Elsa Bassermann (born Elsa Sarah Schiff; January 14, 1878 – May 30, 1961) was a German

screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...

and

stage Stage, stages, or staging may refer to: Arts and media Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly Brit ...

and film actress. She was married to

Albert Bassermann Albert Bassermann (7 September 1867 – 15 May 1952) was a German stage and screen actor. He was considered to be one of the greatest German-speaking actors of his generation and received the famous Iffland-Ring. He was married to Elsa Schiff w ...

and often acted with him. As she was

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

, the couple had to leave

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

and go into exile in

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

and the United States. She later returned to Germany, where she died in 1961.

Partial filmography

* ''Gerda Gerovius'' (1913) * ''Der letzte Tag'' (1913) * ''Urteil des Arztes'' (1914) * ''Du sollst keine anderen Götter haben'' (1917) * ''Der eiserne Wille'' (1917) * ''Herr und Diener'' (1917) * '' Father and Son'' (1918) * '' The Zaarden Brothers'' (1918) * '' Doctor Schotte'' (1918) * '' Lorenzo Burghardt'' (1918) * ''Das Werk seines Lebens'' (1919) - Friedel * ''Eine schwache Stunde'' (1919) * ''Die Duplizität der Ereignisse'' (1920) * '' The Voice'' (1920) * '' The Sons of Count Dossy'' (1920) - Gräfin * ''

Masks A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment, and often employed for rituals and rites. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes, ...

'' (1920) * '' Dolls of Death'' (1920) - Konstanze * ''Der Frauenarzt'' (1921) - Frau Dr. Holländer * '' The Last Witness'' (1921) * ''

Lucrezia Borgia Lucrezia Borgia (18 April 1480 – 24 June 1519) was an Italian noblewoman of the House of Borgia who was the illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei. She was a former governor of Spoleto. Her family arranged ...

'' (1922) * ''

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed Voyages of Christopher Columbus, four Spanish-based voyages across the At ...

'' (1923) - Ehefrau des Columbus * ''

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) - A lady * '' Dreyfus'' (1930) - Parisian lady * ''

A Woman Branded ''A Woman Branded'' or ''Dangers of Love'' (German: ''Gefahren der Liebe'') is a 1931 German drama film directed by Eugen Thiele and starring Toni van Eyck, Elsa Bassermann and Hans Stüwe. It was shot at the Terra Studios in Berlin.Klaus p.9 ...

'' (1931) - Frau Thorn, Ilses Mutter * '' Kadetten'' (1931) - Gräfin Kleist * '' Last Love'' (1935) - Hanna von Hooven * '' Escape'' (1940) - Mrs. Henning * ''

New Wine New Wine is a not-for-profit Christian charismatic evangelical organisation based in England, United Kingdom. It equips Christian churches and leaders in spiritual renewal, worship and church planting. Overview The purpose of New Wine is "loc ...

'' (1941) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

Desperate Journey ''Desperate Journey'' is a 1942 American World War II action and aviation film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan. The supporting cast includes Raymond Massey, Alan Hale Sr., and Arthur Kennedy. The melodramati ...

'' (1942) - Frau Raeder * '' Madame Curie'' (1943) - Madame Perot * '' The Captain from Köpenick'' (completed in 1941, released in 1945) (aka ''I Was a Criminal'') - Mrs. Marie Hoprecht * ''

Rhapsody in Blue ''Rhapsody in Blue'' is a 1924 musical composition for solo piano and jazz band by George Gershwin. Commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman, the work combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects and premiered in a concer ...

'' (1945) - Guest (uncredited) (final film role)

Bibliography

External links

* 1878 births 1961 deaths German stage actresses German film actresses German silent film actresses Film people from Leipzig Actresses from Leipzig Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United States German expatriates in Switzerland 20th-century German actresses German screenwriters American women screenwriters German women screenwriters 20th-century American women writers 20th-century American screenwriters Jewish German actresses {{Germany-film-actor-1870s-stub