Wolf Albach-Retty (born Wolfgang Helmuth Albert Albach; 28 May 1906 – 21 February 1967) was an Austrian actor. He was the father of
Romy Schneider
Rosemarie Magdalena Albach (23 September 1938 – 29 May 1982), known professionally as Romy Schneider (), was a German and French actress. She is regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses of all time and became a cult figure due to ...
with the German actress
Magda Schneider
Magdalena Maria Schneider (17 May 1909 – 30 July 1996) was a German actress and singer. She was the mother of the actress Romy Schneider.
Biography
Magdalena Maria Schneider was born in Augsburg, Bavaria, the daughter of a plumber. She atte ...
.
Career
Born as Wolfgang Helmuth Albert Albach in Vienna to actress
Rosa Albach-Retty
Rosa Albach-Retty (born Rosa Clara Franziska Helene Retty; 26 December 1874 – 26 August 1980) was an Austrian film and stage actress. and
K. u. K. officer Karl Albach, Albach-Retty trained at the
University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna
The University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (, abbreviated MDW) is an Austrian university established in 1817 located in Vienna. With a student body of over three thousand, it is the largest institution of its kind in Austria, and one of t ...
, and at the age of twenty played his first role at 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 was a young man when he first appeared in a
silent film
A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...
role in 1927. In 1933 Albach-Retty became a
patron member of the
SS and in 1940 he joined the
Nazi Party
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party ( or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported the ideology of Nazism. Its precursor ...
.
During the
Third Reich
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 ...
, he made
romance film
Romance films involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion (emotion), passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their ...
s and
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...
s. In 1936 he married
Magda Schneider
Magdalena Maria Schneider (17 May 1909 – 30 July 1996) was a German actress and singer. She was the mother of the actress Romy Schneider.
Biography
Magdalena Maria Schneider was born in Augsburg, Bavaria, the daughter of a plumber. She atte ...
and temporarily took up
German citizenship
German nationality law details the conditions by which an individual is a national of Germany. The primary law governing these requirements is the Nationality Act, which came into force on 1 January 1914. Germany is a member state of the Euro ...
. In 1944, he was added to head of
Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda
The Reich Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda (, RMVP), also known simply as the Ministry of Propaganda (), controlled the content of the press, literature, visual arts, film, theater, music and radio in Nazi Germany.
The ministr ...
Joseph Goebbels
Paul Joseph Goebbels (; 29 October 1897 – 1 May 1945) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician and philologist who was the ''Gauleiter'' (district leader) of Berlin, chief Propaganda in Nazi Germany, propagandist for the Nazi Party, and ...
'
''Gottbegnadeten'' list of individuals that Goebbels considered crucial to
Nazi culture
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 dictator ...
. His addition to the list made him exempt from military service obligations.

After
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 ...
, his acting career soured as his past successes were no longer remembered, and he was only able to find supporting acting roles in films. He returned to the
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 ...
and starred in, among other plays, ''
Anatol
Anatol is a masculine given name, derived from the Greek name Ἀνατόλιος ''Anatolius'', meaning "sunrise".
The Russian version of the name is Anatoly (also transliterated as Anatoliy and Anatoli). The French version is Anatole. A rarer ...
'' by
Arthur Schnitzler
Arthur Schnitzler (15 May 1862 – 21 October 1931) was an Austrian author and dramatist. He is considered one of the most significant representatives of Viennese Modernism. Schnitzler’s works, which include psychological dramas and narratives ...
. By that time, he was into his second marriage to actress
Trude Marlen
Trude Marlen (born Trude Posch; 7 November 1912 – 9 June 2005) was an Austrian stage and film actress. She was the second wife of Wolf Albach-Retty, and moved to Germany to live with him during the Nazi era where she was well-connected with th ...
. Together, they had a daughter, Sacha Darwin (born 1947). He died in Vienna on 21 February 1967 and is buried in Vienna's
Zentralfriedhof
The Vienna Central Cemetery () is one of the largest cemeteries in the world by number of interred, and is the most well-known among Vienna's nearly 50 cemeteries. The cemetery's name is descriptive of its significance as Vienna's biggest cemet ...
.
Selected filmography
* ' (1927)
* ''Ein Wiener Musikantenmädel'' (1928)
* ''
The Mysterious Mirror
''The Mysterious Mirror'' (), aka ''The Mystic Mirror'' is a 1928 German silent fantasy film directed by Carl Hoffmann and Richard Teschner, and starring Fee Malten, Fritz Rasp and Rina De Liguoro. The film was about a magic mirror which allow ...
'' (1928) as Sculptor
* ''
Love in May'' (1928)
* ''Der Dieb im Schlafcoupée'' (1929)
* ''
The Uncle from Sumatra'' (1930)
* ''
General Babka'' (1930)
* ''Der Fleck auf der Ehr'' (1930) as Fred, Mrs. von Werner's grandson
* ''Wiener Zauberklänge'' (1931) as Teddy Beamgarden
* ''
Two Hearts Beat as One
"Two Hearts Beat as One" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the seventh track on their 1983 album, '' War'', and was released as its second single in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia on 21 March 1983.
History
The music vide ...
'' (1932) as Victor Müller
*''
Girls to Marry
A girl is a young female human, usually a child or an adolescent. While the term ''girl'' has other meanings, including ''young woman'',Dictionary.com, "Girl"'' Retrieved January 2, 2008. ''daughter'' or ''girlfriend'' regardless of age, ...
'' (1932) as Paul, Robert Groll's brother
* ''
The Beautiful Adventure'' (1932) as Andre d'Eguzon
* ''
The Black Hussar'' (1932) as Leutnant Aribert von Blome
* ''
And the Plains Are Gleaming
''And the Plains Are Gleaming'' () is a 1933 German-Hungarian drama film directed by Heinz Hille and starring Rosy Barsony, Károly Sugar and Wolf Albach-Retty.Salwolke p. 322 It was shot at the Hunnia Film Studios, Hunnia Studios in Budapest. Th ...
'' (1933) as Peter Borly, Husarenleutnant
* ''Kind, ich freu' mich auf dein Kommen'' (1933) as Herbert
* ''
Love Must Be Understood
''Love Must Be Understood'' () is a 1933 German musical comedy film directed by Hans Steinhoff and starring Rosy Barsony, Georg Alexander, and Wolf Albach-Retty. It was shot at the Babelsberg Studios in Berlin. The film's sets were designed by ...
'' (1933) as Bobby Brandt, Ellens Vetter
* ''
Just Once a Great Lady'' (1934) as Heinz von Wolfenstein
* ''
Spring Parade'' (1934) as Wilhelm August Jurek
*''
Tales from the Vienna Woods
"Tales from the Vienna Woods" (, occasionally ) is a waltz by Johann Strauss II.
Composed in 1868, , Op. 325, was one of six Viennese waltzes by Johann Strauss II which featured a virtuoso part for zither. The title of Strauss' dance recall ...
'' (1934) as Graf Rudi von Waldheim
* ''Die Katz' im Sack'' (1935) as Edmund Vernon, Rennfahrer
* ''
Winter Night's Dream
''Winter Night's Dream'' () is a 1935 German romantic comedy film directed by Géza von Bolváry and starring Magda Schneider, Wolf Albach-Retty, and Richard Romanowsky. It was shot at the Johannisthal Studios in Berlin and on location at th ...
'' (1935) as Peter Kreutzberg
*''Großreinemachen'' (1935) as Robert Cox
* ''
The Bird Seller'' (1935) as Adam der Vogelhändler
* ''Sylvia und ihr Chauffeur'' (1935)as Dr. Hartenegg
*''Rendezvous in Wien'' (1936) as Franz Lenhardt – Musiker
* ''
The Fairy Doll
''The Fairy Doll'' () is a 1936 Austrian romance film directed by E.W. Emo and starring Adele Sandrock, Magda Schneider and Paul Hörbiger. It is based on the 1888 ballet work '' Die Puppenfee'' composed by Josef Bayer, owing more to the score ...
'' (1936) as Alexander – sein Bruder
*''Geheimnis eines alten Hauses'' (1936) as Teddy Eberlein
* ''Millionäre/Ich möcht' so gern mit Dir allein sein'' (1937) as Fred, beider Sohn
* ''Die glücklichste Ehe der Welt'' (1937) as Peter Reiterer
* ''
Darling of the Sailors'' (1937) as Kapitänleutnant Igor Juritsch
* ''Frühlingsluft'' (1938) as Erbprinz, Rudolf
* ''Der Hampelmann'' (1938) as Paul Oertel
* ''
Hotel Sacher
Hotel Sacher is a five-star luxury hotel in Vienna, Austria, facing the Vienna State Opera in the city's central Innere Stadt district. It is famous for the specialty of the house, the Sachertorte, a chocolate cake with apricot filling. There is ...
'' (1939) as Lt. Herrngruber
*''Liebe streng verboten'' (1939)
* ''Heimatland'' (1939) as Günther Nordmann, Reitlehrer
* ''
A Mother's Love'' (1939) as Walter Pirlinger – 1922
* ''Das Glück wohnt nebenan'' (1939)
* ''Wie konntest Du, Veronika'' (1940) as Dr. Fred Junker
* ''
Falstaff in Vienna
''Falstaff in Vienna'' () is a 1940 German musical comedy film directed by Leopold Hainisch and starring Hans Nielsen (actor), Hans Nielsen, Gusti Wolf and Paul Hörbiger.Fawkes p. 110 It portrays the life of the nineteenth century composer Otto N ...
'' (1940) as Robert von Weitenegg
*''
Seven Years Hard Luck
''Seven Years Hard Luck'' () is a 1940 German romantic comedy film directed by Ernst Marischka and starring Hans Moser, Ida Wüst and Olly Holzmann.Von Dassanowsky p. 101
The film's sets were designed by the art directors Hans Ledersteger and ...
'' (1940) as Heinz Kersten
* ''So gefällst Du mir'' (1941) as Peter Seidl
* ''Tanz mit dem Kaiser'' (1941) as Rittmeister von Kleber
* ''Die heimliche Gräfin'' (1942) as Michael Hohenwardt
* ''
Seven Years of Good Luck
''Seven Years of Good Luck'' () is a 1942 German comedy film directed by Ernst Marischka and starring Wolf Albach-Retty, Theo Lingen and Hans Moser. It is a sequel to the 1940 film '' Seven Years Hard Luck''.Von Dassanowsky p. 101
It was shot a ...
''/''
Seven Years of Happiness
''Seven Years of Happiness'' (Italian: ''Sette anni di felicità'') is a 1943 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Ernst Marischka and Roberto Savarese and starring Vivi Gioi, Wolf Albach-Retty and Hans Moser.
The film's sets were ...
'' (1942) as Heinz Kersten
* ''
Two Happy People
''Two Happy People'' () is a 1943 comedy film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Magda Schneider, Wolf Albach-Retty, and Oskar Sima. The film was made by Wien-Film, a Vienna-based company set up after Austria had been incorporated into Greater Ge ...
'' (1943)
* ''
Mask in Blue'' (1943) as Georg Harding
* ''Abenteuer im Grand Hotel'' (1943) as Rudolf, Count Lerchenau / Rudi Lindt
* ''
The White Dream
''The White Dream'' (German: ''Der weiße Traum'') is a 1943 musical comedy film directed by Géza von Cziffra and starring Olly Holzmann, Elfriede Datzig and Wolf Albach-Retty. The film was made by Wien-Film, a Vienna-based company set up afte ...
'' (1943) as Ernst Eder
* ''Reisebekanntschaft'' (1943) as Walter Falke
* ''Alles aus Liebe'' (1943) as Rolf Möller, Tierdresseur
* ''Romantische Brautfahrt'' (1944) as Der junge Baron Ferdinand Crisander
* ''Hundstage'' (1944) as Dr. Paul Wendler
* ''
A Man Like Maximilian
''A Man Like Maximilian'' () is a 1945 German comedy film directed by Hans Deppe and starring Wolf Albach-Retty, Karin Hardt and Lizzi Waldmüller.Bock & Bergfelder p. 79 It was one of the last films released during the Third Reich and was playi ...
'' (1945) as Dr. Thomas Hesse
* ''Wie ein Dieb in der Nacht'' (1945)
* ''Alles Lüge'' (1948) as Will Wolters
* ''Ein bezaubernder Schwindler'' (1949) as Martin Palmer, junger Komponist
*''
Dangerous Guests'' (1949) as Peter Anders
* ''Grossstadtnacht'' (1950) as Alfred Siedler
* ''
Two in One Suit'' (1950) as Otto Vogel
* ''
The Man in Search of Himself
''The Man in Search of Himself'' () is a 1950 West German comedy crime film directed by Géza von Cziffra and starring Vera Molnar, Wolf Albach-Retty and Petra Trautmann. The film was made at the Wandsbek Studios in Hamburg. The film's sets wer ...
'' (1950) as Marius Aldon
* ''
Czardas of Hearts'' (1951) as Peter Tornay / Paul Endre
* ''
Woe to Him Who Loves'' (1951) as Dr. Gött
* ''Unschuld in tausend Nöten/Das Mädel aus der Konfektion'' (1951) as Dr. Singer
* ' (1951) as Sandor von Halvany
* ' (1951) as Georg Schmittlein
* ''Der Mann in der Wanne'' (1952)
* ''
Ideal Woman Sought
''Ideal Woman Sought'' (German: ''Ideale Frau gesucht'') is a 1952 Austrian comedy film directed by Franz Antel and starring Inge Egger, Jeanette Schultze and Waltraut Haas.Dassanowsky p.151 It was made at the Schönbrunn Studios in Vienna. Th ...
'' (1952) as Robby Holm
* ''
The Mine Foreman'' (1952) as Andreas Spaun, ein Kavalier
* ''
The Bird Seller'' (1953) as Fürst
* ''
The Great Lola'' (1954) as Carlo Werner
*''
The Sweetest Fruits
''The Sweetest Fruits'' () is a 1954 West German comedy film directed by Franz Antel and starring Maria Holst, Wolf Albach-Retty and Hannelore Bollmann.
It was shot at the Bavaria Studios in Munich and on location in Sicily. The film's sets ...
'' (1954) as Roberto di Caramello / Bananen-Beppo
* ''
School for Marriage
''School for Marriage'' () is a 1954 West German comedy film directed by Rainer Geis and Anton Schelkopf and starring Wolf Albach-Retty, Cornell Borchers, and Liselotte Pulver. It was shot at the Bavaria Studios in Munich and on location in t ...
'' (1954) as Tobias
* ''
The Seven Dresses of Katrin
''The Seven Dresses of Katrin'' () is a 1954 West German romantic comedy film directed by Hans Deppe and starring Sonja Ziemann, Paul Klinger, and Georg Thomalla.
It was shot at the Spandau and Tempelhof Studios in Berlin. The film's sets we ...
'' (1954) as Martin Pall
* ''
His Daughter is Called Peter'' (1955) as Ingenieur Max Klaar, ihr Vater
* ''
Your Life Guards'' (1955) as Onkel Nikolaus
* ''
And Who Is Kissing Me?'' (1956) as Lindner
* ' (1956) as Enrico Alovanis
* ''
Engagement at Wolfgangsee
''Engagement at Wolfgangsee'' (German: ''Verlobung am Wolfgangsee'') is a 1956 Austrian comedy film directed by Helmut Weiss and starring Ingrid Andree, Wolf Albach-Retty and Maria Andergast. The film was shot in Agfacolor at the Schönbrunn Stu ...
'' (1956) as Erich Eckberg
* ''
Imperial and Royal Field Marshal'' (1956) as Baron Linsky
* ' (1957) as Kapitän Paul Heider
* ' (1957) as Baron Siebenzell
* ' (1957) as Erzherzog Max
* ''
Endangered Girls'' (1958) as Dr. Thomas Jensen
* ''Man ist nur zweimal jung'' (1958) asPeter Grafenegger
* ''
Immer die Radfahrer
''Immer die Radfahrer'' (''Cyclists Forever'') is a 1958 Austrian / West German comedy film directed by Hans Deppe.
Plot summary
As students Fritz (Heinz Erhardt), Ulrich (Hans-Joachim Kulenkampff) and Johannes Wolf Albach-Retty went biking i ...
'' (1958) as Prof. Johannes Büttner
* ''Mein ganzes Herz ist voll Musik'' (1958) as Niko Berthold
* ' (1959) as Albert Türkheim
* ''Peter, das Zirkuskind/Auf allen Strassen'' (1959) as Christian, Gutsbesitzer
* ''
Girls for the Mambo-Bar
''Girls for the Mambo-Bar'' () is a 1959 West German crime film directed by Wolfgang Glück and starring Kai Fischer, Gerlinde Locker and Jimmy Makulis.Lembach p.323
The film's sets were designed by the art directors Felix Smetana.
Cast
* Kai F ...
'' (1959) as Krüger
* ''
Hunting Party'' (1959) as Friedrich Dahlhoff
* ''Frauen in Teufels Hand'' (1960) as Herr von Parisi
* ' (1960) as Mr. Reichert
* ' (1961) as Baron von Danning
* ''Autofahrer unterwegs/Auf den Strassen einer Stadt'' (1961) as Peters
* ''
The Post Has Gone'' (1962) as Lukas Lenz
* ''
The Forester's Daughter'' (1962) as Graf Paalen
* ''
Bergwind
Berg wind (from Afrikaans ''berg'' "mountain" + ''wind'' "wind", i.e. a mountain wind) is the South African English, South African name for a katabatic wind: a hot dry wind blowing down the Great Escarpment, Southern Africa, Great Escarpment fro ...
'' (1963) as Herr Meister
* ''
The Cardinal
''The Cardinal'' is a 1963 American drama film produced independently, directed by Otto Preminger and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The screenplay was written by Robert Dozier, based on the novel by the same by Henry Morton Robinson. The ...
'' (1963) as Baron Hartman (his only film with Romy Schneider)
*' (1964) asChef der Wiener Eisrevue
*''Die Kinder'' (1964, TV movie) as Gandolf Graf Freyn
* ' (1964) as Herr Baumann
* ''Leinen aus Irland'' (1965, TV movie) as Ministerialrat Kress
*''Die Tänzerin Fanny Elßler'' (1966, TV movie) as Fürst Esterházy (final film role)
References
External links
*
*
Photos of Wolf Albach-Retty
{{DEFAULTSORT:Albach-Retty, Wolf
1906 births
1967 deaths
Male actors from Vienna
Austrian male film actors
Austrian Nazis
Austrian male silent film actors
Förderndes Mitglied der SS
University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna alumni
Burials at the Vienna Central Cemetery
20th-century Austrian male actors
Romy Schneider