Elisabeth Trissenaar

Elisabeth Trissenaar (13 April 1944 – 14 January 2024) was an Austrian actress.

Life and career Trissenaar's father was the Dutchman Frans Trijssenaar. After studying at the Max-Reinhardt-Seminar in Vienna, she was cast in her first role at the Bern Theatre in 1964. Between 1972 and 1981, she had great success at the Schauspiel Frankfurt, especially in the roles of Nora Helmer in A Doll's House and in the title role of Hedda Gabler (both plays by Ibsen), as well as Medea by Euripides.

During this time, Trissenaar began her collaboration with Rainer Werner Fassbinder, under his direction she was in works such as The Stationmaster's Wife (Bolwieser, 1977), In a Year of 13 Moons (1978), The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979), and in the television series of Alfred Döblin's Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980). Also, she played leading roles in Robert van Ackeren's films (1978) and (Die Reinheit des Herzens, 1980), in the Oscar-nominated film Angry Harvest (Bittere Ernte, 1985), and in Xaver Schwarzenberger's Franza (1987).

Trissenaar was married to the director Hans Neuenfels until his death in 2022; they had a son, the film director Benedict Neuenfels. Trissenaar died in Berlin on 14 January 2024, at the age of 79.

Awards

1981: German critics' award (Deutscher Kritikerpreis)

Selected filmography

Miss Julie (1971, TV film, based on the play Miss Julie), as Miss Julie A Doll's House (1973, TV film, based on the play A Doll's House), as Nora Helmer Hedda Gabler (1974, TV film, based on the play Hedda Gabler), as Hedda Gabler Dorothea Merz (1976, TV film, based on a novel by Tankred Dorst), as Bella Schedewy Und Rosa und Marilyn und ... (1977, TV film, based on the play Étoiles rouges by Pierre Bourgeade), as Marilyn The Stationmaster's Wife (1977 TV film and 1983 theatrical release, based on a novel by Oskar Maria Graf), as Hanni Bolwieser Das Ende einer Karriere (1978, TV film), as Karla (1978, TV film), as Ellen In a Year of 13 Moons (1978), as Irene Weishaupt When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (1978, TV film, based on the novel When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit), as Anna's Mother The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979), as Betti (1980), as Lisa Das Käthchen von Heilbronn (1980, TV film, based on the play Das Käthchen von Heilbronn), as Kunigunde von Thurneck Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980, TV miniseries, based on the novel Berlin Alexanderplatz), as Lina Przybilla Charlotte (1981), as Paulinka Heinrich Penthesilea von Kleist (1983, based on the play Penthesilea), as Penthesilea A Love in Germany (1983, based on a novel by Rolf Hochhuth), as Elsbeth Schnittgens (1984, TV film, based on the novel Bluebeard), as Andrea Angry Harvest (1985, based on a novel by Hermann Field and Stanislaw Mierzenski), as Rosa Eckart Franza (1986, TV film, based on a novel by Ingeborg Bachmann), as Franza The Winner Takes All (1987, TV film, based on a novel by ), as Elisabeth Vogtmann (1987, TV film), as Alma Mahler Mario and the Magician (1994, based on the novella Mario and the Magician), as Sofronia Angiolieri Nobody Loves Me (1994), as Madeleine Der Hauptmann von Köpenick (1997, TV film, based on the play The Captain of Köpenick), as Mathilde Obermüller (1998, TV film), as Renate Cold Is the Evening Breeze (2000, based on a novel by Ingrid Noll), as Charlotte's Mother SOKO Kitzbühel - Der Ring der Toten (2004, TV series based on a book by Martin Ambrosch), as Sofia von Schöll (2005, TV film), as Ingrid, Catherine's Mother I've Never Been Happier (2009), as Fritzi (2012, TV film), as Maman