29.00 USD
"Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome..."
We recently came across a number of great vintage German musical theater postcards and thought we'd put them in what will probably be a temporary section under the heading "Cabaret," or, auf Deutch, Kabarett! Most of the cards in this section will concern theatrical entertainment in the 1920s Weimar era of post world war one Germany, though we may place a number of Austrian cards of the period and a few film star cards from that time and place into this section as well.
Just for fun, if it's been a while since you've seen it, you might enjoy a little mood music...the very memorable opening of the classic 1972 film version of "Cabaret." Youtube link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBlB8RAJEEc
Berlin Cabaret dancer, Suse Elsler, was born Susanna Elsler in Bremen, Germany in 1894. Like the notorious Anita Berber and Leni Riefenstahl, Suse Elsler performed interpretive and expressionist solos not only in cabarets, but in concert halls such as the Blüthner-Saal in Berlin, during the wild Weimar era of the 1920s.
Dancers like Fräulein Elsler followed in the footsteps of Cleo de Merode and Mata Hari, Anna Pavlova too. It could be a lonely path. These soloists were often initially viewed with suspicion by critics, and looked down upon by conservatives within their contemporary "old schools."
"Suse Elsler received both praise and condemnation for performing
old peasant dances rather erotically in a skimpy costume,
portraying 'a psychosis, the girlishly floral fantasies of a
confused generation.'
(from Empire of
Ecstasy, University of California Press)
"Suse Elsler, for instance, in the Bluthnersaal. She paints herself brown, wears a rag about her middle, and ogles with her arms while drum beats resound "Temple Dance."
When she is dressed in red and wiggles her legs besides, it is called "Anno 2000." All this doesn't hurt us spectators, at any rate; the dancer squirms now and again, as though she had struck a splinter;
"Ecstacy."
(from a reprinted review in the "Musical Courier" in 1921, a New York musical review magazine)
Well, we can easily find similar pans concerning Loie Fuller's dance and Isadora Duncan's as well. Oh how we wish we could only have been there to draw our own conclusions!
A very nice card in very nice condition. Please examine our high res scans for detail.
The item you are considering for purchase is, unless otherwise noted, a vintage postcard of approximately 5 and 1/2, by 3 and 1/2 inches. Postage is for fully-insured, first class shipping in a secure photo mailer (to avoid any damage to your purchase in the mails), and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will not charge for postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more. We do not charge for insurance or shipping materials, and as of the date of this listing are still charging below our overall cost on shipping.
And please come visit our blog at:
redpoulaine.blogspot.com
where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!