Erwin Geschonneck

Erwin Geschonneck (27 December 1906 – 12 March 2008) was a German actor. His biggest success occurred in the German Democratic Republic, where he was considered one of the most famous actors of the time.

Early life Geschonneck was born in Bartenstein, East Prussia (now Bartoszyce, Poland), the son of a poor shoemaker. The family moved to Berlin in 1909 so his father could work as a nightwatchman. In 1919, the younger Geschonneck joined the Communist Party of Germany. After the Nazi takeover in 1933, he emigrated to the Soviet Union via Poland, but was expelled in 1938 and moved to Prague. After the German occupation of Bohemia and Moravia, he was arrested on 31 March 1939. During World War II, he was imprisoned in several Nazi concentration camps. In 1945, Geschonneck was one of the few prisoners who survived the RAF sinking of the Cap Arcona.

Career Immediately following the war, Geschonneck acted in theaters in Hamburg, Germany, and made his film debut in 1947 in In jenen Tagen. He subsequently moved to East Germany, worked with Bertolt Brecht, and became a successful actor. He was a member of the jury at the 6th and 7th Moscow International Film Festivals.

Geschonneck was featured in the German film Jacob the Liar by Frank Beyer, which was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 1977 Academy Awards – the only nomination for the GDR. In December 2006, he turned 100.

His last film, made in 1995 for the German television network ARD, was , where he played alongside veteran actor Fred Delmare. Geschonneck's son Matti Geschonneck directed.

Death Geschonneck died in Berlin on 12 March 2008, aged 101.

Filmography

Kuhle Wampe (1932) – Arbeitersportler (uncredited) In Those Days (1947) – Schmitt / 6. Geschichte Finale (1948) – Wilke The Last Night (1949) – Oskar, Fahrer Love '47 (1949) – Kriminalbeamter The Beaver Coat (1949) – Motes Harbour Melody (1950) – Emil Das Kalte Herz (1950) – Holländer-Michel Das Beil von Wandsbek (1951) – Albert Teetjen Schatten über den Inseln (1952) – Dr. Sten Horn Die Unbesiegbaren (1953) – Wilhelm Liebknecht Alarm im Zirkus (1954) – Klott Das Stacheltier: Das Haushaltswunder (1955) – Abteilungsleiter Vogel Das Stacheltier: Es geht um die Wurst (1955) – Leo Weiß, Friseur Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder (1955, unfinished film) – Feldprediger Les Aventures de Till L'Espiègle (1956) – Bras d'Acier Der Hauptmann von Köln (1956) – Hans Karjanke Schlösser und Katen (1957) – Bröker Katzgraben (1957) – Großmann, ein Großbauer Der Lotterieschwede (1958) – Johan Jönsson Geschichte vom armen Hassan (1958) – Machmud SAS 181 antwortet nicht (1959) Musterknaben (1960) – Arthur Wedel Leute mit Flügeln (1960) – Bartuscheck Five Cartridges (1960) – Kommissar Wittig Ach, du fröhliche (1962) – Walter Lörke Wind von vorn (1962) – Schorsch Naked Among Wolves (1963) – Walter Kraemer Carbide and Sorrel (1963) – Kalle Tiefe Furchen (1965) – Roter Schuster Berlin um die Ecke (1965) – Paul Krautmann Geschichten jener Nacht (1967) – Willi Lenz (segment "Der grosse und der kleine Willi") Die Fahne von Kriwoj Rog (1967) – Otto Brosowski Sr. Ein Lord am Alexanderplatz (1967) – Ewald Honig Wir kaufen eine Feuerwehr (1970) – Herr Clasen Sonnensucher (1972) – Jupp König Tüzolto Utca 25 (1973) – Szentiványi Der Untergang der Emma (1974) – Fährmann Kluge Jacob the Liar (1974) – Kowalski Looping (1975) – Bienes Vater Bankett für Achilles (1975) – Meister Achilles Das Licht auf dem Galgen (1976) – Bering Tambari (1977) – Luden Dassow Anton, der Zauberer (1978) – Vater Grubske Das Ding im Schloß (1979) – Prof. Bunzberger Circus maximus (1980) – Szakállas Levins Mühle (1980) – Johann Asta, mein Engelchen (1981) – Otto Gratzick / Hermann Gschwinder Der Mann von der Cap Arcona (1982) – Erwin Gregorek Wie die Alten sungen... (1986) – Walter Lörke Mensch, mein Papa...! (1988) – Erich Zarling

Television Die Gewehre der Frau Carrar (1953) – Pedro Gewissen in Aufruhr (TV miniseries, 1961) – Oberst Joachim Ebershagen Der Andere neben dir (1963) – Prof. Marschner Asphalt-Story (1964) – Robby Assmann Die Ermittlung – Oratorium in 11 Gesängen (1966) – Zeuge 9 Rendezvous mit Unbekannt (TV miniseries, 1969) Jeder stirbt für sich allein (TV miniseries, 1970) – Otto Quangel Das Geheimnis der Anden (TV miniseries, 1972) – Don Pineto / Prof. Binder Im Schlaraffenland (1975) – James Luis Türkheimer Ein altes Modell (1976) – Bruno Nakonz Ein Wigwam für die Störche (1976) – Opa Fritz Die Insel der Silberreiher (1976) – Oberst von Bülow Des kleinen Lokführers große Fahrt (1978) – Großvater Plantagenstraße 19 (1979) – Richard Matuschke Verlobung in Hullerbusch (1979) – Ernst / Walter Wagemühl Herbstzeit (1979) – Paul Wositschka Meschkas Enkel (1981) – Meschka Benno macht Geschichten (1982) – Oskar Schrader Das Graupenschloß (1982) – Waldemar (1995) – Matulla (final film role)