfilm

People

  • Miller, Martin
  • Gross, Fritz
  • Soyfer, Jura

Subjects

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.

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