Elsie Attenhofer
Encyclopedia
Elsie Attenhofer was a Swiss cabaret artiste, actress, writer and performer of monologues.
. In 1931, she became one of the first Swiss women to hold a private pilot's licence. Her first job was as a secretary to a neurologist
.
In 1934, she joined the Cabaret Cornichon
, known throughout Switzerland for its caustic satire, and she remained an important member of the company until 1942. Her stage partners included Max Werner Lenz and Voli Geiler. She married the germanist, Karl Schmid in 1940: there were two children from the marriage, a son and a daughter, born in 1942 and 1943 respectively. In 1943, she wrote the period piece, Wer wirft den ersten Stein? (Who will throw the first stone?) – an indictment against anti-Semitism
in Switzerland. However, it was considered too hot to touch by the Schauspielhaus Zürich
, a view shared soon afterwards by the Basler Stadttheater. It was not until October 1944, with Hitler’s downfall looming, that the play was first performed (to rave reviews) by an ad hoc company at a private theatre in Basel. With the war over, she immediately went to Germany, where she met the master of political innuendo, Werner Finck
. He engaged her to appear at his theatre, ‘Die Mausefalle’, (The Mousetrap) in Stuttgart, but – ever the individualist – Attenhofer did not want to lose her independence. Instead she wrote her ‘One-Woman-Show’, a compilation of the best of the Cornichon sketches. Leaving her family behind, she toured Europe with it in the 1970s, performing in four languages.
In her 1989 retrospective
, Réserve du Patron, Attenhofer held an imaginary conversation with her late husband about their lives. In 1990 she was awarded the Oberrheinischen Kulturpreis by the Goethe Foundation in Basel; eight years later she was honoured with the gold medal of the Canton of Zürich
for her understanding of democracy and her humanity.
Life and work
Her parents were hoteliers in LuganoLugano
Lugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
. In 1931, she became one of the first Swiss women to hold a private pilot's licence. Her first job was as a secretary to a neurologist
Neurologist
A neurologist is a physician who specializes in neurology, and is trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders.Neurology is the medical specialty related to the human nervous system. The nervous system encompasses the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. A specialist...
.
In 1934, she joined the Cabaret Cornichon
Cabaret Cornichon
The Cabaret Cornichon was a Swiss cabaret company.It existed from 1934 to 1951 and was founded by Otto Weissert, Walter Lesch, Emil Hegetschweiler and Alois Carigiet. They were later joined by, among others, Max Werner Lenz, Elsie Attenhofer, Voli Geiler, Margrit Rainer, Heinrich Gretler, Zarli...
, known throughout Switzerland for its caustic satire, and she remained an important member of the company until 1942. Her stage partners included Max Werner Lenz and Voli Geiler. She married the germanist, Karl Schmid in 1940: there were two children from the marriage, a son and a daughter, born in 1942 and 1943 respectively. In 1943, she wrote the period piece, Wer wirft den ersten Stein? (Who will throw the first stone?) – an indictment against anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
in Switzerland. However, it was considered too hot to touch by the Schauspielhaus Zürich
Schauspielhaus Zürich
The Schauspielhaus Zürich is one of the most prominent and important theatres in the German-speaking world. It is also known as "Pfauenbühne" after its location on the Pfauen Square in Zürich, Switzerland. The large theatre has 750 seats...
, a view shared soon afterwards by the Basler Stadttheater. It was not until October 1944, with Hitler’s downfall looming, that the play was first performed (to rave reviews) by an ad hoc company at a private theatre in Basel. With the war over, she immediately went to Germany, where she met the master of political innuendo, Werner Finck
Werner Finck
Werner Finck was a German comedian, an actor with "comic bones". He could read the phone book and it would seem extremely funny.-Life:...
. He engaged her to appear at his theatre, ‘Die Mausefalle’, (The Mousetrap) in Stuttgart, but – ever the individualist – Attenhofer did not want to lose her independence. Instead she wrote her ‘One-Woman-Show’, a compilation of the best of the Cornichon sketches. Leaving her family behind, she toured Europe with it in the 1970s, performing in four languages.
In her 1989 retrospective
Retrospective
Retrospective generally means to take a look back at events that already have taken place. For example, the term is used in medicine, describing a look back at a patient's medical history or lifestyle.-Music:...
, Réserve du Patron, Attenhofer held an imaginary conversation with her late husband about their lives. In 1990 she was awarded the Oberrheinischen Kulturpreis by the Goethe Foundation in Basel; eight years later she was honoured with the gold medal of the Canton of Zürich
Canton of Zürich
The Canton of Zurich has a population of . The canton is located in the northeast of Switzerland and the city of Zurich is its capital. The official language is German, but people speak the local Swiss German dialect called Züritüütsch...
for her understanding of democracy and her humanity.