Fritz Diez (27 February 1901 – 19 October 1979) was a German actor, producer, director and theater manager.
Biography
Early life
Diez's mother was a servant, and raised her three children alone. To support his family, the child began working at the age of nine. While in the 7th grade, he appeared in his class' production of William Tell. In 1920, after joining the Meiningen Ducal Theater in the role of a supernumerary actor, Diez left his work as an electrician's apprentice and began taking acting classes in the Meiningen School of Dramatic Arts. He devoted himself to professional acting ever since, appearing on the stages of theaters in Flensburg, Hanau, Baden-Baden, Würzburg and Cheb.Theater der Zeit. Verband der Theaterschaffenden der DDR (September 1979). . Pages 16-21. While performing in the Eisenach Theater, he met his future wife, actress Martha Beschort . The two married in 1923.
During 1932, while he and Martha were working in the Stadttheater Bremerhaven, they both joined the KPD. Diez, who originally was a member of the Guild of the German Stage, joined the Profintern-oriented Revolutionary Trade Union Opposition and was elected chairman of the theater's branch.
Exile On the morning of 28 February 1933, a day after the Reichstag fire, Diez's home was raided by the Gestapo. On 6 March, immediately after the elections, the actor was dismissed from his work for being a communist. During 1935, Diez – fearing an interrogation by the Gestapo - had to emigrate from Germany.Werner Mittenzwei. Exil in der Schweiz. Röderberg (1979). . Page 351. He and his wife traveled to Switzerland, where he worked in the St. Gallen Theater. Diez became involved in the communist and anti-fascist circles of German exiles that were formed in the country.Frithjof Trapp. Handbuch des deutschsprachigen Exiltheaters 1933-1945: Verfolgung und Exil deutschsprachiger Theaterkünstler. K.G. Saur Verlag (1999). . Pages 89, 181-182, 285. The St. Gallen Theater's manager, Theo Modes, was a supporter of the Third Reich, and Diez was "completely isolated" in his place of work.Brigitte Bruns. Werft Eure Hoffnung über neue Grenzen. Henschel Verlag (2007). . Page 62. In 1943 he joined the Swiss branch of the recently founded National Committee for a Free Germany.Hans Teubner. Exilland Schweiz. Diez Verlag (1979). ASIN B003H2Z0RG. Page 296. By the end of the war, Diez headed the St. Gallen fraction of the Democratic Union of Germans in Switzerland, an offshoot of the Committee.Jörg Krummenacher. Flüchtiges Glück. Die Flüchtlinge im Grenzkanton St. Gallen zur Zeit des Nationalsozialismus. Zürich (2005). . Page 402. He also edited this movement's newspaper.
German Democratic Republic
Diez returned to the Soviet-administered Meiningen in 1946. He worked in the municipal theater, first as an actor and later as a director and an artistic director. In 1947, he was appointed its manager.Petra Stuber. Spielräume und Grenzen: Studien zum DDR-Theater. Links Verlag (2003). . page 302. During 1952, he made his debut on screen in the DEFA film Shadow Over The Islands. He appeared in some twenty films until the end of his career, as well as in several television productions.Dieter Reimer. DEFA-Stars: Legenden aus Babelsberg. Militzke Verlag (2004). . Pages 178-9.
In 1954, Diez left Meiningen, remaining an honorable member of the theater, and instead took the position of the Halle National Theater's manager.Norbert Moczarski, Die Protokolle des Sekretariats der SED-Bezirksleitung Suhl. Boehlaus Herrmann Nachf., 2002. . Page 23. In 1958, he joined the Dresden Theater as an actor and a director. During the 1960s, he performed and directed plays in the Volksbühne and in the Deutsches Theater. Diez was also a member of the German Shakespeare Society.B. Tauchnitz. Shakespeare Jahrbuch. Banden 100-101. Deutsche Shakespeare-Gesellschaft (1964). Page 43.
The figure of Hitler, which he first portrayed in the Meiningen Theater during 1947, was described by Diez as an "ungrateful role which always seemed to pursue me." He played the character on screen and in television in ten different productions – among them Ernst Thälmann - Führer seiner Klasse (1955), I, Justice, Frozen Flashes (both 1967), Liberation (1970–1971), Seventeen Moments of Spring (1973), Take Aim (1974) and Soldiers of Freedom (1977). Dilara Ozerova - the wife of Yuri Ozerov, who directed Liberation - claimed that Diez was reluctant to accept the invitation to depict Hitler in her husband's film series, fearing typecasting, but had to accept it as a "Party mission".An interview with Dilara Ozerova. Author Charles P. Mitchell wrote that the actor was "Eastern Europe's equivalent to Bobby Watson in terms of the frequency of his Hitler appearances."Charles P. Mitchell. The Hitler Filmography: Worldwide Feature Film and Television Miniseries Portrayals, 1940 Through 2000. McFarland & Co. (2002). . Page 171.
In 1971, Diez received the Patriotic Order of Merit in silver.Ingrid Eberhardt. Kinder des Bezirkes – diesmal Schauspieler Fritz Diez oder: Das totale und unwiderrufliche Engagement fürs Theater. Freies Wort, 15 June 1979. On 9 October 1979, shortly before his death, he was awarded the title of an Honorary Citizen of Meiningen.Fritz Diez in a list of renowned actors from Meiningen.
Filmography + Film Year Title Role Notes 1952 Shadow Over The Islands Arne Horn 1953 Swings Or Roundabouts Hellwand 1955 Ernst Thälmann Adolf Hitler 1956 Thomas Müntzer Field Captain Hoffmann 1957 Betrogen bis zum jüngsten Tag Adolf Hitler Voice 1959 Special Mission Captain Lieutenant Wegner 1959 Goods for Catalonia Captain Gerner 1959 SAS 181 Does Not Reply The intendant 1959 The Goodies Weber 1959 The Punch Bowl State Secretary Frisch 1960 Always on Duty Father Kraft 1960 Doctor Ahrendt's Decision Scholz 1960 Five Cartridges Major Bolaños 1963 Carbide and Sorrel Worker 1966 The Escape In The Silent Stetter 1967 Frozen FlashesAdolf Hitler 1967 I, Justice 1970 Liberation I: The Fire Bulge 1970 Liberation II: Breakthrough 1971 Liberation III: Direction of the Main Blow 1971 Liberation IV: The Battle of Berlin 1971 Liberation V: The Last Assault 1972 Hurray! We Are Going on a Vacation! Grandfather 1976 Take Aim Adolf Hitler, Otto Hahn 1980 Vater Erp 1995 The Great Commander Georgy Zhukov Adolf HitlerCompilation of footage from older pictures
+ Television Year Title Role Notes 1963 A Man and his Shadow Uncredited role 1963 Carl von Ossietzky Hellmut von Gerlach 1963 Blue Light Major LöbelEpisode 18: Hot Money 1965 Moments of Joy Otto Meinicke 1966 Secret Unit Boomerang Uncredited role 1966 No Victory Without Struggle Hermann Abs 1967 Blue Light Dr. Döppke Episode 28:Night Patrol 1969 Three From the K The committee chief Episode 13: A Strange Case 1970 Tscheljuskin Valerian Kuybyshev 1973 Seventeen Moments of Spring Adolf Hitler Episodes no. 1, 3 and 5 1973 The Wondrous Treasure Judge 1974 New From Florentiner No. 73 Krawuttcke 1977 Soldiers of Freedom Adolf HitlerFour episodes 1978 Dangerous Inquiry Uncredited roleSeason 1, Episode 2: Death in the Alpsee 1980 Joy in the Rear Exit Karl's fatherFilmed before Diez's death 1993 The Tragedy of the 20th Century Adolf HitlerCompilation of footage from older pictures
+ Voice actor Year Title Role Notes 1957 Duped Till Doomsday Adolf Hitler 1961 The Story of the Christmas Man Narrator 1961 Two Goats Narrator 1961 Aunt Minna, her Dog and Science Narrator
References
External links
Fritz Diez. defa-sternstunden.de.