Heinz Rühmann

Date of Birth
7 March 1902, Essen, Germany

Date of Death
3 October 1994, Aufkirchen, Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany

Birth Name
Heinrich Wilhelm Rühmann

Spouse
Hertha Droemer (9 October 1974 - 3 October 1994) (his death)
Hertha Feiler (1 July 1939 - 2 November 1970) (her death)
Maria Herbot (9 August 1924 - Autumn 1938) (divorced)

Trivia

Although he was a German and stayed in Nazi Germany during World War II, one of his biggest fans was Anne Frank, writer of the famous «The Diary of a Young Girl». She even posted Heinz Rühmann’s picture above her bed in the Secret Annex in Amsterdam, where it can still be seen today.

Father of Peter Rühmann (mother: Hertha Feiler) and grandfather of Melanie Rühmann.

Honory Member of the International Lodge of Artists (1955)

1940 «Staatsschauspieler»

The administration of Neukölln, a Berlin district, gave out a silver coin with his head on it remembering Der Hauptmann von Köpenick (1956) (1977).

Received several notable awards: Germany’s Cross of Merit (1966), Germany’s Great Cross of Merit with star and shoulder ribbon (1972), Munich’s Cultural Honorary Prize (1977), Bavaria’s Maximilianorden for Science and Art (1982), Munich’s Golden Honorary Coin (1990) and the Golden Berolina (1991).

He was born as one of three children (he had two sisters) to Hermann and Margarethe Rühmann. After his parents had divorced in 1916, his father committed suicide.

Had the doubtful honor to make a short film on the occasion of Josef Goebbels’s birthday, in which he portrayed the minister’s children and his wife Magda Goebbels.

Was forced to witness the rape of his wife Hertha Feiler by Russian soldiers in his Berlin villa (May 1945).

Ensemble member at the famous Vienna Burgtheater from 1960 to 1962.

The street in the Bavarian village of Berg, where he had lived until his death, was named «Heinz-Rühmann-Weg».

Being good friends with pilot Ernst Udet, he learned flying and had a pilot’s license until his 80th birthday.

Ranked #1 in a survey by network ZDF searching Germany’s all-time favorite actor (24 November 2006).