Gerda Maurus

Gerda Maurus, actually Gertrud Maria Pfiel ( born August 25, 1903 in Breitenfort, Lower Austria, † 31 July 1968 Dusseldorf ) was an Austrian actress, who was with her appearances in silent films to stardom.

Life and work

Gerda Maurus, of Croatian descent (his father was an engineer and inventor ), grew up in Vienna. In 1918 at the age of 15, she received first engagements at theaters in Vienna. As a stage actress she acted in Munich at the National Theatre and in Nuremberg and in the late 1920s in Berlin at the Deutsches Theater.

In Berlin, Gerda Maurus was discovered by director Fritz Lang, who auserkor for the female lead in his film Lost Dreams ( 1928). They fascinated him so much that he broke the connection with his partner and wife Thea von Harbou, who wrote some of his screenplays. The film spies was the breakthrough for Gerda Maurus. In the second film with Fritz Lang, Woman in the Moon (1929 ), on the side of Willy Fritsch she was successful.

Gerda Maurus then still playing in about 20 sound films with, among others, in The Jungle calls (1935 ), but the really big success came from. She focused more on stage work and played in Berlin, Vienna, Munich and Dusseldorf. 1937 married Gerda Maurus director Robert A. Stemmle whose daughter Philina 1943 came into the world. During the Nazi rule, the actress had seen in contact with Joseph Goebbels and was frequently in his salon.

After 1945, Gerda Maurus still played with in three West German film productions. Among the small town wants to go to sleep (1953) and two television productions, but to their earlier successes she was not able.

Find out more

  • Gerda Maurus was one of the coveted cigarettes collective images of the series Gallery of Modern Beauty of the factory owner Josef Garbáty.
  • The Potsdam Film Museum chose the penetrating look of Gerda Maurus ' eyes as a motif of one of its logos.

Filmography (selection)

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