Retro Pickup: How Berlin Flirted with Pipes and Telephones in the 1930s

In the 1930s, Berlin nightclub owners came up with an unusual way to meet people. Their idea allowed guests to flirt and chat while remaining in their seats – a kind of precursor to today’s dating sites. Visitors flirted using telephones and pneumatic tubes. It was a real business that attracted new people and brought in profits.

It is difficult to say who first came up with this unusual idea. It was definitely done with the aim of attracting clients to the establishments, and the idea fully justified itself. Guests were attracted by the opportunity to talk to a person they liked. This method of meeting seemed “decent”, because communication began without direct contact, and therefore without the risk of getting an awkward refusal.

How was the new format of communication organized? There was a telephone on each table, and next to it was a pneumatic tube, similar to the one used in banks to send documents. The system worked simply: if you liked someone at the next table, you had to find out their number and send a note via pneumatic mail or dial the phone number connecting the tables.

The pioneers of this technology were two Berlin clubs: Resi and Femina. Both establishments offered a great bar, entertainment, casino and dancing. But dozens of clubs offered such services, and not all of them had a “dating club”. Lonely men and women could often be seen at tables with telephones or pneumatic tube devices. It was obvious that they had come to meet someone.

This organization of communication practically excluded unpleasant answers like "I'm not looking for acquaintances", which are common in real contacts. This was especially attractive to girls, who could finally start a conversation first, without the risk of facing condemnation or ridicule. You can simply call or send a note via pneumatic mail to the man you like. If he is interested - great. If not - the blow to your pride will be minimal.

The Femina Club, designed for 2,000 guests, offered 250 tables with dating devices. It was a telephone, a stylishly decorated "exhaust pipe" of pneumatic mail. Above each table a number glowed - this was the number that had to be indicated when sending notes. Here is how the German newspapers described the system:

Dating clubs were popular not only with locals, but also with foreigners. Americans were most often found in Resi and Femina. Especially for foreign guests, there were instructions on the tables not only in German, but also in English. Isn't it very similar to modern dating sites with a choice of languages?

But why did they install pneumatic tubes in addition to telephones? It was a way of communication for the most shy. Not all women could easily maintain a conversation with a stranger. Notes in this sense seemed a more anonymous and comfortable option. That is why there was paper and writing materials on each table. You could write a letter, pack it in a special capsule and, having indicated the subscriber's table number, throw it into the pneumatic tube portal.

The clubs even had their own moderation. To avoid vulgar and rude messages, Resi had special female censors. If the message did not contain any forbidden topics or insults, the letter was sent on to its addressee. The censor's job was not easy. Sometimes they reviewed hundreds or even thousands of messages overnight.

There were other services in Berlin clubs that made it easier to meet people. For example, men could order flowers, cards, and even gifts for women at tables. This service brought good profits to the clubs, and visitors had another way to show their sympathy. The most popular gift for women, besides a bouquet, was a bottle of perfume. Small gifts could be sent by pneumatic mail, and larger ones could be handed over by waiter.

The peak of popularity of the Resi and Femina clubs was in the early 1930s. But in the American occupation zone of Berlin, the establishments also worked after the war. In the late 1940s, the "flirting via tube" service stopped working. But the remains of dating equipment could be seen in the clubs' premises until the 1980s.

Today we take online dating for granted, but it turns out that even without the Internet, people found ways to flirt anonymously. Would you like to try this format of dating in a modern club? Or has virtual communication forever replaced the romance of notes and phone calls? Share your opinion in the comments!