Luis Trenker
Encyclopedia
Luis Trenker was a German-language
South Tyrol
ian (Austrian
-Italian
) film director
, architect, and actor.
(German
: St. Ulrich in Gröden), then part of the County of Tyrol
in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Trenker studied architecture from 1912 until the outbreak of World War I
. He fought on the Austrian
side, serving mainly in the Alps
opposite the Italian Alpini
s. He wrote several books based upon his war experiences, the most important of which were Fort Rocca Alta and Berge in Flammen, the latter of which was made to a movie in 1931.
After the war, he resumed his studies, and worked in Bolzano (Bozen) as an architect forming a business partnership with the Austrian architect Clemens Holzmeister
.
His first contact with film came in 1921, when he helped director Arnold Fanck
on one of his mountain film
s. The main actor could not perform the stunts required, and so Trenker assumed the leading role. He gradually assumed more roles on the set, and by 1928 was directing, writing and starring in his own films. By now he had abandoned his job as an architect to concentrate on his films. He married Hilde Bleichert, with whom he had four children.
The main theme of Trenker's work was the idealization of peoples connection with their homeland and pointing out the decadence of city life (most clearly visible in his 1934 film "Der verlorene Sohn" / "The Prodigal Son"). This loosely played into the hands of Nazi propagandists, who seized upon the nationalistic elements of his work. However, Trenker refused to allow his work to be subverted as such and eventually moved to Rome
to avoid further governmental pressure. This, though, was not to be and after a pair of documentary films Trenker returned to Bolzano and quit making movies. The style he had developed in the thirties was not limited to nationalistic, folkloristic and heroic clichès, however; his impersonation of a hungry, downtrodden immigrant in depression era New York was regarded as one of the seminal scenes for future Italian neorealism
by the likes of Roberto Rossellini
.
After the war Trenker was accused of fascist opportunism but eventually the charges were dropped. In the mid 1950s he again was able to make movies, though by 1965 he had switched mainly to the documentary form, focusing mainly upon the Austrian province of Tyrol
and Süd Tirol (his homeland), now part of Italy.
He also returned to writing about the mountains. He died at the age 97 on April 13, 1990.
The Museum Gherdëina
displays a collection of belongings of Luis Trenker from a bequest of his family.
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
ian (Austrian
Austrians
Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....
-Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, architect, and actor.
Biography
Trenker was born Alois Franz Trenker on 4 October 1892 in UrtijëiUrtijëi
Urtijëi is a town of 4,637 inhabitants in South Tyrol, in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It occupies the Val Gardena within the Dolomites, a mountain chain that is part of the Alps...
(German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: St. Ulrich in Gröden), then part of the County of Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Trenker studied architecture from 1912 until the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He fought on the Austrian
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
side, serving mainly in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
opposite the Italian Alpini
Alpini
The Alpini, , are the elite mountain warfare soldiers of the Italian Army. They are currently organized in two operational brigades, which are subordinated to the Alpini Corps Command. The singular is Alpino ....
s. He wrote several books based upon his war experiences, the most important of which were Fort Rocca Alta and Berge in Flammen, the latter of which was made to a movie in 1931.
After the war, he resumed his studies, and worked in Bolzano (Bozen) as an architect forming a business partnership with the Austrian architect Clemens Holzmeister
Clemens Holzmeister
Clemens Holzmeister was a prominent Austrian architect and stage designer of the early twentieth century. The Austrian Academy of Fine Arts listed his life's work as containing 673 projects. He is the father of Judith Holzmeister.Holzmeister was born in the village of Fulpmes in the Tyrol state of...
.
His first contact with film came in 1921, when he helped director Arnold Fanck
Arnold Fanck
Arnold Fanck was a pioneer of the German mountain film....
on one of his mountain film
Mountain film
A mountain film is a film genre that focuses on mountaineering and especially the battle of man against nature. In addition to mere adventure, the protagonists who return from the mountain come back changed, usually gaining wisdom and enlightenment....
s. The main actor could not perform the stunts required, and so Trenker assumed the leading role. He gradually assumed more roles on the set, and by 1928 was directing, writing and starring in his own films. By now he had abandoned his job as an architect to concentrate on his films. He married Hilde Bleichert, with whom he had four children.
The main theme of Trenker's work was the idealization of peoples connection with their homeland and pointing out the decadence of city life (most clearly visible in his 1934 film "Der verlorene Sohn" / "The Prodigal Son"). This loosely played into the hands of Nazi propagandists, who seized upon the nationalistic elements of his work. However, Trenker refused to allow his work to be subverted as such and eventually moved to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to avoid further governmental pressure. This, though, was not to be and after a pair of documentary films Trenker returned to Bolzano and quit making movies. The style he had developed in the thirties was not limited to nationalistic, folkloristic and heroic clichès, however; his impersonation of a hungry, downtrodden immigrant in depression era New York was regarded as one of the seminal scenes for future Italian neorealism
Italian neorealism
Italian neorealism is a style of film characterized by stories set amongst the poor and working class, filmed on location, frequently using nonprofessional actors...
by the likes of Roberto Rossellini
Roberto Rossellini
Roberto Rossellini was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Rossellini was one of the directors of the Italian neorealist cinema, contributing films such as Roma città aperta to the movement.-Early life:Born in Rome, Roberto Rossellini lived on the Via Ludovisi, where Benito Mussolini had...
.
After the war Trenker was accused of fascist opportunism but eventually the charges were dropped. In the mid 1950s he again was able to make movies, though by 1965 he had switched mainly to the documentary form, focusing mainly upon the Austrian province of Tyrol
Tyrol (state)
Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
and Süd Tirol (his homeland), now part of Italy.
He also returned to writing about the mountains. He died at the age 97 on April 13, 1990.
The Museum Gherdëina
Museum Gherdëina
The Gherdëina Local Heritage Museum was opened in the Cësa di Ladins in Urtijëi in 1960. The building is the seat of the Union di Ladins de Gherdëina a cultural organisation for the keeping of the Ladin language and heritage in Val Gherdëina...
displays a collection of belongings of Luis Trenker from a bequest of his family.
Filmography
- The Holy Mountain (German: Der heilige Berg): 1926
- The Mountain CallsThe Mountain CallsThe Mountain Calls is a film directed by Luis Trenker which recreates in detail the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 by Edward Whymper....
(German: Der Berg Ruft): 1938 - I Condottieri, Giovanni delle bande nereI Condottieri, Giovanni delle bande nereI Condottieri, Giovanni delle bande nere is a 1950 Italian film directed by Luis Trenker....
: 1950