Cabaret Artist and Tipi Founder Holger Klotzbach Dies - Holger Klotzbach, Berlin’s Iconic Cabaret Visionary, Dies at 79
Holger Klotzbach, the founder of Berlin’s Bar Jeder Vernunft and Tipi at the Chancellery, has died at the age of 79. Born in 1946 in Duisburg, he was a well-known left-wing activist, teacher, and key figure in the city’s cultural scene for decades.
Klotzbach first made his mark in the 1970s as part of the Tipi am Kanzleramt movement, which he helped establish. By the 1980s, he had shifted to performance, working as a pianist with the cabaret trio Die 3 Tornados. His influence grew further when he co-founded the Schwarzes Café and the Tempodrom, two iconic Berlin venues known for their independent spirit.
In 1992, he opened Bar Jeder Vernunft, a cabaret and entertainment space that became a staple of the city’s nightlife. A decade later, in 2002, he launched the Tipi, a circus tent venue near the Chancellery that hosted music, theatre, and comedy. Both locations operated without public funding, offering original programming that stood out in Berlin’s cultural landscape. Klotzbach passed away on Friday, just days before his 80th birthday.
His partner and the teams behind Bar Jeder Vernunft and the Tipi have stated they will carry on his work. The venues will continue to run as he envisioned, maintaining their reputation for independent, high-quality entertainment.
