Curt Lowens
Encyclopedia
Curt Lowens is a German actor
of the stage and films, and a survivor and resistant of the Holocaust.
n town of Allenstein (since become Olsztyn, Poland
) in the 1920s. His father was a respected lawyer, but his career folded due to loss of clients with the rise of the Third Reich. The family moved into a Jewish community in Berlin in 1936, but later decided to leave for the United States. While waiting to set out from Rotterdam, however, the Germans invaded Holland on the intended day of their departure. In June 1943, they were sent to Westerbork, and from there to Auschwitz, though they were later released. On leaving, the family went underground. Lowens became an active member of the resistance, rescuing Jewish children under a false identity.
Following the close of World War II, the family immigrated to the United States and Curt Lowens became an actor. His career is still active today, and he has appeared in over 100 films and TV shows since 1960. Ironically, given his background, he has often been cast as a German soldier.
Cinema of Germany
Cinema in Germany can be traced back to the late 19th century. German cinema has made major technical and artistic contributions to film.Unlike any other national cinemas, which developed in the context of relatively continuous and stable political systems, Germany witnesses major changes to its...
of the stage and films, and a survivor and resistant of the Holocaust.
Life and career
Lowens was born into a Jewish family in the East PrussiaEast Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
n town of Allenstein (since become Olsztyn, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) in the 1920s. His father was a respected lawyer, but his career folded due to loss of clients with the rise of the Third Reich. The family moved into a Jewish community in Berlin in 1936, but later decided to leave for the United States. While waiting to set out from Rotterdam, however, the Germans invaded Holland on the intended day of their departure. In June 1943, they were sent to Westerbork, and from there to Auschwitz, though they were later released. On leaving, the family went underground. Lowens became an active member of the resistance, rescuing Jewish children under a false identity.
Following the close of World War II, the family immigrated to the United States and Curt Lowens became an actor. His career is still active today, and he has appeared in over 100 films and TV shows since 1960. Ironically, given his background, he has often been cast as a German soldier.
Selected filmography
- LycanthropusLycanthropusLycanthropus is a 1962 horror film directed by Paolo Heusch...
(1962) - The Four Days of Naples (1962)
- Il Processo di Verona (1963)
- Tobruk (1967)
- The Secret of Santa VittoriaThe Secret of Santa VittoriaThe Secret of Santa Vittoria is a 1969 film made by Stanley Kramer Productions and distributed by United Artists. It was produced and directed by Stanley Kramer and co-produced by George Glass from a screenplay by Ben Maddow and William Rose. It was based on the novel by Robert Crichton...
(1969) - The Mephisto Waltz (1971)
- Trader HornTrader HornAlfred Aloysius "Trader" Horn was an ivory trader in central Africa. He wrote a book, Trader Horn: A Young Man's Astounding Adventures in 19th-Century Equatorial Africa , detailing his journeys into jungles teeming with buffalo, gorillas, man-eating leopards, serpents and "savages"...
(1973) - The HindenburgThe Hindenburg (film)The Hindenburg is a 1975 American film based on the disaster of the German airship Hindenburg. The film stars George C. Scott. It was produced and directed by Robert Wise, and was written by Nelson Gidding, Richard Levinson and William Link based on the book of the same name by Michael M. Mooney .A.A...
(1975) - The Swiss ConspiracyThe Swiss ConspiracyThe Swiss Conspiracy is a 1976 action film starring David Janssen, Senta Berger and Elke Sommer, directed by Jack Arnold. It was co-produced between Germany and the United States.-Plot summary:...
(1976) - The Other Side of MidnightThe Other Side of Midnight (film)The Other Side of Midnight is a 1977 American film directed by Charles Jarrott and starring Marie-France Pisier, John Beck and Susan Sarandon...
(1977) - The EntityThe EntityThe Entity is a horror film purportedly based on the paranormal events a woman and her family experienced circa 1976. It stars Barbara Hershey as a woman tormented by an unseen entity...
(1981) - FirefoxFirefox (film)Firefox is a 1982 American action film produced, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood. It is based upon the 1977 novel of the same name written by Craig Thomas....
(1982) - To Be or Not To BeTo Be or Not to Be (1983 film)To Be or Not to Be is a 1983 20th Century Fox comedy-drama film directed by Alan Johnson, produced by Mel Brooks with Howard Jeffrey as executive producer and Irene Walzer as associate producer. The screenplay was written by Ronny Graham and Thomas Meehan, based on the original story by Melchior...
(1983) - Private War (1988)
- Night Children (1989)
- Paid To Kill (1991)
- A Midnight ClearA Midnight ClearA Midnight Clear is a 1992 American war film directed by former actor Keith Gordon with an ensemble cast featuring Ethan Hawke, Gary Sinise, Peter Berg, Kevin Dillon, and Arye Gross...
(1992) - MandroidMandroid (film)Mandroid is a 1993 film directed by Jack Ersgard starring Robert Symonds and Curt Lowens.-Plot:In his hidden laboratory deep in Russia, Dr. Karl Zimmer has invented the Mandroid, a humanoid robot which follows the motions of a man in a special control suit. He has offered the invention to the USA,...
(1993) - NecronomiconNecronomicon (film)H.P. Lovecraft's: Necronomicon, original title Necronomicon, also called Necronomicon: Book of the Dead or Necronomicon: To Hell and Back is an American anthology horror film released in 1993. It was directed by Brian Yuzna, Christophe Gans and Shusuke Kaneko and was written by Brent V...
(1993) - A River Made to Drown InA River Made to Drown InA River Made to Drown In is a 1997 drama film starring Michael Imperioli, Richard Chamberlain, Ute Lemper and James Duval. Directed by James Merendino, Merendino had his name removed and the film is credited to Alan Smithee...
(1997) - The CutterThe CutterThe Cutter is a direct to video action film released in 2005, starring Chuck Norris and Joanna Pacuła.After a deadly kidnapping rescue gone wrong, a guilt ridden detective recruits his specialized SWAT team to successfully rescue an aged diamond cutter from the hands of a murderous thief.Filmed In...
(2005) - Ray of SunshineRay of SunshineRay of Sunshine is a 1919 Dutch silent film directed by Theo Frenkel.-Cast:* Kees Lageman - Jan van Zutphen* Frits Bouwmeester - Maurits Groen* Annie Wesling - Maurits Groen's vrouw...
(2006) - Miracle at St. AnnaMiracle at St. AnnaMiracle at St. Anna is a 2008 war film, directed by Spike Lee and written by James McBride, based on McBride's novel of the same name. The film was released on September 26, 2008, and is set during World War II, in fall of 1944 in Tuscany and in the winter of 1983 in New York City and Rome...
(2008) - Angels & Demons (2009)