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Berliner Cabaret (#AtoZChallenge 2019) Theme Reveal

AtoZ Challenge 2019 badge

I will not renounce the AtoZ Challenge! The first few months of this year have been quite hard on me for many different reasons (mostly related to work), and if I have to be honest, I feel far from being ready for the challenge, but I don’t want to renounce it!

It has become a tradition of this blog. The only year I didn’t take part was the first. I opened the blog in March 2014 and in April I discovered the challenge, too late to take part. But from 2015 I’ve taken part every year and every time I love it… in spite of the strain and the huge commitment.

So here I am once more. Crossing my fingers!

What is the AtoZ Challenge

In case you’re not familiar with the AtoZ Challenge, this is a blogging marathon happening throughout the month of April. Bloggers are challenge to blog every day but Sundays, following the alphabet. So on April 1st we’ll be blogging about a subject that starts with A, on the 2nd about a subject starting with B and so on.

That’s already challenging enough, let me tell you, but if you feel really daring, you can add a theme to your challenge. This means that not only you’ll be blogging one letter a day, but all of your topics will relate to one specific theme or subject.

This is how I like to do my challenge.

And to be honest, the theme may be an additional challenge, but it may also help keeping your focus. And certainly (and this is one fo the reasons why I come back to it every year) this is a great way to research and learn about a subject matter. One of the most effective I’ve tried.

But if you asked me why on earth I put myself though such an ordeal (and it is, believe me!) I’ll have to answer in all honesty that it isn’t about the blogging itself. It’s about networking. It’s about discovering other people’s blogs,  reading, visiting, commenting and ultimately making friends. Meeting people, sharing what we love, discovering new things through the passion of someone else is a very enriching experience, the payoff for all this endeavour.

"The #AtoZChallenge Theme Reveal is a great blogging fest. Here's my contribution #blog #bloggers #history Click To Tweet
AtoZ2019 Theme Reveal

2019 AtoZ Challenge

This is a special year for the challenge: this is its 10th Anniversary.

As for me, this is the fifth time I take part.
My past themes have been:

2015 – The Roaring Twenties
2016 – Jazz Age Jazz: early jazz as a social phenomenon
2017 – 1940s Film Noir
2018 – Weimar Germany

I’ve said I’d go back to Weimar this year (still researching for my next writing project, you know) so here it goes, my Theme Reveal. This year, for the AtoZ Challenge, I’ll be blogging about

THE BERLINER CABARET

Berliner Cabaret (AtoZ Challenge 2019) Theme Reveal - In 1920s Germany, cabaret had a chance to express people’s feelings in that excessive, shockingly honest way that was so particular to Berlin, the town that was becoming a Weltstaadt. A cosmopolis.

Living a life of excess

Let’s face it. When we think about Berlin in the 1920s, we think excessive life, Nazis and cabarets.

It is a stereotype, and stereotypes never give a faithful image of what something is (or was). But in their overly simplification, stereotypes might give us a direction. They might provide a starting point from where we can start on a journey of discovery.
Berlin in the 1920s was a place of great exuberance, of great contradiction, of a strong urge to live and enjoy life and an equally strong urge for revenge and prevarication. Does this describe the three words I’ve use above? In a way. But not completely.
It would be extremely imprecise to say that cabaret described 1920s Berlin faithfully, but it would also be imprecise to say that cabaret had nothing to do with life in Berlin in that particular time. 1920s Berlin life did mirror itself in cabaret, one way or another.

Berlin, 1927. Styles in nightclub dress, fashion
Berlin, 1927. Styles in nightclub dress

In the 1920s, Berlin cabarets were probably the most popular in the world, but this form of entertainment wasn’t born in Germany. It appeared the first time in Paris almost half a century before, in the bohemian district of Montmatre. Here is where the first cabaret, Le Chat Noir, was founded by Rodolphe Salis, a would-be artist turn tavern keeper, who started to encourage artists not only to patronise his tavern but also to share their artistic endeavours with an audience. In 1881 this was a great novelty and an even greater success. Artists, then public of all social extractions, started to frequent Le Chat Noir, and soon these performances took up the characteristic that would remain peculiar to the cabaret: in one evening, numerous short numbers, different in genre and presentation, would be presented by a conferencier (master of ceremonies) to a public in direct contact with the artists. People would sit around at tables, drinking and dining, and performers would present their numbers among them rather than on a stage.
Since the beginning, cabaret strived to make contact with its audience, by physical proximity, but also by offering subjects very close to everyday life. Cabaret was always about commenting life as it happened in that moment.

This form of entertainment was so hugely popular that soon it was exported all over Europe and even to America (where it became known as vaudeville). It came to Germany around 1900 and it found a very receptive soil. German cultural world was particularly active in those years. Avant gurdes were born and evolved very fast. But it was after WWI that cabaret as an entertainment form exploded. The Wilhelmine time was one of strict rules and social more, but the Weimar Republic propose a far freer way of understanding life and – not a secondary matter – lifted censorship from all kinds of human expressions.
Cabaret then had a chance to express people’s feelings in that excessive, shockingly honest way that was so particular to Berlin, the town that was becoming a Weltstaadt. A cosmopolis.

BERLINER CABARET

A – Art Nouveau
B – Berlin
C – Censorship
D – Dada
E – Energy
F – First World War
G – Girlkultur
H – House
I – Improvisation
J – Jews
K – Kabarett
L – Laughter
M – Music
N – Nationalsozialismus
O – Oral History
P – Pariasian
Q – Queer
R – Revue
S – Sensuality
T – Tingeltangel
U – Urban Life
V – Variété
W – Weltstadt
X – X-pression
Y – Youthfulness
Z – Zeitgeist

GHOSTS THROUGH THE CRACKS (Sarah Zama) When she arrived to America, Susie thought she found everything she never dared to dream of in China. But only when she meets Blood, she realises the freedom to dress as she wants, make up her face, drink and smoke and dance is just a little, unimportant part of the true freedom she yearns for

Smashwords | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | iBookStore
BookBub | OverDrive | Scribd

The book is not currently on Amazon but is available for Kindle via my shop


RESOURCES

Alpha History – Weimar Cabaret
Culture Trip – A brief History of Paris’s Dazzling Cabaret
Encyclopaedia Britannica – Cabaret

Peter Jelavich, Berlin Cabaret. Harvard University Press, Harvard, 1993

53 Comments

  • Josefine
    Posted March 18, 2019 at 10:44

    Looking forward to your posts this year.

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 18, 2019 at 18:39

      Thanks Josefine! Are you doing the challenge too?

  • Tamara
    Posted March 18, 2019 at 11:11

    Hi Sarah, nice meeting you! We have something in common, we’ve both been A-Z bloggers since 2015 – how come we have never met before?
    Berliner Cabaret, wow, I can’t wait to find out what you will come up with to create content for each letter!

    I have visited Berlin once, in 2004, and I liked it. I worked for Starbucks Switzerland, and my German colleagues took me on a store tour which gave me an impression of the city while getting caffeinated. Win!

    https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.com/2019/03/2019-z-blogging-challenge-theme-reveal.html

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 19, 2019 at 16:26

      Hi Tamara. And that’s true. How hav ewe never meet before? But then, every year I discover people that has always been there and never crossed my path, for some odd design of chance.
      I’m very pleased to meet you. And you have an awesome theme!
      (I haven’t been to Berlin yet, but I hope togo one day. May sister went many times and she’s in love with the city.)

  • Nilanjana Bose
    Posted March 18, 2019 at 11:31

    Hi Sarah! This sounds as captivating as your Film Noir and Weimar Germany series. I’ll be back in April. All the best for the challenge.

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 19, 2019 at 16:39

      Hi there! Such a pleasure to see you again! I’ve done the challenge quite a few years now and one of the best thing is meeting blogging friends year after year.
      Love your theme. Perfect companion to last year’s one.

  • Shari Decter Hirst
    Posted March 18, 2019 at 12:18

    I love the Cabaret idea, and can hardly wait… Will Marlene Dietrich be “M” or “D”? LOL. If I could ever get off the treadmill of writing novels for a series, I’d love to do the challenge. Maybe next year.

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 19, 2019 at 16:41

      The challenge is such a great experience in so many ways. You should really try it at least once, Shari. It’s such an enriching experience and I learned so much as a blogger from it.

  • Margot Kinberg
    Posted March 18, 2019 at 12:23

    What a wonderful idea for the challenge! I love it! And I’m sure you’ll have a lot to teach us about the cabaret and the cabaret scene. Looking forward to your posts!

  • A.J. Sefton
    Posted March 18, 2019 at 12:47

    Brilliant topic! I taught a unit on this a few years ago, not in any great depth I might add, so I am really looking forward to reading your posts. Good luck.

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 19, 2019 at 16:47

      Teaching about cabaret? What a great thing to do! So keep an eye out for what I’m doing and nadge me every time I take a false step 😉

      And what about your theme? Historical fiction… it seems custome made for me!

  • Rachel Walkley
    Posted March 18, 2019 at 14:01

    Looking forward to reading your posts. Good to be back again.

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 19, 2019 at 16:48

      Good to see you again, Rachel!
      You have yet another great theme going.

  • Emily
    Posted March 18, 2019 at 14:38

    I am looking forward to this theme – very cool!

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 19, 2019 at 17:25

      Thanks for stopping by, Emily.
      I don’t see a theme reveal post on your blog. Will you take part in the challenge?

  • Birgit
    Posted March 18, 2019 at 15:53

    I hang my head low because I am not participating this year but I plan to next year (fingers crossed). I am really looking forward to this and reading your posts every day

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 19, 2019 at 17:27

      Thanks Birgit 🙂
      To be perfectly honest, there was a moment I also thought maybe this year I should pass. But hey, there’s always time to step off. I want to try, no matter how behind I am 😉

  • Hilary
    Posted March 18, 2019 at 16:02

    Hi Sarah – well done … and I’ve so enjoyed the information you give us in your A-Z themes each year … this too will be really interesting. Looking forward to it … though I won’t be participating … enjoy – cheers Hilary

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 19, 2019 at 17:28

      Pity you won’t taking part. But I hope to see you around anyway 🙂

  • Shilpa Garg
    Posted March 18, 2019 at 18:20

    I have been reading your A to Z posts since the last three years, Sarah and they have been a gold mine of insights and information for me. I am looking forward to know all about Berliner Cabaret, this April. Cheers!!

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 19, 2019 at 17:30

      I can’t believe it’s already three years that we know each other! And you alwasy have awesome theme. I love this year’s one about food. Can’t wait to read it 🙂

  • Carrie-Anne
    Posted March 18, 2019 at 19:40

    You always have such incredible, history-rich themes! I’m looking forward to reading your posts.

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 19, 2019 at 17:45

      I’ve just read you reveal post. I seriously can’t wait to read it!

  • Tarkabarka
    Posted March 19, 2019 at 08:36

    Oooh! Awesome theme, as usual, and one I know little about. Looking forward to your posts! 🙂

    The Multicolored Diary

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 19, 2019 at 17:48

      Well, you have an awesome theme, unusual as usual (yeah… well) 😉

  • Kristin
    Posted March 19, 2019 at 16:35

    I’ve enjoyed your past A-Z and am eagerly awaiting this one.

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 19, 2019 at 17:53

      Likewise, Kristin. Always lov eyour family histories 🙂

  • Anne Young
    Posted March 19, 2019 at 23:16

    I look forward to reading your posts once again this year. My grandparents were born in Berlin and were teenagers there in the 1920s. I suspect they were not in the audience of the cabaret very much if at all. They met at a tea dance and every year celebrated their kennengelernt – the anniversary of the day they met.

    Regards
    Anne
    https://ayfamilyhistory.com/2019/03/18/my-sixth-a-to-z-challenge/

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 20, 2019 at 10:40

      Thanks for stopping by Anne and glad to see you back.
      I’ve just visited your theme reveal post and I love your theme for this year.
      Have a fantastic challenge!

  • AJ Blythe
    Posted March 20, 2019 at 11:25

    I love cabaret and had no idea it was so big in Germany at the time. Fascinating topic!

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 22, 2019 at 08:47

      Yes, cabaret was a major ‘feature’ of Weimar Germany, because it absorbed the spirit of the time and then it gave it substance through cabaret numbers.

  • Anjana
    Posted March 20, 2019 at 23:11

    Hi Sarah. Thanks for stopping by my theme reveal post. Your words of jealousy is super motivation to me in disguise. Its fantastic to know you have been into this challenge from 2015. Truly a Guru of A2Z Challenge. Very unique theme selection too. I am so looking forward to April .. it is indeed no less challenge than mountain climbing or a trek into deep forest. Hoping to make lots of good friends and looking forward to learn about the Berliner Cabaret through your posts. 🙂

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 22, 2019 at 08:54

      I’m sure the challenge won’t disappoint you. It is a great way to connect and make friends. Really this is the reason why I keep coming back to it.

  • Josna
    Posted March 21, 2019 at 04:27

    It’s such a good idea to use the Challenge to research a particular topic. I know next-to-nothing about the Berliner Cabaret, so I’m looking forward to following you through the alphabet. Cheers!

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 22, 2019 at 08:56

      Hi Josna. I’ve use the challenge as a tool of research many times and it has always given me great results. Maybe a bit unorthodox, but very effective, as far as I’m concerned.

  • Anne M Bray
    Posted March 21, 2019 at 13:44
    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 22, 2019 at 08:57

      Looking forward to your challenge, Anne. It’s sounds such fun!

  • Sundari Venkatraman
    Posted March 22, 2019 at 07:13

    Sounds interesting Sarah! Looking forward to reading more on your blog. Wish you the best with A2Z challenge this year

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 22, 2019 at 08:58

      Here to a great challenge, Sundari. Let’s rock this event!

  • Writing Sparkle
    Posted March 23, 2019 at 14:47

    Great theme, can’t wait to follow along!

  • Roland R Clarke
    Posted March 23, 2019 at 22:27

    Looking forward to another informative series of posts, Sarah. I hope that you are well ahead of me at this stage. (I even have post from 2018 to read 🙁 )

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 26, 2019 at 09:36

      HI Roland!
      Can’t say I’m where I’d like to be. Still working on the first week of posts. Every year I swear I’ll write at least the first draft of everything before the challenge starts (did it once, it was such a bliss), and every year something happens that makes it impossible.
      But hey, it’s part of the fun, isn’t it? 😉

  • Cathy Kennedy
    Posted March 24, 2019 at 00:47

    Sarah, sounds like a cool writing theme for next month’s blogfest. I will looking forward to catching your daily posts!

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 26, 2019 at 09:38

      Thanks for stopping by, Cathy. Let’s rock this challange, shall we? 😉

  • Samantha Bryant
    Posted March 27, 2019 at 03:12

    Sounds like a great topic! I’ll be back to see what you do with it!

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 29, 2019 at 09:34

      Thanks for stopping by, Samantha. Hope you’ll find my posts interesting 🙂

  • Claire Noland
    Posted March 29, 2019 at 03:04

    Hi Sarah,
    Great theme! I’m looking forward to reading your posts again this year.

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted March 29, 2019 at 09:43

      Thanks for stopping bay, Claire. So nice to see you back. And let me tell you that you have a fanstastic theme this year. I can’t wait!

  • Allison
    Posted April 1, 2019 at 00:39

    Interesting theme! I love the 20s and the overall theme of your blog, so I’m excited to check out your posts this year and then go back in time to see your previous challenges!

    • Post Author
      jazzfeathers
      Posted April 2, 2019 at 10:13

      Thanks, Allison. Hope you’ll find something interesting 🙂

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