SACRED HOUSES: TUSCHINSKI CINEMA, AMSTERDAM

“Sacred Houses Series”
In this edition of the “Scared Houses Series,” we would like to pay homage to the historic Tuschinski Cinema Amsterdam as we continue to celebrate and honor notable movie theaters around the globe. The Tushinski cinema, renowned for its beauty, also boasts a rich historical past.

Abraham Tuschinski established the theatre, and its construction began on June 18, 1919. The theatre was built in Art Deco, Jugendstil, and the Amsterdams School style, and its cost was estimated to be around 4 million Dutch Guilders. Tuschinski aimed to open the theatre with the first theatre organ in the Netherlands, but unfortunately, Wurlitzer failed to deliver it on time. To fulfill his desire, Tuschinski went to Brussels and obtained an existing organ from another cinema to open his theatre as planned.
The theatre was inaugurated on October 28, 1921, and Het Vaderland, a Dutch newspaper, declared that it exceeded its wildest expectations the next day. According to the article, Mr. Tuschinski had donated the country an unparalleled theatre.
During the bombing of Rotterdam on May 14, 1940, all four cinemas owned by Tuschinski in Rotterdam were destroyed. However, his family and four cinemas outside Rotterdam were unharmed. The Nazis occupied the Netherlands after the bombing, and in May 1940, Tuschinski, Ehrlich, and Gerschtanowitz were dismissed by the Nazis from their own company. Tobis Film, a German film company, took over Tuschinski. To show resistance, the theatre flew a Dutch and British flag from one of its windows on Queen Wilhelmina’s birthday. Tobis changed the name Tuschinski to Tivoli on November 1, 1940. During the occupation, Tuschinski and Gerschtanowitz were deported to Auschwitz and Ehrlich to Sobibor; all three were murdered by the Nazis in 1942. Following the liberation of the Netherlands, the Tuschinski name was reinstated. Sadly, only three members of the Tuschinski, Gerschtanowitz, and Ehrlich families survived the war. The site’s unique architecture led to its declaration as a national monument in 1967. The complex changed owners twice, being sold to Cannon in 1985 and MGM Cinemas in 1991.

In 1995, the MGM Cinemas chain in The Netherlands, which included Tuschinski, was acquired by the French-based Pathé. The cinema was renovated from 1998 to 2002 to restore its original style. Additionally, a corridor was constructed to Tuschinski 3, which brought the total number of auditoriums in the complex to 6.
Tuschinski cinema in Amsterdam has been recognized for its beauty on several occasions. In fact, during the centennial celebrations, Time Out magazine named it the most beautiful cinema in the world. Recently, on October 28, 2021, the mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, announced that King William-Alexander had granted the cinema the royal predicate, which resulted in the renaming of the complex to Koninklijk Theatre Tuschinski (Royal Theatre Tuschinski).

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If you know of a theater that deserves recognition in our “Sacred Houses” series, please contact us and provide details about its location, name, and significance to you or your community. We are passionate about supporting local theaters and believe they should be celebrated alongside the more well-known historic venues.