Imagine strolling through Schwabing in the 1970s and suddenly being able to see Chet Baker, Art Blakey, or other international jazz greats perform on a small stage. What sounds like an incredible journey back in time today was the norm back then. The legendary Domicile made the city one of Europe’s most important jazz destinations. But behind its doors lies not only an impressive success story, but also a surprising ending.
It all began on May 1, 1965, when jazz bassist Ernst Knauff opened the Domicile at Siegesstraße 19. With room for just around 100 guests, the club was initially anything but a large concert venue. But Knauff had ambitious plans: He even traveled to New York to recruit international jazz stars to perform in Munich.
Success wasn’t long in coming. Greats like Chet Baker, Art Blakey, and Benny Bailey turned Schwabing into a magnet for music lovers. In 1976, the Domicile finally moved to 19 Leopoldstraße, where the famous Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band performed for three weeks straight to mark the opening. This wasn’t just a place where music was played: the Domicile wrote a chapter in international jazz history.
Why the legendary jazz club suddenly disappeared
But even the fame of international jazz stars couldn’t save the Domicile. Rising costs and financial difficulties made it increasingly difficult to book major musicians from the U.S. In 1981, founder Ernst Knauff stepped down from the club, which subsequently continued as a rock venue.
The definitive end of the live music era came a few years later and had an almost unbelievable trigger: a dispute over the renovation of the restrooms. In 1985, *Die Zeit* reported on the transformation of the once-famous music club into a nightclub. With that, one of Schwabing’s most legendary stages disappeared.
11 December 2026 18:30
Sudetendeutsches Haus
22 November 2026 16:00
Sudetendeutsches Haus
The great jazz legends return to Munich in music
Even though the Domicile is long gone, the passion for jazz lives on in Munich. Anyone who wants to experience the music of past decades up close can look forward to a special journey through time at The Jazz Room.
There, classics like “Fly Me to the Moon,” “My Way,” and “What a Wonderful World” are performed in a rousing live tribute. For about 60 minutes, expressive voices, lively melodies, and an intimate concert atmosphere create an experience that evokes the great tradition of jazz clubs.
