Origins: 1905–1945 The origins of the university go back to the
Max Reinhardt drama school established in 1905 at the
Deutsches Theater Berlin. The first training facility was the ground floor of the Palais Wesendonkschen, where Reinhardt lived, near the
Reichstag. In 1914, Reinhardt's childhood friend and fellow theatre artist
Berthold Held became the school's first director. Reinhardt emigrated in 1933, and the
Nazis took over the theatre, along with the acting school. The director of the Deutsches Theater,
Heinz Hilpert, secured subsidies for the first time in the school's history but struggled to keep the institution open. After 1945,
Gustav von Wangenheim, back from exile in Russia, became director of the Deutsches Theater, shortly followed by
Wolfgang Langhoff, who held the position for many years.
State drama school: 1951–1980s The state drama school of Berlin was conceptually and legally established as a public institution in September 1951. In a conscious departure from previous practice, the somewhat remote training center known as the Old Boat House in Niederschöneweide,
East Berlin, was selected. Work on a new building started in 1979 and was completed in 1981. During this time, the institution was in a school building in
Marzahn.
21st century: 2004–present In 2004, the university won the
Berlin Art Prize and became known for the documentary
Addicted to Acting by
Andres Veiel (1997–2004). The institute was awarded the 2010 Film Culture Award in Mannheim-Heidelberg, which the
International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg grants to companies, institutions, and individuals who have rendered outstanding service continuously over many years to film culture in Germany. In 2018, the academy relocated to the
Mitte district of Berlin. ==Courses==