A piece of cinema and city history is back: The historic illuminated lettering of Offenbach's ‚Universum‘ cinema is once again displayed in public. Ardi Goldman, a Frankfurt real estate developer and passionate cinephile, rediscovered the landmark after almost two decades.
Golden Age in Offenbach
When the „Universum“ opened its doors at Kaiserstraße 55 in 1956, it set new standards. In just one year, brothers Paul and Wilhelm Merle had created one of the most modern cinemas in the region: over 700 seats, air conditioning, water-cooled projectors, and a continuously adjustable screen. Above the entrance, the lettering shone in bright yellow script – 73 centimeters high and six meters wide, visible from afar. International stars like Rock Hudson and Charlton Heston came to Offenbach specifically to present their films. From 1966 at the latest, when the Universum became a premiere cinema, it was the cultural center of the city.
Decline and Loss
But the cinema landscape changed. In 1991, the last curtain fell, followed by vacancy, disputes among owners, and strict regulations. Ardi Goldman tried to acquire the building and save the cinema at the time – in vain. His gaze turned to the last visible symbol: the lettering. He repeatedly made attempts to save it. Even in 2008, when the renovation into a supermarket began, he was still looking for a way. But then the landmark suddenly disappeared – and seemed lost forever.
The surprising rediscovery
The lettering remained lost for almost two decades. Then came the unexpected twist: Goldman's garage mechanic told him about a friend in Berlin who owned the historical letters and wanted to sell them. After 17 years, Goldman could finally acquire them. „It was like getting a piece of cinema history back that I had never lost from my heart – good things come to those who wait,“ he says today.
Return to the Light
The "Universum" lettering is now on display again in public – this time not in Offenbach, but in Frankfurt am Main. As part of the new museum and memorial project "The Art of Union – Topography of Hope." Ardi Goldman has had it installed visibly for everyone on the Union site at Hanauer Landstraße 189–198. For him, it is far more than a relic from past days: a tribute to the golden age of cinema and, at the same time, a symbol of a passion that has accompanied him since his youth – a love for film.
