Jugendstilkaufhaus Görlitz

Over a century ago, in 1912 to be precise, the groundbreaking department store Zum Strauss was built by a Jewish merchant in just nine months, adorned with elements of Historicism and Art Nouveau. Today, it’s the only department store from that era preserved in its original form.

Besides its colossal and elongated facade, which dominates the Demianiplatz in Görlitz, it’s the unique interior design with cantilevered staircases, golden ornaments, richly adorned chandeliers, and ornate glass dome that has attracted thousands of curious visitors over the decades.

Various owners operated the department store over time until, in 2009, it succumbed to the same fate as many large-scale department stores in Germany—it closed its doors. But even then, the venerable building didn’t fade into obscurity.

Director Wes Anderson found the perfect backdrop for his 2013 film The Grand Budapest Hotel within its empty halls, elevating it to a modest celebrity. Similarly, in the 2020s RTL series Haus der Träume, the Art Nouveau department store serves as the central filming location.

In 2022, due to water damage at the municipal theater, several concerts and other musical performances took place within the building, with its excellent atmosphere and acoustics earning praise.

For years, a regional investor has been hoping to reopen the department store in a similar style to its original 1912 incarnation. However, these ambitious plans have thus far been hindered by various obstacles, including concerns regarding heritage conservation.