Hildegard Knef
Encyclopedia
Hildegard Frieda Albertine Knef (December 28, 1925February 1, 2002) was a German actress, singer and writer. She was billed in some English language films as Hildegard Neff or Hildegarde Neff.
. She began studying acting in 1940, aged 14. She appeared in several films even before the fall of the Third Reich, but most were not released until after World War II
.
During the Battle of Berlin
Knef dressed as a soldier in order to stay with her then lover to Ewald von Demandowsky
joining him to in the defence of Schmargendorf
and was later sent to a POW camp.
Her best-known film roles were as:
She also appeared in a number of 1960s low budget films such as Hammer films The Lost Continent
.
n rather than German.
Years later, Knef's first husband, an American
named Kurt Hirsch, encouraged her to try again for success in the USA. She changed her name from Knef to Neff and achieved a measure of stardom on Broadway as “Ninotchka” in the Cole Porter
musical,
Silk Stockings
.
In the 1960s and 1970s she enjoyed considerable success as a singer of German chansons, which she often co-wrote. The song she is mostly remembered for is "Für mich soll's rote Rosen regnen" ("Red roses are to rain for me"). She is also known for her version of the song "Ich hab noch einen Koffer in Berlin" ("I still have a suitcase in Berlin") and "Mackie Messer" ("Mack the knife"). She sold more than three million records in total.
. It allegedly became the best-selling German book after World War II
. Her second book "Das Urteil" ("The Verdict") from 1975 was a moderate success. It dealt with her struggle with breast cancer
.
Early years
Hildegard Knef was born in UlmUlm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
. She began studying acting in 1940, aged 14. She appeared in several films even before the fall of the Third Reich, but most were not released until after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
During the Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
Knef dressed as a soldier in order to stay with her then lover to Ewald von Demandowsky
Ewald von Demandowsky
Ewald von Demandowsky was a German Reichsfilmdramaturg operative and head of production at Tobis in the Third Reich....
joining him to in the defence of Schmargendorf
Schmargendorf
Schmargendorf is a south-western locality of Berlin in the district of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf. Until 2001 it was part of the former district of Wilmersdorf.-History:...
and was later sent to a POW camp.
Her best-known film roles were as:
- Susanne Wallner in Wolfgang StaudteWolfgang StaudteWolfgang Staudte , born Georg Friedrich Staudte, was a German film director, script writer and actor. He was born in Saarbrücken....
's film Die Mörder sind unter uns (The Murderers Are Among Us) (the first film released after the Second World War in East Germany and produced by the Soviet filmmaking enterprise DEFA-Studio für Spielfilme) - Marina in Die SünderinDie SünderinDie Sünderin is a German film by the director Willi Forst produced in 1950. The title role was played by Hildegard Knef.-Plot:...
(The Sinner), in which she performed the first nude scene in German film history, in 1950. The nude scene caused one of the largest scandals in German filmmaking history up until that time. When the Roman Catholic Church protested vehemently she responded “I can't understand all that tumult - five years after Auschwitz!”
She also appeared in a number of 1960s low budget films such as Hammer films The Lost Continent
The Lost Continent (1968 film)
The Lost Continent is a 1968 science fiction film made by Seven Arts - Hammer Films featuring Eric Porter, Hildegard Knef, Suzanna Leigh, Tony Beckley and James Cossins. The film was produced, directed and written by Michael Carreras based on Dennis Wheatley's 1938 novel Uncharted Seas...
.
United States
David Selznick invited her to Hollywood, but she refused to agree to the conditions of the contract which reportedly included changing her name to Gilda Christian and pretending to be AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n rather than German.
Years later, Knef's first husband, an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
named Kurt Hirsch, encouraged her to try again for success in the USA. She changed her name from Knef to Neff and achieved a measure of stardom on Broadway as “Ninotchka” in the Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
musical,
Silk Stockings
Silk Stockings
Silk Stockings is a musical with a book by George S. Kaufman, Leueen MacGrath, and Abe Burrows and music and lyrics by Cole Porter.Hildegarde Knef gives a vivid backstage account of the casting, rehearsals, tryouts and Broadway opening of "Silk Stockings" in her autobiography "The Gift Horse:...
.
Chanteuse
She began a new career in 1963 as a singer and surprised her audiences with the deep, smoky quality of her voice and the many lyrics, which she wrote herself. Fans around the world rallied in her support as she defeated cancer several times. She returned to Berlin after the reunification.In the 1960s and 1970s she enjoyed considerable success as a singer of German chansons, which she often co-wrote. The song she is mostly remembered for is "Für mich soll's rote Rosen regnen" ("Red roses are to rain for me"). She is also known for her version of the song "Ich hab noch einen Koffer in Berlin" ("I still have a suitcase in Berlin") and "Mackie Messer" ("Mack the knife"). She sold more than three million records in total.
Publications
She published several books. Her autobiography Der geschenkte Gaul - Bericht aus einem Leben (The Gift Horse - Report of a Life) from 1970 was a candid recount of her life in Germany during and after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It allegedly became the best-selling German book after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Her second book "Das Urteil" ("The Verdict") from 1975 was a moderate success. It dealt with her struggle with breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
.
Family
She was married three times and had a daughter, Christina (born May 16, 1968) by her second marriage, to British actor David Cameron.Selected filmography
- Murderers Among UsMurderers Among UsDie Mörder sind unter uns German title was one of the first post-World War II German film and the first Trümmerfilm. It was produced in 1945 and 1946 in the Althoff-Atelier in Babelsberg and in Jofa-Ateliers in Johannisthal...
(1946) - Die SünderinDie SünderinDie Sünderin is a German film by the director Willi Forst produced in 1950. The title role was played by Hildegard Knef.-Plot:...
(1950) - Decision Before DawnDecision Before DawnDecision Before Dawn is a 1951 American war film directed by Anatole Litvak, starring Richard Basehart, Oskar Werner, and Hans Christian Blech. It tells the story of the American Army using potentially unreliable German prisoners of war to gather intelligence in the closing days of World War II...
(1951) - Diplomatic CourierDiplomatic CourierDiplomatic Courier is a 1952 film directed by Henry Hathaway. It stars Tyrone Power and Patricia Neal.-Cast:*Tyrone Power as Mike Kells*Patricia Neal as Joan Ross*Hildegard Knef as Janine Betki*Stephen McNally as Col. Mark Cagle...
(1951) - Night Without SleepNight Without SleepNight Without Sleep is a 1952 mystery film directed by Roy Ward Baker.-Plot:A composer, Richard Morton experiences blackouts and cannot account for his actions. He seems to recall a woman's screams and a conversation with his wife, Emily, but it's all a blur.Morton goes to see his friend John...
(1952) - Henriette (1952)
- The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952)
- Illusion in Moll (1952)
- The Man BetweenThe Man BetweenThe Man Between is a 1953 British thriller film directed by Carol Reed and starring James Mason, Claire Bloom, Hildegard Knef and Geoffrey Toone...
(1953) - SvengaliSvengali (1954 film)Svengali is a 1954 British drama film directed by Noel Langley and starring Hildegard Knef, Donald Wolfit and Terence Morgan. A svengali hypnotises an artist's model into becoming a great opera singer, but she struggles to escape from his powers. It was based on a novel by George Du Maurier.-Cast:*...
(1954) - No Orchids for Lulu (1962)
- Caterina di Russia (1963)
- Waiting Room to the BeyondWaiting Room to the BeyondWaiting Room to the Beyond is a 1964 German crime film directed by Alfred Vohrer and starring Hildegard Knef.-Cast:* Hildegard Knef - Lorelli* Götz George - Donald 'Don' Micklem* Richard Münch - Mario Orlandi di Alsconi...
(1964) - GibraltarGibraltar (1964 film)Gibraltar is a 1964 French thriller film directed by Pierre Gaspard-Huit and starring Hildegard Knef, Gérard Barray, Geneviève Grad and Elisa Montés...
(1964) - MozambiqueMozambique (film)Mozambique is a 1965 British/German international co-production drama film filmed in the title location produced by Harry Alan Towers, directed by Robert Lynn, written by Peter Yeldham and starring Steve Cochran in his final film role, Hildegard Knef, Paul Hubschmid and Vivi Bach...
(1965) - The Lost ContinentThe Lost Continent (1968 film)The Lost Continent is a 1968 science fiction film made by Seven Arts - Hammer Films featuring Eric Porter, Hildegard Knef, Suzanna Leigh, Tony Beckley and James Cossins. The film was produced, directed and written by Michael Carreras based on Dennis Wheatley's 1938 novel Uncharted Seas...
(1968) - FedoraFedora (film)Fedora is a 1978 American drama film directed by Billy Wilder. The screenplay by Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond is based on a novella by Tom Tryon included in his collection Crowned Heads, published in 1976.-Plot:...
(1978) - La Casa 4La Casa 4La Casa 4 is a 1988 horror film. It is the first sequel to La Casa 3 , starring stars David Hasselhoff, Catherine Hickland, Hildegard Knef, Linda Blair, & Annie Ross.-Plot:Gary and his gal pal Linda visit an island off...
(1988)
External links
- Fan site, officially authorized} (partly in English)
- Hildegard Knef on Europopmusic.eu (English)
- Short Portrait