HISTORY IN DETAIL
History of the Capitol
Kurt Tondok, the great-grandfather of the former owner Bernd Womelsdorf, opened the first movie theater in Bad Berleburg on October 1, 1932 – the so-called “Tonfilmbühne” (Sound Film Stage) at Graf-Casimir-Straße 7 (today the Kühn bookstore). The opening film was the romantic comedy “Her Highness Commands.”
In 1953, the current Capitol Theater was built in the Herrengarten park and officially opened in early October by Kurt Womelsdorf and his wife Ilse, née Tondok. With 364 seats, it offered a modern cinematic experience and was also used by the local cultural association for concerts and theater performances. Well-known actors such as Thea Grodtczinsky and Paul Henckels also performed there.
A special event in 1968 was the premiere of the film “Im Glanze ihrer Kronen” (In the Splendor of Their Crowns) in connection with the wedding of Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Princess Benedikte. Another premiere followed in 1981 with “Herbstromanze” (Autumn Romance).
After Kurt Womelsdorf’s death in 1971, his son Bernd continued to run the cinema and modernized it in 1988 into the “Capitol Kino-Center” with three screens. Due to health reasons, operations ceased in January 2020. Following its acquisition by HCK GmbH & Co. KG, the building underwent extensive renovations and reopened in 2022 as “Das neue CAPITOL” (The New Capitol) – today a modern venue for cinema, culture, gastronomy, and a hotel.
1932 - TodayThis is how the Capitol came into being and grew.
1930
1932
Opening of the Tonfilmbühne Berleburg in Westphalia
Kurt Tondok, born on 1 April 1898 and deceased on 17 August 1939, opened a cinema in Bad Berleburg at Graf-Casimir-Straße 7 on 1 October 1932. He named it the Tonfilmbühne Berleburg in Westphalia.
The opening film was “Ihre Hoheit befiehlt”. The beginnings were modest: the cinema had only 134 seats. For the time, however, this was entirely sufficient. Berleburg had just 3,000 residents and was not yet nearly as enthusiastic about cinema as it would become ten years later. Sold-out screenings were rare, with exceptions for film classics such as “Bomben auf Monte Carlo”, “Der Kongress tanzt” and “Die drei von der Tankstelle”.
1932
The beginnings on Graf-Casimir-Straße
At Graf-Casimir-Straße 7, Kurt Tondok opened the first cinema in Bad Berleburg – the “Tonfilmbühne”. This marked the beginning of the town’s cinema history at a location now known as Buchhandlung Kühn.
1932
A cinema experience in the auditorium
The interior view of the “Tonfilmbühne” shows one of the first cinema rooms in Bad Berleburg. With simple rows of seats and a screen, the cinema already offered visitors a special shared experience at that time.
1933
BEN-HUR – the world’s greatest film
With the monumental film Ben-Hur, the Lichtspielhaus Berleburg screened one of the great cinema events of its era. With thousands of extras and elaborate scenes, the film symbolised the golden age of classic cinema – a piece of film history right in the region.
1950
1953
Opening of the “Capitol Theater”
In 1953, today’s Capitol Theater was built in the Herrengarten. The ceremonial opening by Kurt Womelsdorf and his wife Ilse, née Tondok, took place at the beginning of October 1953. Bad Berleburg now had a modern cinema with seating for 364 viewers.
“After the festive opening with the film ‘Ferien vom Ich’, regular screenings began. The people of Berleburg are delighted with us about the new, beautiful and large cinema, and they show this through very strong attendance. Our estimated increase in visitor numbers has been far exceeded. The cultural community is also pleased and is planning numerous events on the reserved event days.” (Marie Tondok)
1960
1968
Premiere of the film “Im Glanze ihrer Kronen”
On the occasion of the wedding of Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg to the Danish king’s daughter Princess Benedikte on 3 February 1968 in Copenhagen, a special train travelled from Bad Berleburg to Fredensborg. On 1 February 1968, the festive premiere of the film “Im Glanze ihrer Kronen” took place for the passengers and other guests.
1970
1977
Renovation
In autumn 1977, the Capitol Theater was extensively renovated. The new wall covering was orange, complemented by a colourful stage curtain. A new patterned velour carpet was laid in the loge and corridors. New lighting baskets were installed in the auditorium and surrounding areas. The foyer received a new seating group and a Finnish artist-print curtain. The seating was newly upholstered in dark brown. An air-conditioning system was intended to ensure a pleasant stay during the summer heat.
1978
Summer Film Weeks
In 1978, the Capitol Theater hosted “Summer Film Weeks” in Bad Berleburg for the first time. Over two weeks, a total of 14 different films were shown. The programme featured international films for every taste.
1980
1981
Premiere of “Herbstromanze”
In March 1981, the premiere of the local-interest film “Herbstromanze”, parts of which were filmed in Bad Berleburg, took place. The cast included Rudolf Lenz in the leading role. Heinz Gums from Diedenshausen produced the film, which caused a nationwide stir.
1988
The Capitol Theater is converted
The Womelsdorf family decided to convert the former large 364-seat theater into a cinema centre with three separate auditoriums seating 60, 100 and 170 guests. The conversion was led by experienced cinema architect Volker Nielsen. “Overboard – Ein Goldfisch fällt ins Wasser” was the final screening in the old cinema. The new service cinema offered comfortable armchairs, request-film weeks, classic top films, long film nights and a bar where visitors could order drinks.
On 12 October 1988, the ceremonial opening of the Cinema Center took place. Among the invited guests were Deputy Mayor Ernst Sittler and Dr. Heribert Schlienker, chairman of the Filmtheater NRW association.
1990
1990
1st and 2nd Long Film Night
The trigger for the joint campaign by the Cinema Center and the WESTFALENPOST was the record-breaking run of “Pretty Woman”. The two best-known films starring Richard Gere in the lead role were presented: “An Officer and a Gentleman” and “American Gigolo” appeared on the screen.
1992
Latin American Film Night
The open-air cinema attracted almost 200 visitors to the forecourt of the Cinema Center. Under the open sky, guests enjoyed two documentary films about Latin America and were served South American stew.
2000
2009
Premiere screening of “Tannöd”
Filming for the crime drama Tannöd, based on Andrea Maria Schenkel’s novel, took place from September to November 2008 in the Rüsselsbach valley near Wemlighausen. The story: the unpopular Danner extended family, including the children and maid, is killed with a pickaxe during a thunderstorm night. There is no trace of the murderer…
Forty extras from Wittgenstein were invited to the Cinema Center for the premiere of Tannöd. Author Maria Schenkel and her agent Ira Scheidig were also present on the day of the premiere.
2010
Film Art Days
The French documentary film “Babies” by Thomas Balmès, based on an idea by Alain Chabat, was part of the so-called “Film Art Days” initiated by Bernd Womelsdorf. On Wednesdays, films were shown that had a special artistic quality, focused on a particular theme or had received awards.
At the same time, the large auditorium was converted to digital technology. The old film reel had had its day. From then on, films arrived in Bad Berleburg on hard drives.
2010
2019
The Capitol Cinema Center closes
Bernd Womelsdorf had to close the Capitol Cinema Center in Bad Berleburg for health reasons. He thanked the visitors for their decades of loyalty.
2020
2023
Reopening as “Das neue CAPITOL”
After three years of renovation, the CAPITOL reopened during the course of 2023. The new building includes a new hotel, a new restaurant and a completely renovated cinema with three auditoriums.