After his studies he stayed in Berlin, where he first wrote literary and theater reviews for various newspapers and magazines, such as Die Schaubühne (the forerunner of the Weltbühne) and for the Münchner Neueste Nachrichten.

He quickly became a sought-after critic, initially primarily as a variety show and theater reviewer for the weekly newspaper Die Schaubühne.

After his studies, Hardekopf had worked as a stenographer in the state parliaments of Dresden and Weimar as well as in the Leipzig city council.

This bread and butter job secured him a reasonably regular income, with which he was also able to finance several trips.

A pacifist, in 1916 he left Germany for neutral Zurich, where he associated with Hugo Ball and the nascent Dada movement.