Drive-In Cinemas in Germany

Drive-In Cinemas in Germany

Germany has the most established drive-in cinema network in continental Europe. Known locally as Autokinos, these venues have operated continuously since 1960. Four permanent sites screen year-round in the western states. Five seasonal Autokinos operate in the east, primarily from spring through autumn.

History

Germany’s first Autokino opened on March 30, 1960, in Gravenbruch near Frankfurt am Main. The founder was Hermann Franz Passage. The venue remains in operation — making it the oldest drive-in in Europe. Italy’s Metro Drive In in Rome had opened three years earlier, in 1957, but closed in the 1980s.

A second Autokino followed in Berlin-Siemensstadt in September 1966 and a third in Koln-Porz in August 1967. Growth accelerated through the late 1960s. By 1978, roughly 21 Autokinos operated across West Germany — the format’s peak.

Technical Format

German Autokinos use FM radio transmission for sound. Each venue broadcasts on a dedicated frequency. Some offer simultaneous original-language and dubbed audio on separate FM channels. Every permanent venue provides 230-volt power outlets at each parking space and free battery jump-start service.

Screens at the permanent venues measure up to 540 square meters. The largest sites hold over 1,000 cars. Portable FM radios are available for cars with unreliable receivers.

Decline

Daylight saving time, introduced in 1980, pushed summer screening starts from 20:00 to 22:00. Private television launched in 1984. VHS home video became mainstream in the mid-1980s. Profitable sites sometimes closed because their suburban land was worth more for development.

Entrepreneur Walter H. Jann saved several venues by purchasing them and adding flea markets and car markets as daytime revenue. This dual-use model remains standard at German Autokinos.

The Only Drive-In in the DDR

Autokino Zempow in Wittstock/Dosse, Brandenburg, opened in 1977. It was the only drive-in cinema in the German Democratic Republic. After reunification, several new drive-ins opened in the eastern states, though many later closed. Zempow was revived in 2020 by a village cultural association and now operates seasonally with FM transmission at 92.6 MHz.

Permanent Autokinos

Four year-round Autokinos operate in western Germany:

Autokino Frankfurt-Gravenbruch (opened 1960) — Two screens, 1,050 car spaces. The oldest operating drive-in in Europe.

Autokino Essen (opened 1968) — 1,000 car spaces on a single screen. The largest single-screen Autokino in Germany.

Autokino Munchen-Aschheim (opened 1969) — Two screens, 850 total spaces near Munich.

Autokino Stuttgart-Kornwestheim (opened 1969) — Two screens, 850 total spaces near Stuttgart.

Autokino Koln-Porz, Germany’s third-oldest venue, closed on October 31, 2024 after 57 years.

Seasonal Autokinos

Five seasonal Autokinos operate in eastern Germany, primarily from spring through autumn:

Autokino Zempow (Wittstock/Dosse, Brandenburg) — The former DDR venue. Seasonal May to October, run by a local cultural association.

Autokino Langenhessen (Werdau, Saxony) — Three screens, snack delivery by staff on inline skates. March to November.

Autokino Greifensteine (Geyer, Saxony) — In the Ore Mountains. March to November.

Autokino Usedom (Koserow) — On Usedom island behind the Baltic Sea beach. FM 87.8 MHz. May to September.

Autokino Prora (Binz) — On Rugen island. FM 87.8 MHz. Mid-July to mid-September.

COVID-19 Revival

The pandemic transformed Germany’s drive-in landscape temporarily. Existing Autokinos received exemptions to reopen before indoor cinemas — Kornwestheim as early as March 18, 2020. Over 120 FM frequency applications for pop-up drive-ins were filed by April 2020. The total surged from roughly 20 active venues to approximately 200.

Drive-ins hosted concerts, weddings, graduation ceremonies, church services, and comedy shows. Germany’s first “auto-disco” took place on May 1, 2020 in Schuttorf. Most pop-up venues closed after pandemic restrictions lifted.

Visiting Tips

All German Autokinos use FM radio for sound. Bring a portable FM radio — some modern car radios auto-shutoff after extended idle time. Digital audio processing in newer vehicles can cause synchronization delays.

Permanent venues show double features starting at dusk. Arrive 30 to 60 minutes early. Concession stands serve cinema snacks and German fast food. Weekend flea markets run during daytime hours at most permanent sites.

Seasonal venues in eastern Germany generally operate April or May through September or October. Check venue websites for current schedules.

Sources

• de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autokino — Comprehensive German-language history of the Autokino format
• autokinogravenbruch.de — Official site of Europe’s oldest operating drive-in
• autokino-zempow.de — Seasonal community Autokino in Brandenburg
• autokino-langenhessen.de — Three-screen seasonal venue in Saxony
• essen-autokino.de — Germany’s largest single-screen Autokino

More Countries

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