As of: March 15, 2024, 5:00 p.m
By: Julian Limmer
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Munich's most legendary club: the P1 is celebrating its anniversary © Philipp Guelland
The hardest door, the most stars, the craziest parties – the P1 is a myth in itself.
This weekend the Oanser or Stüberl, as the people of Munich also call it, is celebrating its 40th birthday.
The former bosses Michael Käfer and Franz Rauch remember wild times.
Munich –
Nightlife sometimes leaves prominent scars.
Franz Rauch (60), boss of P1 for a long time, has a small wound directly above his eye.
It happened one evening many years ago when the punk band Die Toten Hosen, then still young and wild, came to his club with a large entourage and an even greater desire to drink.
“In the beginning they were allowed to drink for free – to put it bluntly: it was relatively intense,” remembers Rauch.
At some point a bartender wanted to stop the free drink.
Of course the punk rockers didn't like that at all.
“One word led to another – and we had the circus.” Fists flew and a mass brawl broke out.
“I was right in the middle of it,” says the former boss.
He sustained a laceration.
But that same night, peace was made again with two more bottles of liquor.
“A Mick Jagger was just sitting around at the bar”
It's just one of many stories that cement the P1 myth.
A club full of stars and almost as many scandals.
When Michael Käfer took over the club at Haus der Kunst 40 years ago - a gift from his father for his 25th birthday - this success was not yet foreseeable: "A lot of it happened by accident, a lot was luck," says Käfer (66).
Michael Käfer looks at photos from the P1 - in them: him with Boris Becker, Tina Turner and others.
© Marcus Schlaf
After the Second World War, the rooms at Prinzregentenstrasse 1 initially served as an officers' meeting place for the US Army.
The soldiers simply called it “Pee-One” because of its tongue-twisting address.
When Käfer joined in 1984, the disco had a more punkish image: guests celebrated with wispy New Wave quiffs and white-painted faces.
The “new guy” rebuilt the club based on the New York model, painted the walls white, and set up tons of junk from the junkyard as bar tables: “I didn’t really have a lot of money for the renovation,” he says.
That didn't hurt, the club quickly developed into a popular address for prominent guests.
“A Mick Jagger would just sit around at the bar and get to know girls – or they would get to know him.” Totally normal.
Prince had to flee: “The people were crazy and broke down our door
Part of the myth of the P1 is, of course, the legendary door, which was probably the toughest in the republic at the time: everyone, no matter how prominent, had to get past the bouncer first.
A princess of a small but very rich and famous principality was once rejected, says Käfer - the same fate befell the hard rockers the Scorpions from Hanover.
“That was of course totally arrogant of us,” the former boss says today.
He wouldn't have liked to be a bouncer himself.
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Probably the most famous door in Munich: Some celebrities were also turned away at P1.
© picture alliance
Once an artist even caused the disco to be stormed: Prince.
The P1 had organized a party for the musician.
It's just stupid that word got around.
“The people were crazy and broke down our door,” remembers the ex-boss.
Prince, who is naturally shy of people, was not enthusiastic.
“We carried him from the balcony to the emergency exit.”
“Probably our biggest flop from a business perspective”
People often graced the P1 before they made it big.
Example Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus from Milli Vanilli: “They often played air guitar at the bar.” And the “so beautiful” Whitney Houston, as Käfer says, sang in P1 shortly before she conquered the whole world with her voice.
Another regular guest was the then young US artist Jeff Koons: “Once, while intoxicated, he wanted to pay a bill with a work of art - we didn't accept it,” says Franz Rauch.
Years later, the artist's works fetched high double-digit millions.
“Probably our biggest flop from a business perspective,” says Rauch.
They came before they later became famous: Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus from Milli Vanilli in the late 80s.
© Agency People
Money also played a role in another appearance by a world star - but this brought the police into action.
The P1 hosted a party for Tina Turner.
The icon herself was on stage, singing for a small, select audience.
That same evening was their tour manager, Marcel Avram's birthday - so the club had D-Mark notes printed with his likeness.
“When Tina Turner sang Happy Birthday, we let the money rain from the ceiling,” said Rauch.
Unfortunately, someone present later came up with the idea of paying with the money outside the disco.
The P1 had a counterfeit money affair on its hands.
It wasn't the only scandal: at a party in 1997, guests dressed up as beggars, including Beetle himself, who posed with dirt on his face and a liquor bottle lying in the corner.
It was later called a “bum party” and the posh club mocked the homeless.
Today Käfer speaks ruefully of a “youthful sin”.
And at a Roman theme party, a student in P1 had himself hung on a cross.
The party Christ turned the church against the club.
Only a donation brought indulgence.
Long ago.
Rauch's son Sebastian Goller (35) has been the club boss for several years.
Things have become quieter around P1, at least when it comes to scandals.
Inside, the party continues loudly.
When you come in.
Verena Kerth remembers P1 – and Oliver Kahn
In the spotlight: Verena Kerth and goalkeeper god Oliver Kahn were a couple from 2003 to 2008.
© Getty Images
Munich – She sometimes wishes she could experience this time again, she says.
Verena Kerth (42) had the nights of her life in P1.
“It was simply legendary, the place to be.” So many celebrities, such wild parties, you could only find that here.
“That’s why I really wanted to work here,” she says.
But it didn't work right away - she had hardly any experience as a bartender.
So she first worked in another bar and tried again at P1.
Her persistence paid off and she got the job.
Right at the beginning, a bartender colleague said to her: “Verena, just dance and talk to the guests – I’ll do the rest,” says Kerth.
A dream job!
And one evening in 2003 it happened.
It was a weekday, remembers Kerth, when the FC Bayern team stopped by the P1.
Kerth already knew one of the players, so the team sat with her.
“That’s how I met Oli.” Oliver Kahn.
They fell in love and he even left his wife for Kerth.
And Kerth's bartending career was over again