Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts
The Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts, located in the Mitte district of Berlin, Germany, was founded in 1951 as the National Theatre School in Berlin with the status of college. In 1981, it was granted university status, and a year later it was renamed after the singer and East German actor Ernst Busch.
History
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. 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
The school teaches courses in drama, puppetry, directing, dramaturgy, choreography, and other subjects.Notable alumni
Reinhardt's students from 1905 to 1933 included:Graduates from 1933 to 1950 included:
Notable alumni since 1951 include:
Jens Hoffmann enrolled but did not complete full training.