Hans Rosenthal
Encyclopedia
Hans Rosenthal was a radio editor, director, and one of the most popular German
radio and television hosts of the 1970s and 80s.
family in the Prenzlauer Berg
district of Berlin
(on Winsstraße No. 63). His childhood was marked by an aggressive antisemitic
atmosphere, the result of rising German Nazism
. His father died of renal failure in 1937, after he had lost his job at the Deutsche Bank
AG. When his mother died of colorectal cancer
in 1941, Hans and his younger brother Gert (born 1932) found themselves in the orphanage. Starting in 1940, Hans was forced to participate in unfree labour
, while his brother was deported and like many other relatives died in the Holocaust. After Hans escaped the Fabrikaktion
in February 1943, he went into hiding and until 1945 was able to stay at a safe house
in a small garden allotment in Berlin-Lichtenberg
, where three German women helped him to survive.
After the war, Rosenthal began an apprenticeship as an assistant director at the Berliner Rundfunk
public broadcaster. However, he soon came into conflict with the supervisiors of the Soviet Military Administration
and from 1948 onwards worked for the Rundfunk im amerikanischen Sektor
(RIAS), a broadcaster controlled by the American occupying forces. He became chief entertainment editor and soon hosted his own radio quiz shows: Allein gegen alle, Wer fragt, gewinnt., Das klingende Sonntagsrätsel, Spaß muß sein (broadcast from London's Paris Theatre
during the 1966 FIFA World Cup
), Opas Schlagerfestival, Da ist man sprachlos, Die Rückblende and Günter Neumann und seine Insulaner. Later on the German ZDF
public television channel, he presented shows like Gut gefragt ist halb gewonnen, Rate mal mit Rosenthal, KO OK, Das Schlagerfestival der 20er Jahre, and Dalli Dalli, a co-production with the Austrian ORF
broadcaster.
The TV show Dalli, Dalli (derived from , "Hurry Up!"), aired 153 times from 1971 until 1986, was most popular. Celebrities had to compete in several fast-paced quiz tournaments and games of skill, critiqued by a panel of judges. Up to today Rosenthal is known in Germany for his catchphrase Sie sind der Meinung, das war ... ? ("So you all think that was... ?") commenting extraordinary achievements. The TV audience answered Spitze! ("Great!") at which point Rosenthal would jump into the air. Due to his short body height, his first name was often put affectionately into a diminutive
form, whereas he was known as Hänschen Rosenthal.
He was a member of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, the Zentralrat der Juden
from the 1960s onwards. He often took his vacation in Utersum
on Föhr
, of which he was eventually made an honorary citizen. From 1965 until 1973 Rosenthal was chairman of the Tennis Borussia Berlin
football club. Rosenthal started a foundation called Schnelle Hilfe in Akuter Not (which translates into "Fast Help in Dire Need").
In 1980 Rosenthal published his autobiography Zwei Leben in Deutschland ("Two Lives in Germany"). In 1986, along with Paul Spiegel
, he started an international media agency, which promoted actors, TV presenters and artists. In the same year Rosenthal fell ill with stomach cancer
and had to terminate his function as TV host. He died in 1987 in Berlin, aged 61.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
radio and television hosts of the 1970s and 80s.
Life
Rosenthal grew up in a JewishHistory of the Jews in Germany
The presence of Jews in Germany has been established since the early 4th century. The community prospered under Charlemagne, but suffered during the Crusades...
family in the Prenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Berg is a locality of Berlin, in the borough of Pankow.Until 2001, Prenzlauer Berg was a borough of Berlin; in that year it was included in the borough of Pankow....
district of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
(on Winsstraße No. 63). His childhood was marked by an aggressive antisemitic
Anti-Jewish legislation in prewar Nazi Germany
Antisemitism and the persecution of Jews represented a central tenet of Nazi ideology. In their 25-point Party Program, published in 1920, Nazi party members publicly declared their intention to segregate Jews from "Aryan" society and to abrogate Jews' political, legal, and civil rights. Nazi...
atmosphere, the result of rising German Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
. His father died of renal failure in 1937, after he had lost his job at the Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank AG is a global financial service company with its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. It employs more than 100,000 people in over 70 countries, and has a large presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the emerging markets...
AG. When his mother died of colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer, commonly known as bowel cancer, is a cancer caused by uncontrolled cell growth , in the colon, rectum, or vermiform appendix. Colorectal cancer is clinically distinct from anal cancer, which affects the anus....
in 1941, Hans and his younger brother Gert (born 1932) found themselves in the orphanage. Starting in 1940, Hans was forced to participate in unfree labour
Unfree labour
Unfree labour includes all forms of slavery as well as all other related institutions .-Payment for unfree labour:If payment occurs, it may be in one or more of the following forms:...
, while his brother was deported and like many other relatives died in the Holocaust. After Hans escaped the Fabrikaktion
Fabrikaktion
The Fabrikaktion is the term for the roundup of the last Jews to be deported starting 27 February 1943. Most of these remaining Jews were working Berlin plants or they were working for the Jewish welfare organisation...
in February 1943, he went into hiding and until 1945 was able to stay at a safe house
Safe house
In the jargon of law enforcement and intelligence agencies, a safe house is a secure location, suitable for hiding witnesses, agents or other persons perceived as being in danger...
in a small garden allotment in Berlin-Lichtenberg
Lichtenberg (locality)
Lichtenberg is a locality of Berlin in the homonymous district of Lichtenberg. Until 2001 it was an autonomous district with the localities of Fennpfuhl, Rummelsburg, Friedrichsfelde and Karlshorst.- History :...
, where three German women helped him to survive.
After the war, Rosenthal began an apprenticeship as an assistant director at the Berliner Rundfunk
Berliner Rundfunk
The Berliner Rundfunk was a radio program set in East Germany. It had a political focus and discussed events in East Berlin. Today it is a commercial radio station broadcast with the name "Berlin Rundfunk 91.4".- History :...
public broadcaster. However, he soon came into conflict with the supervisiors of the Soviet Military Administration
Soviet Military Administration in Germany
The Soviet Military Administration in Germany was the Soviet military government, headquartered in Berlin-Karlshorst, that directly ruled the Soviet occupation zone of Germany from the German surrender in May 1945 until after the establishment of the German Democratic Republic in October...
and from 1948 onwards worked for the Rundfunk im amerikanischen Sektor
Rundfunk im amerikanischen Sektor
RIAS was a radio and television station in the American Sector of Berlin during the Cold War. It was founded by the US occupational authorities after World War II in 1946 to provide the German population in and around Berlin with news and political reporting and was initially only broadcast on...
(RIAS), a broadcaster controlled by the American occupying forces. He became chief entertainment editor and soon hosted his own radio quiz shows: Allein gegen alle, Wer fragt, gewinnt., Das klingende Sonntagsrätsel, Spaß muß sein (broadcast from London's Paris Theatre
Paris Theatre
The Paris Theatre was a former cinema located in Lower Regent Street, London, which was converted into a theatre by the BBC for radio broadcasts...
during the 1966 FIFA World Cup
1966 FIFA World Cup
The 1966 FIFA World Cup, the eighth staging of the World Cup, was held in England from 11 July to 30 July. England beat West Germany 4–2 in the final, winning the World Cup for the first time, so becoming the first host to win the tournament since Italy in 1934.-Host selection:England was chosen as...
), Opas Schlagerfestival, Da ist man sprachlos, Die Rückblende and Günter Neumann und seine Insulaner. Later on the German ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
public television channel, he presented shows like Gut gefragt ist halb gewonnen, Rate mal mit Rosenthal, KO OK, Das Schlagerfestival der 20er Jahre, and Dalli Dalli, a co-production with the Austrian ORF
ORF (broadcaster)
Österreichischer Rundfunk, ORF, is the Austrian national public service broadcaster.Funded from a combination of a television licence fees and revenue from limited on-air advertising, ORF is the dominant player in the Austrian broadcast media...
broadcaster.
The TV show Dalli, Dalli (derived from , "Hurry Up!"), aired 153 times from 1971 until 1986, was most popular. Celebrities had to compete in several fast-paced quiz tournaments and games of skill, critiqued by a panel of judges. Up to today Rosenthal is known in Germany for his catchphrase Sie sind der Meinung, das war ... ? ("So you all think that was... ?") commenting extraordinary achievements. The TV audience answered Spitze! ("Great!") at which point Rosenthal would jump into the air. Due to his short body height, his first name was often put affectionately into a diminutive
Diminutive
In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form , is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment...
form, whereas he was known as Hänschen Rosenthal.
He was a member of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, the Zentralrat der Juden
Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland
The Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland is a federation of German Jews organizing many Jewish organisations in Germany. It was founded on July 19, 1950, as a response to the increasing isolation of German Jews by the international Jewish community and increasing interest in Jewish affairs by the ...
from the 1960s onwards. He often took his vacation in Utersum
Utersum
Utersum is a municipality on the island of Föhr, in the district of Nordfriesland, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The municipality includes the hamlet of Hedehusum.-Geography:...
on Föhr
Föhr
Föhr is one of the North Frisian Islands on the German coast of the North Sea. It is part of the Nordfriesland district in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein. Föhr is the second-largest North Sea island of Germany....
, of which he was eventually made an honorary citizen. From 1965 until 1973 Rosenthal was chairman of the Tennis Borussia Berlin
Tennis Borussia Berlin
Tennis Borussia Berlin is a German football club based in Berlin-Westend.- History :The team was founded in 1902 and takes its name from its origins as a tennis and ping-pong club. "Borussia" is a Latinised version of Prussia. In 1903 the club took up football and quickly developed a rivalry with...
football club. Rosenthal started a foundation called Schnelle Hilfe in Akuter Not (which translates into "Fast Help in Dire Need").
In 1980 Rosenthal published his autobiography Zwei Leben in Deutschland ("Two Lives in Germany"). In 1986, along with Paul Spiegel
Paul Spiegel
Paul Spiegel was leader of the Zentralrat der Juden in Germany and the main spokesman of the German Jews...
, he started an international media agency, which promoted actors, TV presenters and artists. In the same year Rosenthal fell ill with stomach cancer
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
and had to terminate his function as TV host. He died in 1987 in Berlin, aged 61.
Awards
- 1972 Federal Cross of Merit (BundesverdienstkreuzBundesverdienstkreuzThe Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
) - 1973 BambiBambi (prize)The Bambi - Deutschlands Wichtigster Medienpreis, often simply called Bambi Awards and stylized as BAMBI, are presented annually by Hubert Burda Media to recognize excellence in international media and television "with vision and creativity who affected and inspired the German public that year",...
- 1974 Goldene Kamera
- 1979 Goldene Kamera
- 1984 Goldene Kamera
- 1985 Goldene EuropaGoldene EuropaThe Goldene Europa award is the oldest German Television award for artists and entertainers. It was awarded from 1968 to 2003. In the years 1989 and 2001, there were no ceremonies...
- 1986 TelestarTelestarThe Telestar was a former German television award, created by Das Erste and ZDF. It was succeeded in 1999 by the Deutscher Fernsehpreis....
Other honours
- 1993 The square in front of the RIAS building (now the home of Deutschlandradio KulturDeutschlandradio KulturDeutschlandradio Kultur is the culture-oriented radio station of the German national Deutschlandradio service...
) in Berlin-SchönebergSchönebergSchöneberg is a locality of Berlin, Germany. Until Berlin's 2001 administrative reform it was a separate borough including the locality of Friedenau. Together with the former borough of Tempelhof it is now part of the new borough of Tempelhof-Schöneberg....
was named Hans-Rosenthal-Platz - 2007 A sports center in Berlin-WestendWestend (Berlin)Westend is a locality of the Berlin borough Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf situated on the Spandauer Berg, the northern peak of the Teltow plateau between the river valleys of Spree and Havel...
was named Hans-Rosenthal-Sportanlage
Literature about Rosenthal
- Leonard Gross : The Last Jews in Berlin, Simon & Schuster, USA 1982, ISBN 0-283-99004-X
- Thomas Henschke: Hans Rosenthal. Ein Leben für die Unterhaltung. Schwarzkopf u. Schwarzkopf, Berlin 1999, ISBN 3-89602-307-1
- Michael Schäbitz, Paul SpiegelPaul SpiegelPaul Spiegel was leader of the Zentralrat der Juden in Germany and the main spokesman of the German Jews...
, Curth FlatowCurth FlatowCurth Flatow was a German dramatist and screenwriter who started his career in post-war Germany specializing in light comedy. Flatow was born in Berlin. Many of his plays have been adapted for the big screen...
: Hans Rosenthal. Deutschlands unvergessener Quizmaster; bewusster, stolzer Jude. Jüdische Miniaturen, Band 19. Stiftung Neue Synagoge Berlin - Centrum Iudaicum / Hentrich and Hentrich, Teetz 2004, ISBN 3-933471-73-7
External links
- Literature by and about Hans Rosenthal in German National LibraryGerman National LibraryThe German National Library is the central archival library and national bibliographic centre for the Federal Republic of Germany...
- Hans Rosenthal Foundation (in German)