Neues Maxim

Neues Maxim is a historic cinema located at Landshuter Allee 33 in the Neuhausen district of Munich, Germany. First opened on 14 September 1912 as the "Lichtspieltheater des Westens" in a converted 1901 residential and former Schottländer department store building, it is the second-oldest cinema in Munich after the Museum Lichtspiele (1910). Over more than a century the venue has operated under several names — Hindenburg-Lichtspiele, Volks-Lichtspiele, and Maxim — reflecting the political and social changes of twentieth-century Germany. After World War II, films were shown again from 1946 in the largely undamaged building. In 1953 new operator Hans Halbig renovated and technically upgraded the cinema, renaming it "Maxim"; it remained a family business until 1977. Second-hand 1935 film projectors installed at that time stayed in service until the 2016 reopening. The Maxim survived the mass cinema closures of the 1960s, and in August 1978 Siegfried Daiber took over, transforming it into a program cinema. For 38 years Daiber ran the venue with great passion and cinematic ambition, hosting one of Germany's first Tarkovsky retrospectives and providing a platform for politically engaged film in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1985 the first Munich Documentary Film Festival was held there, and the Bimovie women's film series has been co-hosted regularly since 1995. The cinema celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012. In 2016 Daiber, then 76, handed over the operation. That summer the cinema was renovated and modernized under new management: a second auditorium was added, and projection technology, ventilation, and fire protection were upgraded. Since October 2016 it has operated as "Neues Maxim" under Lichtspiel GmbH. Filmmaker Peter Heller documented its history in the feature documentary "Maxim Leben – Ein altes Kino erzählt." Today Neues Maxim continues as a two-screen arthouse cinema in Munich.

Neues Maxim opened on 14 September 1912 as the "Lichtspieltheater des Westens" in a converted residential building from 1901 that had formerly housed the Schottländer department store, at what is now Landshuter Allee 33 in Munich's Neuhausen district. It is the second-oldest cinema in Munich after the Museum Lichtspiele (1910). After the street was renamed, the cinema became the "Hindenburg-Lichtspiele," and following the revolution of 1919 it was renamed "Volks-Lichtspiele." After World War II, the largely undamaged cinema resumed film screenings in 1946. In 1953 a new operator, Hans Halbig, carried out a renovation and technical upgrade and renamed the cinema "Maxim." It was run as a family business until 1977. At that time, second-hand film projectors from 1935 were installed and remained in operation until the 2016 reopening. The Maxim survived the great cinema die-off of the 1960s, until the Halbig family retired in 1977. In August 1978 Siegfried Daiber took over the operation and developed it into a program cinema. For 38 years Daiber ran the cinema with great passion and cinematic ambition. Among other events, one of the first Tarkovsky retrospectives in Germany was held there. His cinema was a platform for politically engaged film in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1985 the first Munich Documentary Film Festival took place there, and, like the Bimovie women's film series, it has been regularly co-hosted at the Maxim/Neues Maxim since 1995. In 2012 the cinema celebrated its 100th anniversary. In 2016 Daiber, at the age of 76, had to give up the cinema. Filmmaker Peter Heller portrayed the cinema's history in the feature-length documentary "Maxim Leben – Ein altes Kino erzählt." In summer 2016 the cinema was renovated and modernized under new management. In addition to creating a second auditorium, the projection technology, ventilation system, and fire protection were modernized. Since October 2016 the cinema has been operated as "Neues Maxim" by Lichtspiel GmbH.

• Opened as "Lichtspieltheater des Westens" in a converted 1901 building.

• Renamed "Volks-Lichtspiele" after the revolution.

• Film screenings resumed after World War II.

• Hans Halbig renovated and renamed the cinema "Maxim"; family business until 1977.

• Siegfried Daiber took over and developed it into a program cinema.

• First Munich Documentary Film Festival held at the cinema.

• Bimovie women's film series began regular co-hosting at the cinema.

• Cinema celebrated its 100th anniversary.

• Renovated and modernized; reopened in October as "Neues Maxim" under Lichtspiel GmbH.

Historic arthouse and program cinema in Munich, known for curated and politically engaged film programming.

• Arthouse film screenings

• Documentary film festival venue

• Bimovie women's film series

• Two-screen cinema programming

1. 1Neues Maxim - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Neues Maxim - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Neues Maxim official websiteneues-maxim.de