Birgitte Federspiel (6 September 1925 –February 2, 2005) was a Danish film, theater and TV actress. She won two

Bodil Awards The Bodil Awards are the major Denmark, Danish film awards given by the Danish Film Critics Association. The awards are presented annually at a ceremony in Copenhagen. Established in 1948, it is one of the oldest film awards in Europe. The awards ...

for best actress in 1955 (''

Ordet ''Ordet'' (, meaning " The Word" and originally released as ''The Word'' in English) is a 1955 Danish drama film, written and directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer. It is based on a play by Kaj Munk, a Danish Lutheran priest, first performed in 1932. ...

'') and 1959 (''En fremmed banker på'').Birgitte Federspiel Awards
, imdb.com; accessed 8 May 2015. Born Karen Birgitte Federspiel in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

, she was the daughter of actor

Ejner Federspiel Ejner Federspiel (12 August 1896 – 21 November 1981) was a Danish film actor. He appeared in 58 films between 1934 and 1981. He was married to Gunver Fønss and his daughter was actress Birgitte Federspiel. Partial filmography * ''Hr. T ...

and Gunver Fönss. She had a notable film roles as Inger in ''

'' (1955) and, in later life, as Martine in ''

Babette's Feast ''Babette's Feast'' () is a 1987 Danish drama film directed by Gabriel Axel. The screenplay, written by Axel, was based on the 1958 story by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen). It was produced by Just Betzer, Bo Christensen and Benni Korzen, with f ...

'' (1987), while on TV she played Baroness von Rydtger in three episodes of ''

Matador A bullfighter or matador () is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter, and describe all the performers in the activ ...

''. She died in

Odense Odense ( , , ) is the third largest city in Denmark (after Copenhagen and Aarhus) and the largest city on the island of Funen. As of 1 January 2025, the city proper had a population of 185,480 while Odense Municipality had a population of 210, ...

on February 2, 2005, aged 79.

Personal life

She was married to Danish actors Freddy Koch and Jens Østerholm.

Selected filmography

* '' Jens Langkniv'' (1940) * ' (1942) – Birgit Ernst * ''Jeg mødte en morder'' (1943) – Pige på cykel (uncredited) * ' (1945) – Pige i venteværelse * ' (1948) – Grethe * ' (1949) – Dronningens kammerpige * '' Susanne'' (1950) – Doris Rudholt * ' (1951) – Gerd Møller * ' (1952) – Arkæologi-Magisteren Bente Berg * '' Adam og Eva'' (''Adam and Eve'') (1953) – Tove * ''

'' (1955) – Inger Borgen (uncredited) * '' Kispus'' (1956) – Dora * ' (1956) – Nana * '' En kvinde er overflødig'' (1957) – Ester * ' (1957) – Misse Lieberg * ' (1959) – Vibeke * '' Charles' tante'' (''Charles' Aunt'') (1959) – Donna Lucia d'Alvadorez / Lise Holm * '' Den sidste vinter'' (''The Last Winter'') (1960) – Anne Sørensen * '' Komtessen'' (1961) – Gevinde Sonja Hardenborg * '' Gøngehøvdingen'' (''The Musketeers'') (1961) – Kulsoen * ' (1961) – Fru Strand * '' Dronningens vagtmester'' (1963) – Kulsoen * '' Hvis lille pige er du?'' (1963) – Fru Jansen * ''

Gudrun Gudrun ( ; ) or Kriemhild ( ; ) is the wife of Sigurd/Siegfried and a major figure in Germanic heroic legend and literature. She is believed to have her origins in Ildico, last wife of Attila the Hun, and two queens of the Merovingian dyn ...

'' (''Suddenly, a Woman!'') (1963) – Husværtinden * '' Døden kommer til middag'' (''Death Comes at High Noon'') (1964) – Merete Lindberg * '' Tine'' (1964) – Fru Berg * ''

Dyden går amok ''Virtue Runs Wild'' () is a Danish 1966 erotic comedy film. Based on the eponymous 1957 novel by , the film was written and directed by Sven Methling. The film was shot in 1965 in the North Jutland town of Stenbjerg; it is called "Hu" in the fi ...

'' (1966) – Inga Forstmand * '' Sult'' (''Hunger'') (1966) – Her sister * ' (1966) – Irene * '' Den røde kappe'' (''Hagbard and Signe'' or ''The Red Mantle'') (1967) – King Hamund's widow * ' (1970) – Astrid * '' Z.P.G.'' (1972) – Psychiatrist * '' Olsen Banden går amok'' (''The Olsen Gang Goes Crazy'') (1973) – Ragna * '' Nitten røde roser'' (''19 Red Roses'') (1974) – Louise Bech * '' Nøddebo Præstegård'' (1974) – Fru Blicher * ' (1976) – Silden * '' Julefrokosten'' (1976) – Asta Asmussen * ' (1977) – Anna * '' Pas på ryggen, professor'' (''Mind Your Back, Professor'') (1977) – Ægtepar i kunstforretning / kone * ' (1978) – Frk. Asmussen * '' Fængslende feriedage'' (1978) – Cornelia Møller * ' (1984) * ' (1987) – Tante Laura * ' (1987) – Lotta Henderson * ' (1987) – Dronning Caroline Amalie * '' Babettes gæstebud'' (''Babette's Feast'') (1987) – Martine * ' (1994) – Viola * '' Barbara'' (1997) – Ellen Katrine * ' (1997) – Mormor * ' (1998) – Grandmother * ' (2001) – Gundine

References

External links

* 1925 births 2005 deaths Actresses from Copenhagen Best Actress Bodil Award winners Danish film actresses Danish stage actresses Danish television actresses {{denmark-actor-stub