Robert Dassanowsky
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Robert von Dassanowsky
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,
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(January 28, 1965 – October 10, 2023) was an Austrian-American academic, writer, film and cultural historian, and producer. He was usually known as Robert Dassanowsky.


Education, career and publications

Dassanowsky was born in New York City on January 28, 1965. A student of the
American Academy of Dramatic Arts The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is a Private college, private drama school with two locations, one in New York City and one in Los Angeles. The academy offers an associate degree in occupational studies and teaches drama and related ...
and a graduate of
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...
(MA, PhD), where he also served as Visiting Professor of German, Dassanowsky was a widely published academician, independent film producer, playwright, and had written for television. He held dual American and Austrian citizenship. Dassanowsky was named CU Distinguished Professor of Film and Austrian Studies by the University of Colorado System in November 2020. He was professor of German and Visual and Performing Arts, and founding director of
film studies Film studies is an academic discipline that deals with various film theory, theoretical, history of film, historical, and film criticism, critical approaches to film, cinema as an art form and a medium. It is sometimes subsumed within media stud ...
at the
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is a public research university in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is one of four campuses that make up the University of Colorado system. As of Fall 2023, UCCS had over 11,000 students, incl ...
since 1993, and became particularly known for his influential scholarly work on Austrian author
Alexander Lernet-Holenia Alexander Lernet-Holenia (21 October 1897 – 3 July 1976) was an Austrian poet, novelist, playwright and writer of screenplays and historical studies who produced a heterogeneous literary opus that included poetry, psychological novels descri ...
, German filmmaker and photographer
Leni Riefenstahl Helene Bertha Amalie "Leni" Riefenstahl (; 22 August 1902 – 8 September 2003) was a German film director, Film producer, producer, screenwriter, Film editing, editor, photographer, and actress. She is considered one of the most controversial ...
, and on Austrian and Central European film. He served as Adjunct Professor of Media Communication at Webster University Vienna and was an Affiliate Faculty of the Global Center for Advanced Studies (GCAS) New York since 2017 and member of the Board of Directors of the GCAS Research Institute
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
since 2019. Dassanowsky was founding president of the Colorado chapter of
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and was a founding Vice President of the Austrian American Film Association (AAFA). Additionally, he was the Contributing Editor of the ''Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America'', a Contributing Advisor to the ''International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers'', contributor to ''The Greenwood Encyclopedia of World Popular Cultures'', and was the author of ''Austrian Cinema: A History'' (2005), the first English language survey of this national cinema. Among his other publications is a collection of essays on ''New Austrian Film'' edited with Oliver C. Speck (2011), edited collections on
Hugo von Hofmannsthal Hugo Laurenz August Hofmann von Hofmannsthal (; 1 February 1874 – 15 July 1929) was an Austrian novelist, libretto, librettist, Poetry, poet, Playwdramatist, narrator, and essayist. Early life Hofmannsthal was born in Landstraße, Vienna, th ...
's play ''Der Schwierige'' (Iudicium 2011),
Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. Quentin Tarantino filmography, His films are characterized by graphic violence, extended dialogue often featuring much profanity, and references to ...
's ''
Inglourious Basterds ''Inglourious Basterds'' is a 2009 epic film, epic war film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars an ensemble cast including Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, Til Schweiger ...
: Manipulations of Metafilm'' ( Continuum 2012), and on ''World Film Locations:
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
'' (Intellect 2012). His study, ''Screening Transcendence: Film Under
Austrofascism The Fatherland Front (, VF) was the right-wing conservative, authoritarian, nationalist, corporatist, fascist and Catholic ruling political organisation of the Federal State of Austria. It claimed to be a nonpartisan movement, and aimed to unite ...
and the Hollywood Hope 1933–1938'', was published by
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in May 2018. He served on several editorial and advisory boards of literary publications in the U.S.,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
,
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
and
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
, including ''Osiris'', ''Rampike'', '' Poetry Salzburg Review'', '' Journal of Austrian Studies'', '' Colloquia Germanica'', '' Studia Germanica Posnaniensia'' of the
Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań The Adam Mickiewicz University (; Latin: ''Universitas Studiorum Mickiewicziana Posnaniensis'') is a research university in Poznań, Poland. Due to its history, the university is traditionally considered among Poland's most reputable institution ...
and the ''
Journal of Austrian-American History The ''Journal of Austrian-American History'' is a biannual, open access, peer-reviewed scholarly journal published by Pennsylvania State University Press, and the flagship publication of thBotstiber Institute for Austrian-American Studies The jou ...
''. In addition to publications in scholarly journals he was also a contributor to ''
Senses of Cinema ''Senses of Cinema'' is a quarterly online film magazine founded in 1999 by filmmaker Bill Mousoulis. Based in Melbourne, Australia, ''Senses of Cinema'' publishes work by film critics from all over the world, including critical essays, career ...
'', ''
Bright Lights Film Journal ''Bright Lights Film Journal'' is an online popular-academic film magazine, based in Oakland, California, United States. It is edited and published by Gary Morris. Originally a print publication established in 1974, it was discontinued in 1980 t ...
'' and ''
The Vienna Review ''The Vienna Review'' was founded in 2006 by American journalist and director of the Vienna Journalism Institute Dardis McNamee. It was a monthly English language newspaper based in Vienna, Austria, available in print and online. The paper's targe ...
''. His ''Telegrams from the Metropole: Selected Poems 1980–1998'' received a
Pushcart Prize The Pushcart Prize is an American literary prize published by Pushcart Press that honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in the small presses over the previous year. Magazine and small book press editors are ...
nomination in 2000. His poetry book ''Soft Mayhem'' was published in 2010 ( Poetry Salzburg). The English translation of Austrian playwright Felix Mitterer's treatment of the life of Nazi resister ''Jägerstätter'' by Gregor Thuswaldner and Dassanowsky (
University of New Orleans Press The University of New Orleans (UNO) is a public research university in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. First opened in 1958 as Louisiana State University in New Orleans, it is the largest public university and one of two doctoral researc ...
2015) received its American staged dramatic reading premiere under the direction of Guy Ben-Aharon at the
Austrian Cultural Forum New York The Austrian Cultural Forum New York (ACFNY) is one of Austria's two cultural representation offices in the United States; the other is in Washington, D.C. It is part of the worldwide network of Austrian Cultural Forums overseen by the Federal ...
in December 2016. He authored over ninety articles and essays in book collections, journals, and periodicals.


Producer and media appearances

The son of Austrian-American pioneering film studio founder and musician,
Elfi von Dassanowsky Elfriede "Elfi" von Dassanowsky (February 2, 1924October 2, 2007) was an Austrian-born singer, pianist, and film producer. Early life Elfi von Dassanowsky (also known as Elfi Dassanowsky or Elfriede Dassanowsky) was born Elfriede Maria Elisab ...
, he was also active as an independent producer and head of the Colorado/Vienna based Belvedere Film production company. His Belvedere Film projects included the documentary on aesthete Felix Pfeifle ''Felix Austria!'' a.k.a. ''The Archduke and Herbert Hinkel'' (2013) directed by Christine Beebe (in which he also appears), the dramatic shorts ''Menschen'' (2012) and ''The Retreat'' (2010), the feature film ''Wilson Chance'' (2005), and the award-winning ''Semmelweis'' (2001). ''Felix Austria!'' premiered at the 2013 Hot Docs Festival. As an independent, he served as associate producer of ''Dog Eat Dog'' (2012) a comedy short with
Zachary Quinto Zachary John Quinto (; born June 2, 1977) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Sylar, the primary antagonist from the science fiction drama series ''Heroes (American TV series), Heroes'' (2006–2010); Spock in the film ''Star Trek ...
directed by
Sian Heder Siân Heder (; born June 23, 1977) is an American filmmaker who is best known for writing and directing the films ''Tallulah (film), Tallulah'' and ''CODA (2021 film), CODA''. ''CODA'' earned Heder an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and ...
, of
Curt Hahn Curt Hahn (born April 21, 1949) is a filmmaker and entrepreneur best known for his feature films No Regrets (2004) and Deadline (2012). Hahn is a pioneer of intelligent independent filmmaking who works outside the Hollywood studio system. Trans ...
's dramatic feature ''Deadline'' with
Eric Roberts Eric Anthony Roberts (born April 18, 1956) is an American actor. He has amassed more than 700 film and television credits since his debut in 1978, making him one of the most prolific English-speaking screen actors of all time. Roberts' career ...
(2012), of Mark Devendorf and Mauricio Chernovetzky's ''Styria'' a.k.a. ''Angels of Darkness'' based on
Sheridan Le Fanu Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu (; 28 August 1814 – 7 February 1873), popularly known as J. S. Le Fanu, was an Irish writer of Gothic literature, mystery novels, and horror fiction. Considered by critics to be one of the greatest ghost ...
's gothic novel ''
Carmilla ''Carmilla'' is an 1872 Gothic fiction, Gothic novella by Irish author Sheridan Le Fanu, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. It is one of the earliest known works of vampire fiction, predating Bram Stoker's ''Dracula'' (1897) by 25 years. First published ...
'' starring
Stephen Rea Stephen Rea ( ; born October 31, 1946) is an Irish actor. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, he began his career as a member of Dublin's Focus Theatre, and played many roles on the stage and on Irish television. He came to the attention of inte ...
and
Eleanor Tomlinson Eleanor May Tomlinson (born 19 May 1992) is an English actress. She has appeared in films including '' Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging'' (2008), ''Jack the Giant Slayer'' (2013), ''Colette'' (2018) and '' Love Wedding Repeat'' (2020). She al ...
(2014), and of the feature biopic ''The Creep Behind the Camera'' directed by Pete Schuermann (2014). He was a producer of Brad Osborne and Eric Vale's independent mystery thriller feature, ''
Chariot A chariot is a type of vehicle similar to a cart, driven by a charioteer, usually using horses to provide rapid Propulsion, motive power. The oldest known chariots have been found in burials of the Sintashta culture in modern-day Chelyabinsk O ...
'' (2014), and produced Ally Acker's interview documentary on women in cinema history, ''Reel Herstory: The Real Story of Reel Women with
Jodie Foster Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster (born November 19, 1962) is an American actress and filmmaker. Foster started her career as a child actor before establishing herself as leading actress in film. She has received List of awards and nominations re ...
'' (2014). He was associate producer on the award-winning Canadian feature, ''Before Anything You Say'' (2016) directed by
Shelagh Carter Shelagh Jane Carter (best known as Shelagh Carter, and occasionally referred to as Shelagh Carter-Loewen) is a Canadian director, producer, screenwriter, actress and retired theatre and film professor at the University of Winnipeg, known initia ...
with cinematography by Ousama Rawi; producer on Matthias Greuling's Austrian documentary regarding author
Thomas Bernhard Nicolaas Thomas Bernhard (; 9 February 1931 – 12 February 1989) was an Austrian novelist, playwright, poet and polemicist who is considered one of the most important German-language authors of the postwar era. He explored themes of death, iso ...
, ''Der Bauer zu Nathal'' with
Sunnyi Melles Princess Sunnyi of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn (née Melles, born 7 October 1958) is a Swiss- Hungarian actress active in Germany and Austria. Biography She is the only daughter of Austrian orchestral conductor Carl Melles and Hungarian noblewoma ...
and Nicholas Ofczarek (2018), and associate producer and historical adviser on the biographical documentary feature, ''
Paul Henreid Paul Henreid (January 10, 1908 – March 29, 1992) was an Austrian-American actor, director, producer, and writer. He is best remembered for several film roles during the Second World War, including Capt. Karl Marsen in '' Night Train to Mu ...
: Beyond Victor Laszlo'', directed by the Austro-Hollywood actor's daughter, Monika Henreid. The latter project remains in progress. Following, he co-produced the feature documentary on the German-Austrian-American performer, poet, filmmaker, artist and member of the Beat Generation, Ruth Weiss, directed by Thomas Antonic: ''One More Step West is the Sea: Ruth Weiss'' (2021).


Affiliations, awards and foundation work

Dassanowsky was a member of Mensa (U.S.A.) and the
Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (; ), also historically referred to as the Imperial Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Order of the Constantinian Angelic Knights of Saint George, is a dynastic order of knighthood ...
(Spanish branch). He was named the Carnegie Foundation/
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U.S. Professor of the Year for
Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
in 2004, and decorated by the Austrian president in 2005 with the ''Decoration of Honour in Silver'' for Services to the Republic of Austria. Dassanowsky received the
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is a Public university, public research university in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is one of four campuses that make up the University of Colorado system. As of Fall 2023, UCCS had over 11 ...
Outstanding Teacher Award in 2001, the Chancellor's Award in 2006, and the Faculty Award for Excellence in Research in 2013. He was elected Fellow of the
Royal Historical Society The Royal Historical Society (RHS), founded in 1868, is a learned society of the United Kingdom which advances scholarly studies of history. Origins The society was founded and received its royal charter in 1868. Until 1872 it was known as the H ...
in 2007, and of the
Royal Society of Arts The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, commonly known as the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), is a learned society that champions innovation and progress across a multitude of sectors by fostering creativity, s ...
in 2010. A member of the
European Academy of Sciences and Arts The European Academy of Sciences and Arts (EASA, ) is a transnational and interdisciplinary network, connecting about 2,000 recommended scientists and artists worldwide, including 38 Nobel Prize laureates. The European Academy of Sciences and ...
since 2001, he was appointed to serve as one of the three U.S. delegates to the Academy in 2009. In 2012 Dassanowsky was appointed member of the European Society
Coudenhove-Kalergi The Coudenhove-Kalergi family is an Austro- Bohemian noble family of mixed Flemish and Cretan Greek descent, which was formed by the marriage of Count Franz Karl von Coudenhove (1825–1893) with Marie Kalergi (1840–1877) in 1857. The Coude ...
, which furthers the work and image of the founder of the Paneuropean Movement and he joined the board of advisors for the Salzburg Institute of Religion, Culture and the Arts in 2014 and the Board of the American Friends of the Documentation Center of Austrian Resistance (DÖW) in 2016. He was a member of the Academy of Austrian Film and a voting member of the
European Film Academy The European Film Academy is a group of European film director, filmmakers who come together in Berlin on the occasion of the first presentation of the European Film Awards in November 1988. Every year, the European Film Academy honors films an ...
. Dassanowsky was elected vice president of the
Austrian Studies Association The Austrian Studies Association or ASA (formerly the Modern Austrian Literature and Culture Association or MALCA, with its journal ''Modern Austrian Literature'') continues traditions started in 1961 (originally the International Arthur Schnitzler ...
or ASA in 2010, which he and then organization president David Luft (
Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate degree programs and a variety of graduate and doctor ...
) transitioned from the Modern Austrian Literature and Culture Association in 2010-12. He served as ASA president from 2012–2014. Th
Botstiber Institute for Austrian-American Studies
(BIAAS) awarded Dassanowsky a research grant for 2014–15, and he presented the Seventh Annual Botstiber Lecture on Austrian-American Affairs at the Austrian Embassy in Washington DC on May 29, 2015. He was the recipient of the
University of Colorado The University of Colorado (CU) is a system of public universities in Colorado. It consists of four institutions: the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, the University of Colorado Denver, and the U ...
's 2015 Thomas Jefferson Award and was named an Ethics Fellow by the
Daniels Fund The Daniels Fund is a private charitable foundation based in Denver, Colorado. It was founded by Bill Daniels, a decorated fighter pilot in World War II and the Korean War, who went on to become one of the early pioneers of the cable television i ...
Ethics Initiative (DFEI) Collegiate Program for 2020-2021. From 2008, he was the director of the Elfi von Dassanowsky Foundation, established in memory of his mother. In addition to various other grants, the Foundation annually sponsors the juried Elfi Dassanowsky Prize (1,000 Euros) for a work by a female filmmaker, which was first presented to Norwegian artist Inger Lise Hansen for ''Parallax'' (2009) at the
Vienna Independent Shorts Vienna Shorts (formerly known as VIS Vienna Independent Shorts) is an international short film festival held annually in May in Vienna. It is the largest short film festival in Austria. History Vienna Independent Shorts was held in 2004 for t ...
Film Festival in June 2010. Dassanowsky's death was announced by the
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is a Public university, public research university in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is one of four campuses that make up the University of Colorado system. As of Fall 2023, UCCS had over 11 ...
on October 12, 2023, two days after his death from undisclosed causes at age 58.In Memory: Robert von Dassanowsky
UCCS.edu. Retrieved October 14, 2023.


References


External links




Robert Dassanowsky
on
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Poetry Salzburg biography

International Alexander Lernet-Holenia Society

Austrian Studies Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:von Dassanowsky, Robert 1965 births 2023 deaths
Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...
American book editors 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights Film producers from California American film historians American male poets American people of Austrian descent Writers from Los Angeles University of California, Los Angeles alumni Members of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts Fellows of the Royal Historical Society Recipients of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria Mensans American male dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American male writers 21st-century American poets 21st-century American male writers Historians from California