Kurt Maetzig

Kurt Maetzig (25 January 1911 – 8 August 2012) was a German film director who had a significant effect on the film industry in East Germany. He was one of the most respected filmmakers of the GDR. After his retirement he lived in Wildkuhl, Mecklenburg, and had three children.

Early life Kurt Maetzig was the son of Robert Maetzig and Marie Maetzig (née Lyon). He was born and grew up in the Charlottenburg borough of Berlin. His mother came from a wealthy family of tea merchants. He gained an insight into the film industry from an early age as his father was the proprietor of a factory that produced film copies there.

In the late 1920s, Maetzig worked at his father's factory during the holidays, gaining experience in all areas of film production. He began shooting his own films in 1932, and three years later he ran his own cartoon workshop, where he also worked on titles and opening credits for short films. the Ernst Thälmann films (1954–55), and the science fiction film Der schweigende Stern (1960). Some of Maetzig's work has been described as East German propaganda particularly his two part series on Ernst Thalman (Ernst Thälmann - Sohn seiner Klasse, Ernst Thälmann - Führer seiner Klasse), though nearly all his films in production from 1965–66 were banned by East German authorities.

He retired as a film director in 1976.

Other commitments From 1954 to 1964, Maetzig was the first president of the German University of Cinema in Potsdam-Babelsberg, where he also held the post of Professor of Stage Direction. From 1967 to 1988 he was an executive member of the Verband der Film- und Fernsehschaffenden der DDR (GDR Federation of Film and Television Producers). He then became the vice-president of the Fédération Internationale des Ciné-Clubs (International Federation of Cinema Clubs) (FICC) in 1974. In 1979 he was a member of the jury at the 11th Moscow International Film Festival. In 1983 he was a member of the jury at the 33rd Berlin International Film Festival.

Filmography 1946: Der Augenzeuge (weekly newsreel) 1946: Berlin im Aufbau (documentary) 1946: Musikalischer Besuch (documentary) 1946: 1.Mai 1946 (documentary) 1946: Leipziger Messe 1946 (documentary) 1946: Einheit SPD – KPD (documentary) 1947: Marriage in the Shadows 1949: Girls in Gingham 1950: The Council of the Gods 1950: Immer bereit (documentary) 1950: The Benthin Family (co-directors: Slatan Dudow, Richard Groschopp) 1951: The Sonnenbrucks 1952: Story of a Young Couple 1954: Ernst Thälmann - Sohn seiner Klasse 1955: Ernst Thälmann - Führer seiner Klasse 1957: Castles and Cottages 1957: Don't Forget My Little Traudel 1958: The Sailor's Song 1960: First Spaceship on Venus 1961: September Love 1961: Der Traum des Hauptmann Loy 1961: Der Schatten 1963: An französischen Kaminen 1964: Preludio 11 1965: The Rabbit Is Me 1967: Das Mädchen auf dem Brett 1967: The Banner of Krivoi Rog 1970: Aus unserer Zeit 1972: Januskopf 1976: Mann gegen Mann

Awards 1949 Bambi (prize) for Ehe im Schatten 1949 National Preis II. Klasse for Ehe im Schatten and Die Buntkarierten (with others) 1950 National Preis I. Klasse for Der Rat der Götter (with others) 1954 National Preis I. Klasse for Ernst Thälmann - Sohn seiner Klasse (with others) 1959 National Preis II. Klasse for Das Lied der Matrosen (with others) 1961 Vaterländischer Verdienstorden in Silver 1968 National Preis I. Klasse for Die Fahne von Kriwoj Rog (with others) 1986 Findling Award for his life's work 1986 Vaterländischer Verdienstorden in Gold