Bernhard Goetzke (5 June 1884 – 7 October 1964) was a German stage and film actor, renowned for his contributions to German silent cinema. Born in Danzig,

German Empire The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...

(now Gdańsk, Poland), Goetzke began his acting career in theaters across

Hagen Hagen () is a city in the States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia, in western Germany, on the southeastern edge of the Ruhr area, 15 km south of Dortmund, where the rivers Lenne and Volme meet the Ruhr (river), Ruhr. In 2023, the ...

Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in the state after Cologne and the List of cities in Germany with more than 100,000 inhabitants, seventh-largest city ...

Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...

, and

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

. His film debut came in 1917 with

Robert Wiene Robert Wiene (; 27 April 1873 – 17 July 1938) was a German film director, screenwriter and Film producer, producer, active during the Silent film, silent era. He is widely-known for directing the landmark 1920 film ''The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari ...

's '' Furcht'' (''Fear''), but his breakthrough roles were in

Fritz Lang Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), better known as Fritz Lang (), was an Austrian-born film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety Obituari ...

's films, including ''

Destiny Destiny, sometimes also called fate (), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. Fate Although often used interchangeably, the words ''fate'' and ''destiny'' ...

'' (''Der Müde Tod'', 1921), '' Dr. Mabuse the Gambler'' (1922), and ''

Die Nibelungen ''Die Nibelungen'' ("The Nibelungs") is a two-part German series of Silent film, silent fantasy films created by Austrian director Fritz Lang in 1924, consisting of ''Die Nibelungen: Siegfried'' and ''Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge''. Th ...

'' (1924). His restrained yet expressive acting style made him a favourite among filmmakers.

Career

After completing his training as an actor, Goetzke worked at theaters in Hagen and Dresden. He later performed on

Max Reinhardt Max Reinhardt (; born Maximilian Goldmann; 9 September 1873 – 30 October 1943) was an Austrian-born Theatre director, theatre and film director, theater manager, intendant, and theatrical producer. With his radically innovative and avant-gard ...

's renowned stages in Berlin and was active for several decades at the Schiller Theater. Goetzke also appeared in international productions, including

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...

's '' The Mountain Eagle'' (1926) and

Henri Fescourt Henri Fescourt (23 November 1880 – 9 August 1966) was a French film director. He directed some 40 films in his career. Filmography * 1912 : ''Un vol a été commis'' * 1912 : ''Le Petit restaurant de l'impasse Canin'' * 1912 : ''Paris-Saint ...

's '' Monte Cristo'' (1929). With the advent of

sound film A sound film is a Film, motion picture with synchronization, synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, bu ...

s, he transitioned to both smaller and larger supporting roles. Up until 1933, Goetzke appeared in as many as ten films per year, participating in productions from France, Italy, England, Hungary, the Soviet Union, and Finland. Under the rule of the National Socialists, art in Nazi Germany was heavily regulated and used as a tool for propaganda. During this time, Goetzke's workload significantly decreased. Despite these challenges, he featured in over twenty films during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, mostly in supporting roles. His later works included celebrated classics like '' Münchhausen'' (1943) and '' The Golden Spider'' (''Die goldene Spinne'', 1943), as well as controversial propaganda films such as '' Jud Süß'' (1940) and '' Ich klage an'' (1941). After 1945, Goetzke shifted his focus to theater and radio, only occasionally appearing on screen. His final acting role was in the 1961 TV production ''Elisabeth von England'' as

First Lord of the Admiralty First Lord of the Admiralty, or formally the Office of the First Lord of the Admiralty, was the title of the political head of the English and later British Royal Navy. He was the government's senior adviser on all naval affairs, responsible f ...

. During the

Nazi era Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...

, Goetzke was included in the " Gottbegnadeten-Liste" (God-gifted list) shortly before the war's end. Goetzke passed away in

West Berlin West Berlin ( or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin from 1948 until 1990, during the Cold War. Although West Berlin lacked any sovereignty and was under military occupation until German reunification in 1 ...

in 1964, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most distinctive faces of German silent cinema. Over his extensive career, he appeared in 130 films between 1917 and 1961.

Selected filmography

* ''

Fear Fear is an unpleasant emotion that arises in response to perception, perceived dangers or threats. Fear causes physiological and psychological changes. It may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the ...

'' (1917) * ''

The Last Sun Son ''The Last Sun Son'' ( German: ''Der letzte Sonnensohn'') is a 1919 German silent film directed by Erik Lund.Bock & Bergfelder p.74 Cast In alphabetical order * Olga Engl as Fürstin * Bernhard Goetzke as Herzog * Ria Jende * Bruno Kast ...

'' (1919) * '' The Japanese Woman'' (1919) * '' The Panther Bride'' (1919) * '' Veritas Vincit'' (1919) * '' The Spies'' (1919) * '' The Dagger of Malaya'' (1919) * '' Anita Jo'' (1919) * '' The Law of the Desert'' (1920) * '' The Eyes as the Accuser'' (1920) * '' Dolls of Death'' (1920) * '' The Skull of Pharaoh's Daughter'' (1920) * ''

The Conspiracy in Genoa ''The Conspiracy in Genoa'' () is a 1921 Cinema of Germany, German silent film, silent historical film, historical drama film directed by Paul Leni and starring Wilhelm Diegelmann, Maria Fein and Fritz Kortner. It is an adaptation of the 1783 pla ...

'' (1921) * '' The Indian Tomb'' (1921) * '' The Secret of Bombay'' (1921) * '' Children of Darkness'' (1921) * '' Murder Without Cause'' (1921) * '' Symphony of Death'' (1921) * '' Island of the Dead'' (1921) * ''

The Brothers Karamazov ''The Brothers Karamazov'' ( rus, Братья Карамазовы, Brat'ya Karamazovy, ˈbratʲjə kərɐˈmazəvɨ), also translated as ''The Karamazov Brothers'', is the last novel by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky spent nearly ...

'' (1921) * ''

'' (1921) * '' Dr. Mabuse the Gambler'' (1922) * ''

The Marriage of Princess Demidoff ''The Marriage of Princess Demidoff'' () is a 1922 German silent film, silent drama film directed by Frederic Zelnik and starring Lya Mara, Charles Willy Kayser, and Olga Limburg. It premiered at the Marmorhaus cinema in Berlin. The film's sets ...

'' (1922) * ''

Peter the Great Peter I (, ; – ), better known as Peter the Great, was the Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia, Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia, Emperor of all Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned j ...

'' (1922) * ''

'' (1924) * '' The Blackguard'' (1925) * ''

Curfew A curfew is an order that imposes certain regulations during specified hours. Typically, curfews order all people affected by them to remain indoors during the evening and nighttime hours. Such an order is most often issued by public authorit ...

'' (1925) * ''

Letters Which Never Reached Him ''Letters Which Never Reached Him'' (German: ''Briefe, die ihn nicht erreichten'') is a 1925 German silent film directed by Frederic Zelnik and starring Albert Bassermann, Marcella Albani and Mia Pankau. The film's sets were designed by the ...

'' (1925) * '' Slums of Berlin'' (1925) * '' The Last Days of Pompeii'' (1926) * '' The Mountain Eagle'' (1926) * '' Wrath of the Seas'' (1926) * '' Children of No Importance'' (1926) * '' Two and a Lady'' (1926) * '' The Temple of Shadows'' (1927) * '' The Prisoners of Shanghai'' (1927) * ''

Assassination Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...

'' (1927) * '' The Schorrsiegel Affair'' (1928) * '' Tragedy at the Royal Circus'' (1928) * '' Guilty'' (1928) * '' Death Drive for the World Record'' (1929) * '' Spring Awakening'' (1929) * '' Dreyfus'' (1930) * ''

Alraune ''Alraune'' (German language, German for ) is a novel by German novelist Hanns Heinz Ewers published in 1911. It is also the name of the female lead character. The book originally featured illustrations by Ilna Ewers-Wunderwald. Legend The bas ...

'' (1930) * '' Cities and Years'' (1930) * '' Louise, Queen of Prussia'' (1931) * ''

1914 This year saw the beginning of what became known as the First World War, after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne was Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip ...

'' (1931) * '' The Trunks of Mr. O.F.'' (1931) * ''

Checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...

'' (1931) * '' Between Night and Dawn'' (1931) * '' The Mad Bomberg'' (1932) * '' The Black Hussar'' (1932) * '' Rasputin, Demon with Women'' (1932) * '' The Dancer of Sanssouci'' (1932) * '' Secret of the Blue Room'' (1932) * '' Night Convoy'' (1932) * '' The Eleven Schill Officers'' (1932) * ''

Typhoon A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere and which produces sustained hurricane-force winds of at least . This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, accounting for a ...

'' (1933) * '' The Case of Doctor Brenner'' (1933) * '' Victoria'' (1935) * '' Escapade'' (1936) * '' The Czar's Courier'' (1936) * '' Michel Strogoff'' (1936) * ''

Robert Koch Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch ( ; ; 11 December 1843 – 27 May 1910) was a German physician and microbiologist. As the discoverer of the specific causative agents of deadly infectious diseases including tuberculosis, cholera and anthrax, he i ...

'' (1939) * '' The Fox of Glenarvon'' (1940) * '' The Three Codonas'' (1940) * '' Jud Süß'' (1940) * '' Between Hamburg and Haiti'' (1940) * '' The Swedish Nightingale'' (1941) * '' A Man With Principles?'' (1943) * '' The Golden Spider'' (1943)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Goetzke, Bernhard 1884 births 1964 deaths 20th-century German male actors German male stage actors German male film actors German male silent film actors Male actors from Gdańsk People from West Prussia