Heinz Erhardt

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Heinz Erhardt
Born(1909-02-20)20 February 1909
Riga, Livonia
Russian Empire
Died5 June 1979(1979-06-05) (aged 70)
Hamburg, West Germany[1]
Resting placeOhlsdorf Cemetery, Hamburg
NationalityGerman
Occupation(s)Comedian, musician, entertainer, actor, poet
Years active1928–1971
Spouse
Gilda Zanetti
​
(m. 1935)​
Children4
Websitewww.heinzerhardt.de (in German)

Heinz Erhardt (German: [haɪnts ˈeːɐ̯haʁt]; 20 February 1909 – 5 June 1979[2]) was a German comedian, musician, entertainer, actor, and poet.

Life

Heinz Erhardt was born in Riga, the son of Baltic German Kapellmeister Gustav Erhardt. He lived most of his childhood at his grandparents in Riga, where his grandfather, Paul Nelder, owned a music supply store at the current location of the Freedom Square.[3] His grandfather also taught him how to play the piano.

After

Wennigsen near Hanover, where he attended school, until in 1924 he returned to Riga. From 1926 he studied at the Leipzig conservatory; however, Erhardt's wish to become a professional pianist was not supported by his grandparents who wanted him to work as a merchant. In 1935, Erhardt married Gilda Zanetti, daughter of the Italian consul in Saint Petersburg.[3][4] They had four children: Grit, Verena, Gero, and Marita. Gero Erhardt [de] became a film director and cinematographer, and his grandson, Marek Erhardt
, became an actor.

Working at his grandfather's business, Erhardt entered the stage as a

basic training.[5]

In 1948, he started work as a

poems. He also acted in films and on stage. In his films he usually played characters similar to his stage persona as an entertainer and comedian – impersonating polite, uptight characters with a tendency to slips of the tongue and uncontrolled outbursts, exposing the bigotry and insincerity of West Germany's post-war society. By the 1960s, he had become a household name. Still today, many family gatherings which include the older generation tend to end in spontaneous recitations of Erhardt's most famous pieces such as Die Made.[8]

Erhardt suffered a stroke in 1971, which left him unable to speak or write.[7] He was limited to reading and understanding the speech of others; these limitations ended his long career as an actor.

He was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesverdienstkreuz) four days before his death in 1979.[1]

Selected filmography

References

  1. ^ a b "05. Juni 2004 – Vor 25 Jahren: Heinz Erhardt stirbt in Hamburg". WDR (in German). 5 October 2015. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  2. ^ Köster, Thomas (7 October 2015). "5. Juni 1979 – Heinz Erhardt stirbt". WDR (in German). Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b Welscher, Alexander (28 December 2021). "German traces in Latvia: Legendary comedian Heinz Erhardt". Public Broadcasting of Latvia. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  4. ^ Dewitz, Anne (14 February 2009). "Unser Nachbar Heinz Erhardt". Hamburger Abendblatt. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "Heinz Erhard". Baltikumreisen (in German). Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  6. ^ Schuh, Michael (2009). "'Blödelnd Durch Den Ernst Der Zeit' von Heinz Erhardt". laut.de (in German). Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Werner, Carina (4 March 2021). "Heinz Erhardt – Der Schauspieler mit dem Schalk im Nacken". NDR.de (in German). Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Die Made". Deutsche Lyrik (in German). 16 October 2003. Retrieved 5 December 2021.

External links

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