Wertheim (department store)

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Wertheim department stores is one of the largest retail chains in Germany. It was founded by Georg Wertheim.

The chain's most famous store, on Leipziger Platz in Berlin, was constructed in 1896. It featured 83 elevators and a glass-roofed atrium, and was one of the three largest department stores (Kaufhäuser) in Berlin, the others being Hermann Tietz and Kaufhaus des Westens. Brian Ladd called it “the crown jewel of the main shopping street." [1]

The company was subjected to the Nazi Aryanization policies in the 1930s. The Wertheim family attempted to avoid losing control of the company by making Georg's wife, Ursula, the principal shareholder, since she was considered "Aryan" under Nazi law.

Today the two operated department stores are located on the Kurfürstendamm, one of Berlin's leading shopping streets in Downtown West. The other store is located in the borough Steglitz. In 2007 the Karstadt department store next to the Steglitz branch will be refurbished. During that reconstruction, the sale will be continued in the Wertheim store. After reopening of the Karstadt store in 2009, Wertheim Steglitz finally will be closed.

Wertheim on Kurfürstendamm has 8 floors, with 355209 sq ft selling area.