Bernd Schroeder (6 June 1944 – 18 June 2023) was a German writer who authored books,
television play
A television play is a television programming genre which is a drama performance broadcast from a multi-camera television studio, usually live in the early days of television but later recorded to tape. This is in contrast to a television movi ...
s,
film script
''ScreenPlay'' is a television drama anthology series broadcast on BBC2 between 9 July 1986 and 27 October 1993.
Background
After single-play anthology series went off the air, the BBC introduced several showcases for made-for-television, fea ...
s, and
audio play
Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play, radio play, radio theatre, or audio theatre) is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine t ...
s. He also directed audio plays. He co-authored the bestseller novel '' Alte Liebe'' with
Elke Heidenreich
Elke Heidenreich (née Riegert; born 15 February 1943) is a German author, TV presenter, literary critic and journalist. She has written audio plays, a magazine column, scripts for television plays and books. Heidenreich is known as the ''Kabarett ...
, and received several awards including the
Grimme-Preis
The Grimme-Preis ("Grimme Award"; prior to 2011: Adolf-Grimme-Preis) is one of the most prestigious German television awards. It is named after the first general director of Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk, Adolf Grimme.Aussig,
Reichsgau Sudetenland
The Reichsgau Sudetenland was an administrative division of Nazi Germany from 1939 to 1945. It comprised the northern part of the ''Sudetenland'' territory, which was annexed from Czechoslovakia according to the 30 September 1938 Munich Agreement. ...
, when his parents fled during World War II. He grew up in Fürholzen near Neufahrn, Upper Bavaria. He attended the and finished with the
Abitur
''Abitur'' (), often shortened colloquially to ''Abi'', is a qualification granted at the end of secondary education in Germany. It is conferred on students who pass their final exams at the end of ISCED 3, usually after twelve or thirteen year ...
.Camerloher-Gymnasium Freising He studied theatre science, German studies and ethnology at the
University of Munich
The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (simply University of Munich or LMU; german: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München) is a public research university in Munich, Germany. It is Germany's List of universities in Germany, sixth-oldest u ...
from 1966.
Schroeder first worked, already during his studies, as assistant director for the broadcaster
Bayerischer Rundfunk
Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR; "Bavarian Broadcasting") is a public-service radio and television broadcaster, based in Munich, capital city of the Free State of Bavaria in Germany. BR is a member organization of the ARD consortium of public broadcas ...
(BR). He wrote film scripts from 1968, including for
Wolfgang Petersen
Wolfgang Petersen (14 March 1941 – 12 August 2022) was a German film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was nominated for two Academy Awards for the World War II submarine warfare film ''Das Boot'' (1981). His other films include ''The Ne ...
. He directed audio plays, both his own and of others. In 1986, he was awarded the
Grimme-Preis
The Grimme-Preis ("Grimme Award"; prior to 2011: Adolf-Grimme-Preis) is one of the most prestigious German television awards. It is named after the first general director of Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk, Adolf Grimme. for ', together with Hans-Werner Schmidt. In 1992, he received the
German Film Award
The German Film Award (), also known as Lola after its prize statuette, is the national film award of Germany. It is presented at an annual ceremony honouring cinematic achievements in the German film industry. Besides being the most important ...
. He wrote novels from 1993. Schroeder was a member of the
PEN Centre Germany
PEN Centre Germany is part of the worldwide association of writers founded in London in 1921, now known as PEN International. One of over 140 autonomous PEN centres around the world, PEN Centre Germany is based in Darmstadt, Hesse.
Work
PEN Ce ...
.
Schroeder married
Elke Heidenreich
Elke Heidenreich (née Riegert; born 15 February 1943) is a German author, TV presenter, literary critic and journalist. She has written audio plays, a magazine column, scripts for television plays and books. Heidenreich is known as the ''Kabarett ...
in 1972. They collaborated on audio plays in the 1970s, and wrote books together after they separated in 1995, ''Rudernde Hunde'' in 2002, and '' Alte Liebe'' in 2009, which became a bestseller. They are the speakers in an audio play after ''Alte Liebe''. He summarised his work: "Ich schreibe ja immer aus dem Steinbruch meines eigenen Lebens heraus." (I always write from the quarry of my own life.)
Schroeder's last residence was
Ahrenshoop
Ahrenshoop is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany on the Fischland-Darß-Zingst peninsula of the Baltic Sea. It used to be a small fishing village, but is today known for its tourism and as a holi ...
. He died on 18 June 2023, at the age of 79.
Works
Books
* with
Hanns Dieter Hüsch
Hanns Dieter Hüsch (6 May 1925, in Moers – 6 December 2005, in Windeck-Werfen) was a German people, German author, cabaret artist, actor, songwriter and radio commentator.
With a working life of more than 53 years on the German cabaret stage a ...
: ''Hanns Dieter Hüsch hat jetzt zugegeben… (Eine Collage)''. Arche Verlag, 1985, .
* ''Versunkenes Land : ein Roman.'' 1993.
* ''Die Madonnina.'' 2001.
* with Elke Heidenreich: ''Rudernde Hunde.'' 2002.
* ''Mutter & Sohn : Erzählung.'' 2004.
* ''Hau.'' 2006.
* mit
Dieter Hildebrandt
Dieter Hildebrandt (23 May 1927 – 20 November 2013) was a German Kabarett artist.
Biography
Hildebrandt was born in Bunzlau, Lower Silesia, Weimar Germany (now Boleslawiec, Poland) where he attended school. In World War II he became a Fla ...
: ''Ich mußte immer lachen.'' Kiepenheuer & Witsch 2006.
* with Elke Heidenreich: '' Alte Liebe''. Hanser 2009, .
* ''Auf Amerika.'' Roman. Hanser, München 2012, . (Fischer Taschenbuch, Frankfurt am Main 2014, )
* ''Wir sind doch alle da.'' Hanser, München 2013.
* ''Warten auf Goebbels.'' Hanser, München 2017.
Screenplays
Schroeder's screenplays include:
* ''8051 Grinning'', 1972, TV film, directed by
Peter Beauvais
Peter Beauvais (September 9, 1916, Weißenstadt, Germany – December 17, 1986, Baden-Baden, Germany) was a German television film director and scriptwriter. As a director for three decades, he helped pioneer and significantly influenced the devel ...
* ''Sittengemälde'', 1973, TV film, directed by Eberhard Itzenplitz
* ''Nestwärme'', 1973, TV film, directed by Eberhard Itzenplitz
* ''Münchner Gschichtn'', 1974, TV series, 2 episodes, directed by
Herbert Vesely
Herbert Vesely (31 March 1931 – 13 July 2002) was an Austrian film director and screenwriter. He directed 17 films between 1955 and 1988.
Selected filmography
* ' (1955)
* '' The Bread of Those Early Years'' (1962) — (based on the nov ...
* ''Münchnerinnen'', 1975, TV film, directed by Eberhard Itzenplitz
* ', 1975, TV film, directed by
Wolfgang Petersen
Wolfgang Petersen (14 March 1941 – 12 August 2022) was a German film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was nominated for two Academy Awards for the World War II submarine warfare film ''Das Boot'' (1981). His other films include ''The Ne ...
* ''Hahnenkampf'', 1975, TV film, directed by Lutz Büscher
* ''Die Herausforderung'', 1975, TV film, directed by
Michael Verhoeven
Michael Verhoeven (born 13 July 1938) is a German film director.
Life and work
Verhoeven is the son of the German film director Paul Verhoeven (not to be confused with the Dutch film director Paul Verhoeven). He married actress Senta Berger in ...
* ''Hans im Glück'', 1976, TV film, directed by
Wolfgang Petersen
Wolfgang Petersen (14 March 1941 – 12 August 2022) was a German film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was nominated for two Academy Awards for the World War II submarine warfare film ''Das Boot'' (1981). His other films include ''The Ne ...
* ', 1977, directed by
Michael Verhoeven
Michael Verhoeven (born 13 July 1938) is a German film director.
Life and work
Verhoeven is the son of the German film director Paul Verhoeven (not to be confused with the Dutch film director Paul Verhoeven). He married actress Senta Berger in ...
* ''Notwehr'', 1977, TV film, directed by Hartmut Griesmayr
* ''Menschenfresser'', 1977, TV film, directed by Rainer Boldt
* ''Bier und Spiele'', 1978, TV series of 14 episodes, directed by
Michael Verhoeven
Michael Verhoeven (born 13 July 1938) is a German film director.
Life and work
Verhoeven is the son of the German film director Paul Verhoeven (not to be confused with the Dutch film director Paul Verhoeven). He married actress Senta Berger in ...
* ''Qualverwandtschaften'', 1982, TV film, directed by Ulrich Heising
* ''Kein schöner Land'', 1982, TV series of 6 episodes, directed by Klaus Emmerich
* ''Glückspilze'', 1984, TV series, 2 episodes, directed by Bernd Schroeder
* ', 1985, TV miniseries, directed by Wolfgang Staudte and Hans‑Werner Schmidt
* ''Preisausschreiben'', 1985, TV film, directed by Bernd Schroeder
* ''Da Capo'', 1986, TV film, directed by Bernd Schroeder
* '' Fraulein'', 1986, TV film, directed by
Michael Haneke
Michael Haneke (; born 23 March 1942) is an Austrian film director and screenwriter. His work often examines social issues and depicts the feelings of estrangement experienced by individuals in modern society. Haneke has made films in French, G ...
* ''Dreifacher Rittberger'', 1987, TV series in 5 episodes, book by Elke Heidenreich, directed by Bernd Schroeder
* ', 1991, directed by Klaus Emmerich
Audio plays
Schroeder's audio plays include:
* ''Kreuzerlschreiber'', 1969, directed by Hellmuth Kirchammer
* ''Zwischenbilanz'', 1970, directed by Edmund Steinberger
* ''Miteinander-Füreinander'', 1971, directed by Alexander Malachowsky
* ''Die Geburtstag der Gaby Hambacher'', 1971, directed by
Wolf Euba
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly ...
* ''Hans'', 1975, directed by Schroeder
* ''Rentenheirat'', 1977, directed by Schroeder
* ''Alte Bäume'', 1977–80, series of 12 short audio plays, directed by Otto Düben et.al.
* ''Versunkenes Land'', 1995, in two parts, directed by Schroeder
* ''Wasser für Bayern'', 1996–2000, series in 14 episodes, directed by Schroeder
* ''Unter Brüdern'', 1999, in two parts, directed by Schroeder
Plays
Schroeder's plays include:
* ''Kater Lampe''; 1979, arranged for the stage for Volksbühne Berlin
* ''General Mutter'', 2013