Apollo-Theater, Movie theater in Emden, Germany

The Apollo-Theater is a closed cinema at Zwischen beiden Bleichen 2 in Emden, built from 1928 to 1930 in brick expressionist style. A three-storey front building with the entrance at ground level leads to the auditorium, which originally seated around 650 and probably had a small stage for supporting programmes. It closed on 31 July 2009 after 80 years.

Built from 1928 to 1930 as a purpose-built cinema in brick expressionist style, the Apollo opened with around 650 seats and probably a small stage for supporting programmes. Hit in the air raid of 6 September 1944, it was repaired and reopened after the war. From 1948/49 Otto Neubauer ran it with 570 seats; widescreen came in 1956, CinemaScope in 1958. The Jentsch family took over in the mid-1960s, and around 1980 Friedo Buschmann split the hall into the Stern, Apollo and Rex screens. It closed on 31 July 2009 after 80 years.

The name Apollo was already used by an Emden cinema from 1908, which burned down eight days after opening; the later house kept it. In the 1970s the long hall was split into three screens named Stern, Apollo and Rex, where drinks were served to seats and smoking during screenings was allowed. In 2010 volunteers reopened it for two months of concerts with free entry and donations, drawing around 10,000 visitors.

The building stands at Zwischen beiden Bleichen 2, and the cinema closed on 31 July 2009, so there are no screenings to attend. The brick structure is under monument protection and belongs to the city of Emden, which has been working since 2016 on a new use for it. Visitors can view the exterior only.

The building was converted around 1980 into the Kino-Center Emden: the single long hall was split into three screens named Stern (186 seats), Apollo (171) and Rex (132). Drinks were delivered to seats and smoking during screenings was allowed.