Kristina Söderbaum
Encyclopedia
Kristina Söderbaum was a Swedish-born German
film actress, producer and photographer.
Her father, Professor Henrik Gustaf Söderbaum
(1862–1933), was the permanent secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
.
After both her parents had died shortly after another, she moved to Berlin
and enrolled in a theatre school.
From 1935, Söderbaum starred in a number of films with her husband, director Veit Harlan
, whom she married in 1939. During World War II
she acted in Nazi propaganda films, featuring as a model of a sturdy and fresh Aryan maiden. She was often imperiled by the threat of rassenschande
. Two such roles were Dorthea Sturm, the doomed heroine of the antisemitic historical melodrama Jud Süß
, who commits suicide by drowning after being coerced into having sex with the villain; and Anna in Die goldene Stadt
, a Sudeten German whose desire for the city (in defiance of blood and soil
) and whose seduction by a Czesch result in her drowning suicide.
Other roles included Elske in Die Reise nach Tilsit
, the wholesome German wife whose husband betrays her with a Polish woman, but finally returns, repentant; Elizabeth in Immensee
, who marries a rich landowner to forget her unrequited love, and remains faithful even after she is widowed and her lover returns; Aels in Opfergang
, a woman who dies after her love affair; Luise Treskow in The Great King
, a miller's daughter who encourages Frederick the Great; and Maria in Kolberg
, a peasant girl who loyally supports the resistance to Napoleon and is the only survivor of her family.
Suicide by drowning was her fate in so many films that she earned the nickname Reichswasserleiche ('Drowned Girl of the Reich'). After the war Söderbaum became a noted fashion photographer. In 1983 she wrote an autobiography Nichts bleibt immer so. Her last film was with Hugh Grant
in the thriller Night Train to Venice
in 1994.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
film actress, producer and photographer.
Her father, Professor Henrik Gustaf Söderbaum
Henrik Gustaf Söderbaum
Henrik Gustaf Söderbaum, born March 12, 1862 in Kalmar, died 1933, was a Swedish chemist and secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences from 1923 to 1933....
(1862–1933), was the permanent secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
.
After both her parents had died shortly after another, she moved to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and enrolled in a theatre school.
From 1935, Söderbaum starred in a number of films with her husband, director Veit Harlan
Veit Harlan
Veit Harlan was a German film director and actor.-Life and career:Harlan was born in Berlin. After studying under Max Reinhardt, he first appeared on the stage in 1915 and, after World War I, worked in the Berlin stage. In 1922 he married Jewish actress and cabaret singer Dora Gerson; the couple...
, whom she married in 1939. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
she acted in Nazi propaganda films, featuring as a model of a sturdy and fresh Aryan maiden. She was often imperiled by the threat of rassenschande
Rassenschande
Rassenschande or Blutschande was the Nazi term for sexual relations between Aryans and non-Aryans, which was punishable by law...
. Two such roles were Dorthea Sturm, the doomed heroine of the antisemitic historical melodrama Jud Süß
Jud Süß (1940 film)
Jud Süß is an antisemitic propaganda film produced in 1940 by Terra Filmkunst at the behest of Joseph Goebbels. The movie was directed by Veit Harlan, who wrote the screenplay with Eberhard Wolfgang Möller and Ludwig Metzger, and starred Ferdinand Marian and Harlan's wife Kristina Söderbaum.The...
, who commits suicide by drowning after being coerced into having sex with the villain; and Anna in Die goldene Stadt
Die goldene Stadt
Die goldene Stadt , is a 1941 German film directed by Veit Harlan, starring Kristina Söderbaum, who won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress, and in Agfacolor.-Plot:...
, a Sudeten German whose desire for the city (in defiance of blood and soil
Blood and soil
Blood and Soil refers to an ideology that focuses on ethnicity based on two factors, descent and homeland/Heimat...
) and whose seduction by a Czesch result in her drowning suicide.
Other roles included Elske in Die Reise nach Tilsit
Die Reise nach Tilsit
Die Reise nach Tilsit is a German 1939 film directed by Veit Harlan. It is a sound remake of the silent film Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, which was based on Hermann Sudermann's short story "Die Reise nach Tilsit"; Harlan maintained it was a true film, whereas Sunrise was only a poem, and it...
, the wholesome German wife whose husband betrays her with a Polish woman, but finally returns, repentant; Elizabeth in Immensee
Immensee (film)
Immensee is a 1943 German film directed by Veit Harlan. It is loosely based on a story by Theodor Storm.-Synopsis:Elizabeth marries a wealthy landowner to forget her unrequited love and grows to love him...
, who marries a rich landowner to forget her unrequited love, and remains faithful even after she is widowed and her lover returns; Aels in Opfergang
Opfergang
Opfergang is a 1944 German film directed by Veit Harlan. It is based on Rudolf G. Binding's work of the same title, with alterations for propaganda purposes.-Synopsis:...
, a woman who dies after her love affair; Luise Treskow in The Great King
The Great King
The Great King is a 1942 German drama film directed by Veit Harlan and starring Otto Gebühr. It depicts the life of Frederick the Great, who ruled Prussia from 1740 to 1786...
, a miller's daughter who encourages Frederick the Great; and Maria in Kolberg
Kolberg (film)
Kolberg is a 1945 German propaganda film directed by Veit Harlan and Wolfgang Liebeneiner. It opened on January 30, 1945 simultaneously in Berlin and to the crew of the naval base at La Rochelle. It was also screened in the Reich chancellery after the broadcast of Hitler's last radio address on...
, a peasant girl who loyally supports the resistance to Napoleon and is the only survivor of her family.
Suicide by drowning was her fate in so many films that she earned the nickname Reichswasserleiche ('Drowned Girl of the Reich'). After the war Söderbaum became a noted fashion photographer. In 1983 she wrote an autobiography Nichts bleibt immer so. Her last film was with Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant
Hugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His films have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide. Grant achieved international stardom after appearing in Richard Curtis's...
in the thriller Night Train to Venice
Night Train to Venice
Night Train to Venice is a 1993 German contemporary Gothic film directed by Carlo U. Quinterio. This international production was a cooperation of British, Italian, and German artists, including Hugh Grant, Malcolm McDowell, Tahnee Welch, Faye Adell, Evelyn Opela, Angelina Amaris, Kristina...
in 1994.