Augustinerplatz 12
On 20 April 1896, Germany's very first film screening took place here — twelve French short films in a rented hall.
The former address Augustinerplatz 12 corresponds today to Pipinstraße 4.
Source: Wikipedia
At a Glance
- Type
- former residential and commercial building
- Location
- Cologne, Altstadt-Süd district, Innenstadt borough
- Built
- 1892/93
- Architect
- Adolf Nöcker
- Style
- Historicism
On April 20, 1896, twelve French short films were screened in the building at Augustinerplatz 12 – the first film screening ever held in Germany.
History
In the early 20th century, the building housed Post Office IV of the Imperial Postal Directorate. It was destroyed during the Second World War.
Germany's First Film Screening
The Deutsche Automaten Gesellschaft (DAG), a subsidiary of the Gebrüder Stollwerck company, rented a hall in the building. There, on 20 April 1896, films were shown in Germany for the very first time: twelve French short films.
Architecture
The main façade was divided into four storeys and topped by a gabled roof. The central axis was emphasized by wall projections and round columns; above it sat a mansard tower with an onion-dome crown, visually centering the composition. An encircling balcony with wrought-iron railings marked a horizontal division above the second floor. The lower two storeys were divided by round columns into seven bays, while the upper two storeys had five bays, with a pilaster articulating each bay beside the center.
Timeline
- 1892/93Building constructed in the Historicist style, designed by Adolf Nöcker
- 1896On April 20, first film screenings in Germany held in the hall of the Deutsche Automaten Gesellschaft
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
You might also like — related or nearby
Comments
- Loading comments…
Sources & links
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-09-13
How this page is made
This page draws on open sources — Wikipedia, Wikidata, official websites and the city’s open data. Every statement is checked against the sources linked here, and pages are refreshed regularly.
Spotted a mistake anyway? Tell us below — we read every submission.