Bela Jenbach, real name Béla Jacobowicz (1 April 1871 in

Miskolc Miskolc ( , ; ; Czech language, Czech and ; ; ; ) is a city in northeastern Hungary, known for its heavy industry. With a population of 161,265 as of 1 January 2014, Miskolc is the List of cities and towns in Hungary#Largest cities in Hungary, ...

Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...

– 21 January 1943 in Vienna) was an Austrian actor and operetta librettist of Hungarian origin. Jenbach was of Jewish origin and the brother of the screenwriter

Ida Jenbach Ida Jenbach was an Austrian playwright and screenwriter for German and Austrian film, cinema during the 1920s. She was one of the authors of the spirited farce ''Opera Ball'' that appeared at the Little Carnegie Playhouse in New York City in 1931. ...

. He was co-author of several well-known operetta libretti. Jenbach died in the Auersperg Sanatorium in Vienna and was buried in the

Matzleinsdorf Protestant Cemetery Matzleinsdorf Protestant Cemetery () is a historic church-owned and operated Protestant cemetery located in the Favoriten district of Vienna, the capital city of Austria. History and details Throughout the centuries, the Vienna Protestants did ...

Life

Jenbach came to Vienna at the age of 18. At first he kept himself busy with casual work. He invested his earnings in speech lessons and proved to be an extremely talented student, as he managed to lose his accent in a very short time. The foundation for his career was laid and he was engaged by the Vienna

Burgtheater The Burgtheater (; literally: "Castle Theater" but alternatively translated as "(Imperial) Court Theater", originally known as '' K.K. Theater an der Burg'', then until 1918 as the ''K.K. Hofburgtheater'', is the national theater of Austria in ...

. He took this opportunity to change his name from Jacobowicz to Jenbach. He hoped for greater recognition and did not want to be immediately associated with his Jewish roots. Depressed about the low earnings as a Burgtheater actor he came via the "Operettenbörse" in

Café Sperl Café Sperl is a traditional Viennese café located at Gumpendorfer Straße 11 in the Mariahilf sixth district of Vienna, Austria. The café is on the Austrian Register of Historic Places. History Jacob Ronacher founded the cafe as ''Café Ron ...

to write libretti. He would rather have become a recognized author of spoken dramas, but the work for operetta composers was simply more lucrative. During the Nazi period his working conditions became worse and worse. Jenbach had a Catholic wife and a daughter. He did not think of emigrating. From 1940, he hid in a cellar near Vienna's Kaunitzgasse. After three years in this involuntary dungeon, Jenbach felt severe physical pain. He was admitted to hospital with stomach cancer in its final stage and died there on 21 January 1943. His wife, the actress Anna Brandstätter, survived him by only eight days; she died of breast cancer on 29 January 1943. They had a daughter, Lydia Jenbach. A statue of Jenbach was unveiled in Miskolc on May 11, 2024.

Works

Operettas

*''

The Lilac Domino ''Der lila Domino'' (''The Lilac Domino'') is an operetta in three acts composed by Charles Cuvillier. The original German libretto is by Emmerich von Gatti and Bela Jenbach, about a gambling count who falls in love at a masquerade ball with a n ...

'', 1912 (with Emerich von Gatti); music by

Charles Cuvillier Charles Cuvillier (24 April 1877 – 14 February 1955) was a French composer of operetta. He won his greatest successes with the operettas ''La reine s'amuse'' (1912, played as ''The Naughty Princess'' in London) and with '' The Lilac Domino'', w ...

*''Ein Tag im Paradies'', 1913 (with

Leo Stein Leo Stein (May 11, 1872 – July 29, 1947) was an American art collector and critic. He was born in Allegheny City (now in Pittsburgh), the older brother of Gertrude Stein. He became an influential promoter of 20th-century paintings. Educatio ...

); music by

Edmund Eysler Edmund Samuel Eysler (12 March 1874 – 4 October 1949), was an Austrian composer. Biography Edmund Eysler was born in Vienna to a merchant family. He was supposed to enter the engineering profession, but his acquaintance with Leo Fall led h ...

(adapted on Broadway as ''

The Blue Paradise ''The Blue Paradise'' is a musical in a prologue and two acts, with music by Edmund Eysler, Sigmund Romberg and Leo Edwards, lyrics primarily by Herbert Reynolds, and a book by Edgar Smith, based on the operetta ''Ein Tag im Paradies'' (''A D ...

'') *''

Die Csárdásfürstin ' ( or ; ''The Csárdás Princess''; translated into English as ''The Riviera Girl'' and ''The Gipsy Princess'') is an operetta in 3 acts by Hungarian composer Emmerich Kálmán, with libretto by Leo Stein and Bela Jenbach. It premiered in Vienna ...

'', 1915 (with Leo Stein); music by

Emmerich Kálmán Emmerich Kálmán ( ; 24 October 1882 – 30 October 1953) was a Kingdom of Hungary, Hungarian composer of operettas and a prominent figure in the development of Operetta#Austria–Hungary, Viennese operetta in the 20th century. Among his most p ...

*''Das Hollandweibchen'', 1920 (with Leo Stein); music by Emmerich Kálmán *'' Die blaue Mazur'', 1920 (with Leo Stein); music by

Franz Lehár Franz Lehár ( ; ; 30 April 1870 – 24 October 1948) was an Austro-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas, of which the most successful and best known is '' The Merry Widow'' (''Die lustige Witwe''). Life and career L ...

*', 1924; music by Franz Lehár *'' Paganini'', 1925 (with ); music by Franz Lehár *''

Der Zarewitsch ''Der Zarewitsch'' (''The Tsarevich'') is an operetta in three acts by Franz Lehár. The German libretto by and Bela Jenbach is based on the play of the same name by Polish author Gabriela Zapolska. Lehár composed the work, one of his later op ...

'', 1927 (with , based on a play by

Gabriela Zapolska Maria Gabriela Stefania Korwin-Piotrowska (1857–1921), known as Gabriela Zapolska, was a Polish novelist, playwright, naturalist writer, feuilletonist, theatre critic and stage actress. Zapolska wrote 41 plays, 23 novels, 177 short stories, 25 ...

); music by Franz Lehár *''Die Fahrt in die Jugend'', 1933 (with ); music by Eduard Künneke

Comedy

* ''Der Herr ohne Wohnung'', 1913 (with

Rudolf Österreicher Rudolf Österreicher, also ''Rudolf Oesterreicher'', (19 July 1881 in Vienna – 23 October 1966 in idem) was an Austrian writer, librettist, comedy author, author of cabaret texts and biographer. From 1945 to 1947 he was director of the . ...

)

Filmography

*'' The Gentleman Without a Residence'', directed by

Fritz Freund Fritz is a common German male name. The name originated as a German diminutive of Friedrich or Frederick (''Der Alte Fritz'', and ''Stary Fryc'' were common nicknames for King Frederick II of Prussia and Frederick III, German Emperor), as well ...

(Austria, 1915, based on the play ''Der Herr ohne Wohnung'') *', directed by Emil Leyde (Germany, 1919, based on the operetta ''

'') *'' The Gentleman Without a Residence'', directed by Heinrich Bolten-Baeckers (Germany, 1925, based on the play ''Der Herr ohne Wohnung'') *'' The Csardas Princess'', directed by

Hanns Schwarz Hanns Schwarz (11 February 1888 – 27 October 1945) was an Austrian film director. He was born in Vienna on 11 February 1888. Biography He directed twenty four films between 1924 and 1937 in both English and German. During the late silent a ...

(Germany/Hungary, 1927, based on the operetta ''

'') *'' The Tsarevich'', directed by

Luise Fleck Luise Fleck, also known as Luise Kolm or Luise Kolm-Fleck, née Louise or Luise Veltée (1 August 1873–15 March 1950), was an Austrian film director, and has been considered the second ever female feature film director in the world, after Al ...

and

Jacob Fleck Jacob Fleck (8 November 1881 in Vienna as Jacob Julius Fleck – 19 September 1953, also in Vienna) was an Austrian film director, screenwriter, film producer and cameraman. He is noted for his long-standing professional partnership with his wife ...

(Germany, 1929, based on the operetta ''

'') *'' The Tsarevich'', directed by

Victor Janson Victor Arthur Eduard Janson (; 25 September 1884 – 29 June 1960) was a German stage and film actor and film director of Latvian ethnicity. Selected filmography Actor * '' Your Dearest Enemy'' (1916) * '' When Four Do the Same'' (1917) * ''Carm ...

(German, 1933, based on the operetta ''

'') **''

Imperial Highness Imperial Highness is a form of address used for members of an imperial family. It denotes ''imperial'' – as opposed to ''royal'' – status to show that the holder in question is descended from an emperor rather than a king (compare His ...

'', directed by

and Jean Bernard-Derosne (French, 1933, based on the operetta ''

'') *'' The Csardas Princess'', directed by

Georg Jacoby Georg Jacoby (23 July 1882 – 21 February 1964) was a German film director and screenwriter.Profile
, bfi.org.uk; accessed 1 ...

(German, 1934, based on the operetta ''

'') **''Princesse Czardas'', directed by

Georg Jacoby Georg Jacoby (23 July 1882 – 21 February 1964) was a German film director and screenwriter.Profile
, bfi.org.uk; accessed 1 ...

and

André Beucler André Beucler (1898–1985) was a Russian-born French journalist, novelist, screenwriter and film director. He was born in Saint Petersburg to a French father and grew up speaking Russian.Cate p.272 During the 1930s he worked on a number of films ...

(French, 1934, based on the operetta ''

'') *'' Paganini'' (''Gern hab' ich die Frau'n geküßt''), directed by

E. W. Emo E. W. Emo (Emerich Walter Emo, born Emerich Josef Wojtek, 11 July 1898; died 2 December 1975) was an Austrian film director. Emo specialized in comedies, 21 of them with the actor Hans Moser. He also worked outside Austria and wrote screenpla ...

(Germany, 1934, based on the operetta '' Paganini'') *'' The Gentleman Without a Residence'', directed by

(Austria, 1934, based on the play ''Der Herr ohne Wohnung'') *''Die Fahrt in die Jugend'', directed by

Carl Boese Carl Eduard Hermann Boese (; 26 August 1887 – 6 July 1958) was a German film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He directed 158 films between 1917 and 1957. Selected filmography * ''Farmer Borchardt'' (1917) * ''Donna Luci ...

(Austria, 1935, based on the operetta ''Die Fahrt in die Jugend'') *'' The World's in Love'', directed by

Victor Tourjansky Victor Tourjansky ( 4 March 1891 – 13 August 1976), born Vyacheslav Konstantinovich Turzhansky (), was a Russian actor, screenwriter and film director who emigrated after the Russian Revolution (1917), Russian Revolution of 1917. He worked in F ...

(Austria, 1935, based on the operetta ')''Die ganze Welt dreht sich um Liebe''
/ref> *''

Dreams Come True Dreams Come True or Dream Come True may refer to: Organizations * Dreams Come True (British charity) * Dreams Come True (American non-profit) Film and television * ''Dreams Come True'' (film), a 1936 British musical film * " "Dreams Come True" ...

'', directed by

Reginald Denham Reginald Denham (10 January 1894 – 4 February 1983) was an English writer, theatre and film director, actor and film producer. Biography Reginald H. F. Denham was born in London, England, in 1894. He spent a good part of his career dire ...

(UK, 1936, based on the operetta ') *''

'', directed by

Frederic Zelnik Frederic Zelnik (born Friedrich Zelnik; 17 May 1885 – 29 November 1950) was an Austrian producer, director, and actor. He was one of the most important producers-directors of the German silent cinema. Zelnik achieved success through period oper ...

(UK, 1937, based on the operetta ''

'') *'' Who's Your Lady Friend?'', directed by

Carol Reed Sir Carol Reed (30 December 1906 – 25 April 1976) was an English film director and producer, best known for '' Odd Man Out'' (1947), '' The Fallen Idol'' (1948), '' The Third Man'' (1949), and '' Oliver!'' (1968), for which he was awarded th ...

(UK, 1937, based on the play ''Der Herr ohne Wohnung'') *''

Silva Silva, da Silva, and de Silva are surnames of Portuguese or Galician origin which are widespread in the Portuguese-speaking countries including Brazil. The name is derived from Latin ("forest" or "woodland"). It is the family name of the Hous ...

'', directed by

Aleksandr Ivanovsky Aleksandr Viktorovich Ivanovsky (; November 29, 1881 – January 12, 1968) was a screenwriter and film director in the Soviet Union. He was awarded the Stalin Prize in 1941, for his work on the 1940 film ''Musical Story''. His 1944 operetta film ...

(Soviet Union, 1944, based on the operetta ''

'') *'' The Csardas Princess'', directed by

Georg Jacoby Georg Jacoby (23 July 1882 – 21 February 1964) was a German film director and screenwriter.Profile
, bfi.org.uk; accessed 1 ...

(West Germany, 1951, based on the operetta ''

'') *''

The Little Czar ''The Little Czar'' () is a 1954 French-German historical drama film directed by Arthur Maria Rabenalt and starring Luis Mariano, Sonja Ziemann and Iván Petrovich. It is based on the operetta '' Der Zarewitsch'' by Franz Lehár. It was shot ...

'', directed by

Arthur Maria Rabenalt Arthur Maria Rabenalt (25 June 1905 – 26 February 1993) was an Austrian film director, writer, and author. He directed more than 90 films between 1934 and 1978. His 1958 film ''That Won't Keep a Sailor Down'' was entered into the 1st Moscow In ...

(West Germany/France, 1954, based on the operetta ''

'') *''Paganini'', directed by (West Germany, 1961, TV film, based on the operetta '' Paganini'') *', directed by Miklós Szinetár (West Germany/Hungary, 1971, TV film, based on the operetta ''

'') *', directed by

Eugen York Eugen York (26 November 1912 – 18 November 1991) was a German film director. He directed 35 films between 1938 and 1984. He was born in Rybinsk, Russian Empire and died in Berlin, Germany. After a career in Germany until the 1940s, he made ...

(West Germany, 1973, TV film, based on the operetta '' Paganini'') *''Der Zarewitsch'', directed by

(West Germany, 1973, TV film, based on the operetta ''

'') *', directed by

Yan Frid Yan Borisovich Frid (; 1908–2003) was a Soviet screenwriter and film director. Life and career Yan Borisovich Frid was born on May 31 in 1908 in Krasnoyarsk. In 1932 he graduated from the directing department of the Russian State Institute of P ...

(Soviet Union, 1981, based on the operetta ''

'')

Bibliography

* H. Giebisch, L. Pichler, K. Vancsa (editor): ''Kleines österreichisches Literaturlexikon.'' Brüder Hollinek, Vienna 1948. *

Felix Czeike Felix Czeike (21 August 1926 – 23 April 2006) was an Austrian historian and popular educator. He was an author and partly also editor of numerous publications on the history of Vienna and was the director of the . His main work is the six-volume ...

: ''Historisches Lexikon Wien.'' volume 3. Kremayr & Scheriau, Vienna 1994.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jenbach, Bela 1871 births 1943 deaths People from Miskolc 20th-century Austrian songwriters Austrian operetta librettists Hungarian librettists Male actors from Austria-Hungary