from the beginning of world war i the theatre turned into an operetta stage until in 1927, erwin piscator and tilla durieux opened their "theater am nollendorfplatz" in the building. piscator created critical performances by playwrights like ernst toller and walter mehring, with artists like bertolt brecht, george grosz and john heartfield at times working with him. piscator's theater went bankrupt in 1929, and he emigrated in 1931. after the nazi takeover the house became an operetta theatre once again, now under the direction of harald paulsen.