Royal Theatre

The cinema is located across the street from the train station. The egg-shaped building dates from 1938.
In 1903 Laurentius van Bergen decided to start a traveling cinema next to his existing fairground rides. 20 years later he handed over the company to his sons Alexander, Max, and Mathieu. The sons saw more bread in the cinema activities than the fairground rides. In 1932 they built their first cinema in Roermond, which was a great success. Heerlen at that time was a city on the rise because of the mines and seemed like a good place for a new cinema.
During the Second World War, the Royal continued to run reasonably well, despite the regular fines that the owner receives for not showing propaganda films, playing banned hall music, and insulting NSB members.

The resistance uses the basements of the cinema as a storage room for weapons and Allied pilots are hidden in the changing rooms. On June 11, 1942, the Royal, decorated with swastikas, is the stage for a Nazi meeting where Seyss-Inquart and Mussert give a lecture.

After the liberation on September 17, 1944, the Royal is used by the Americans. In the period from the end of September 1944 to August 1945, Heerlen is a 'Restcentre', a resting place where American soldiers from the front are allowed to seek entertainment and rest for a few days. At night the theater hall is used for interrogation of prisoners of war and during the day and in the evening there are big shows with famous artists such as Marlene Dietrich and Bob Hope.

Source: Wikipedia