The Wintergarten was established in 1886 within Berlin’s Central Hotel, located at Friedrichstrasse train station. By the turn of the century, it was the most famous of Berlin’s 80-plus variety theaters. Its program changed frequently and included dancers, actors, singers, circus performers, and comedians from around the world. Many entertainers, such as the famed singer-song writer and humorist Otto Reutter, launched their careers there. Other performers included the magician and escape artist Houdini and the Australian-born Cancan dancer Saharet, who is featured in this poster. By the mid-1920s, the Wintergarten could boast a 20-meter wide revolving stage, the first of its kind, and an auditorium that seated some 3,000 guests. The Wintergarten remained in operation for over half a century. It was destroyed in a bombing raid on June 21, 1944.