By Ralf Günther
For BZ photographer Ralf Günther (58) it is the cinema of memories, the cinema of his childhood and youth. Read what he experienced at the International in the 70s and 80s.
At first there were countless afternoons in the “Bertolt Brecht” children’s library on the ground floor, where my mother worked as a librarian for many years. A special highlight was the new sound library: a corner where you could listen to records on headphones all day long.
BZ photographer Ralf Günther (58) Photo: Guenther / BILD
When “The Adventures of Sinbad” played in 1973, the line stretched almost all the way around the theater. Sold out, no chance of the popular cinema adventure.
In 1980 the film “Solo Sunny” was released internationally and stayed for 15 weeks. We went in every two weeks. There was nothing else and a cinema ticket only cost 1.50 East German marks…
Not to forget: the many nights in the youth club under the roof of the cinema. Club Cola vodka for 2.50 East German marks and then dance to Nena, Hubert Kah and Depeche Mode. We even met there on Christmas Eve after giving out presents!
And then the night of nights, November 9th, 1989. A colleague asked me if I would like to see a cinema premiere – some film about homosexuality in the GDR. Something new, that sounded interesting. After the film ended we walked to Alex. There people ran towards us and shouted: “The wall is open.”
People lined up in front of the former “House of Travel” to apply for a Western visa the next morning. The night ended on Kurfürstendamm and will forever be associated with Kino International.