Residenz-Casino (Alexander Casino)

Another night, Edith comes home only to be hit by her father because he found out she had gone out again. After hours of crying, Edith decided to call her friend Isherwood in order to find a safe haven. Isherwood answers happily, and they plan to meet at the Alexander Casino. When Edith arrives at the casino, she sees Isherwood talking with 3 men. They are standing inside an amusement hall with punch-balls, peep-shows, and try-your-grip-machines. Their names are Pieps, Gerhardt, and Kurt. Kurt is silent and unhappy, he constantly picks fights and is covered in blood. Pieps had a round, childish face, red eyelids, eyes swollen (from lack of sleep), and a cigar constantly in his mouth. He ran away at fourteen because his father beat him. Pieps also was full of songs and jokes; he had a very cheerful nature. At some point, Gerhardt and Kurt ran off with two girls. Isherwood, Pieps, and Edith were left to talk alone. Immediately, Isherwood asked if Edith was feeling better from earlier. She broke down, and told them both everything that happened with her family. Pieps related a lot to her story, and he told her there is a whole world out there that she needs to explore. He mentioned that life may be painful right now but there is always a brighter and happier side. This gave Edith the strength and hope she needed to keep going.

The Alexander Casino was the one mentioned in Isherwood's book, but it no longer exists so we used a different casino. The Residenz-Casino was also known as the Resi. It was very large and had tables phone so you could flirt with strangers anonymously. People could also send small gifts or notes to strangers at tables. It was also known for its water-jet ballet which began in 1928 and helped to attract many visitors.

Waters, M. (2017, June 21). People in 1920s Berlin nightclubs flirted via pneumatic tubes. Atlas Obscura. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/pneumatic-tube-table-phone-flirting-berlin.