The address looks back on more than 100 years of club history: from Franzl's Ballhaus over 100 years ago to Tempelhof and Camelot and finally to Headcrash from 2007 onwards. Since 2025, the club has had a new name: BETTY. Why is that?
Why BETTY?
Right in the heart of the Reeperbahn, where life never stands still, you’ll find BETTY. Few people know that the name is closely connected to the street where the live club—which was called “Headcrash” for many years—is located. The street name “Hamburger Berg” has only existed since 1938; before that, it was called “Salomon-Heine-Straße.” But Salomon Heine, born in 1767 and uncle of the famous poet Heinrich Heine, was Jewish. That is why the Nazis changed the name of the street as part of their anti-Semitic policy.
AND WHO WAS BETTY?
Betty Heine was Salomon Heine's wife. She was born in 1767 and came from a wealthy Jewish family in Hamburg. Her nephew Heinrich remembers her as patient, loving, and a good gifted peacemaker. But Betty died unexpectedly at just 59 years old, plunging her husband into deep grief.
In her memory, Salomon Heine founded the „Israelitisches Krankenhaus" in 1837 and named it after her.
At the time, the hospital was the most modern in the entire city and accepted people of all faiths. In 1939, the building was confiscated by the Nazis. Today, it is the St. Pauli district office.
AND WHAT DID SALOMON DO?
Salomon Heine not only supported his nephew Heinrich Heine, even though he did not appreciate his art, but also played one of the biggest, if not the biggest, roles in rebuilding the city of Hamburg after the devastating fire of 1842. More than a quarter of the city fell victim to the flames at that time. To contain the fire, Salomon had his own townhouse demolished, later waived the insurance money he was entitled to, helped the numerous victims, had Christian churches rebuilt at his own expense, and gave the city an interest-free loan.
“What has been lost? Has the Elbe burned down? Nothing is lost as long as we still have the Elbe,”
Salomon Heine is said to have remarked – and saved the entire city from a massive crisis.
Salomon Heine died in 1844. As a Jew, like his wife Betty, he had no civil rights. His “garden house” in Ottensen is now a museum and event venue. Until recently, the portrait of Betty Heine hung there. The painting was found by chance in the basement of the Hohe Weide synagogue in the early 2000s.
BETTY – A LIVE CLUB WITH ATTITUDE
With the name BETTY, we don’t just want to honor Betty Heine for her compassion and dedication,
but also her husband Salomon Heine, to whom this street was originally dedicated, and who named the Israelite Hospital after his beloved wife.
We want to show that St. Pauli is more than bars, red lights, and tourism.
This neighborhood has history—and stories worth telling.
Even though Salomon wished his nephew had pursued a career in commerce instead of poetry,
he continued to support him—sometimes with difficulty.
Betty is said to have helped resolve more than one argument between them.
Following this spirit, BETTY stands for openness and mutual respect.
Our club is a place for music, connection, and lived diversity—
against racism, fascism, homophobia, and sexism.
That’s BETTY.
Text: Susan Barth
Quellen: Griff in die Geschichte (12) - Oktober 2017, Salomon Heine zum 250. Geburtstag: (abgerufen am 11.07.2025)
Salomon Heine: Der Mann, der Hamburg rettete: (abgerufen am 11.07.2025)
Der Garten der Frauen – Betty Heine: (abgerufen am 11.07.2025)