Inge Meysel (; 30 May 1910 – 10 July 2004) was a German actress. From the early 1960s until her death, Meysel was one of Germany's most popular actresses. She had a successful stage career and played more than 100 roles in film and on television.

Life and work

Born Ingeborg Charlotte Hansen, the daughter of Anna Hansen, who was

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

, and Julius Meysel, a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

Jew Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""Th ...

. She attended drama schools in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

from 1928 until 1930, thereafter she was on stage in

Zwickau Zwickau (; is, with around 87,500 inhabitants (2020), the fourth-largest city of Saxony after Leipzig, Dresden and Chemnitz and it is the seat of the Zwickau District. The West Saxon city is situated in the valley of the Zwickau Mulde (German: ' ...

Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...

and Berlin. During

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

, Meysel was banned from performing from 1935 until 1945 because of her Jewish father. In 1945 she restarted her career in

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

. Since the early 1960s Inge Meysel mainly acted in made-for-TV films and got the nickname ''(Fernseh-) Mutter der Nation'' ("(Television) Mother of the Nation"). She won numerous German actor awards including a lifetime achievement award from the German Television Awards, but in 1981 she refused to accept the

Bundesverdienstkreuz The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...

because "Einen Orden dafür, daß man anständig gelebt hat, brauche ich nicht" ("I don't need an order of merit just for having lived decently"). From the mid-1920s until shortly before her death, Meysel was outspoken on many – often controversial – social and political issues. Despite her decidedly

leftist Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in soci ...

and

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

views, this did not harm her popularity as an actress. In 1992, she came out as

bisexual Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...

In 2004, aged 94, she died of heart failure at her home in

Bullenhausen Bullenhausen ( Low German ''Bullenhuus)'' is a district of the municipality Seevetal in the county of Harburg in Lower Saxony. Bullenhausen has a population of 1271 (35 of which own a secondary residence) and it is located at the Elbe southeast ...

near Hamburg. She was cremated and her ashes were buried near her second husband the Austrian film producer (1918–1965) at Ohlsdorf Main Cemetery, Hamburg.

Selected filmography

Television

* ''Die Wäscherin des Herrn Bonaparte'' (1954, based on '' Madame Sans-Gêne''), as

Catherine Hübscher :''Catherine Lefebvre re-directs here. For the curler, see Catherine Lefebvre (curler)'' Catherine Hübscher (Goldbach-Altenbach, 2 February 1753 – 1835) was a First French Empire aristocrat, wife to François Joseph Lefebvre, Marshal of the E ...

* ''Im sechsten Stock'' (TV series, 3 episodes, 1954–55), as Germaine Lescalier * ''Die Heiratsvermittlerin'' (1955, based on ''

The Matchmaker ''The Matchmaker'' is a 1954 play by Thornton Wilder, a rewritten version of his 1938 play ''The Merchant of Yonkers''. History The play has a long and colorful history. John Oxenford's 1835 one-act farce ''A Day Well Spent'' had been exte ...

''), as Dolly Levi * ''Ein Mann für Jenny'' (1956, based on '' The Reluctant Debutante''), as Sheila Broadbent * ''Kabale und Liebe'' (1959, based on ''

Intrigue and Love ''Intrigue and Love'', sometimes ''Love and Intrigue'', ''Love and Politics'' or ''Luise Miller'' (german: Kabale und Liebe, ; literally "''Cabal and Love''") is a five-act play written by the German dramatist Friedrich Schiller. His third play, ...

''), as Miller's wife * ''Im sechsten Stock'' (TV series, 3 episodes, 1959), as Germaine Lescalier (remake of the 1954/55 TV series) * ''Die Zeit und die Conways'' (1960, based on ''

Time and the Conways ''Time and the Conways'' is a British play written by J. B. Priestley in 1937 illustrating J. W. Dunne's Theory of Time through the experience of a moneyed Yorkshire family, the Conways, over a period of nineteen years from 1919 to 1937. Wide ...

''), as Mrs. Conway * ''Das Fenster zum Flur'' (1960), as Anni Wiesner * ''Madame Sans-Gêne'' (1960, based on '' Madame Sans-Gêne''), as

(remake of ''Die Wäscherin des Herrn Bonaparte'') * ''Schau heimwärts, Engel'' (1961, based on ''

Look Homeward, Angel ''Look Homeward, Angel: A Story of the Buried Life'' is a 1929 novel by Thomas Wolfe. It is Wolfe's first novel, and is considered a highly autobiographical American coming-of-age story. The character of Eugene Gant is generally believed to be a ...

''), as Eliza Gant * ''Der Biberpelz'' (1962, based on ''

The Beaver Coat ''The Beaver Coat'' (german: Der Biberpelz) is a satirical play by Gerhart Hauptmann premiered in Berlin in 1893. The work is an example of a German naturalistic ''Diebskomödie'', or 'thief's comedy'. The drama takes place "somewhere in Berlin ...

''), as Mother Wolff * ''Wachet und singet'' (1964, based on ''

Awake and Sing! ''Awake and Sing!'' is a drama written by American playwright Clifford Odets. The play was initially produced by The Group Theatre in 1935. Summary and characters The play is set in The Bronx borough of New York City, New York, in 1933. It co ...

''), as Bessie Berger * ''

Die Unverbesserlichen ''Die Unverbesserlichen'' is a German television series. Seven episodes aired between 1965 and 1971, one per year usually on or around Mother's Day. See also *List of German television series The following is a list of television series pro ...

'' (TV series, 7 episodes, 1965–71), as Käthe Scholz * ' (TV series, 13 episodes, 1966–68), as Gertrud Stranitzki * ' (1969, based on '' The Rats''), as Mrs. John * ' (TV series, 13 episodes, 1969–70), as Ida Rogalski * ''So war Mama'' (1969, based on '' I Remember Mama''), as Mama * ''Weh' dem, der erbt'' (1969, based on the ''

Mrs Thursday ''Mrs Thursday'' is a British television comedy-drama produced by Associated Television. It stars veteran British actress Kathleen Harrison as Alice Thursday, a Cockney charwoman who inherits £10 million and the controlling interest in a mult ...

'' series), as Alice Thursday * ''Keiner erbt für sich allein'' (1970, based on the ''

'' series), as Alice Thursday * ' (TV series, 6 episodes, 1973), as Irene König * ' (TV miniseries, 6 episodes, 1974), as Erika Seipold * '' Ihr 106. Geburtstag'' (1979), as Mamouret * ''Mrs. Harris'' (TV series, 6 episodes, 1982–91, based on the ''" Mrs. 'Arris"'' novels by

Paul Gallico Paul William Gallico (July 26, 1897 – July 15, 1976) was an American novelist and short story and sports writer.Ivins, Molly,, ''The New York Times'', July 17, 1976. Retrieved Oct. 25, 2020. Many of his works were adapted for motion pictu ...

), as Ada Harris * ''

Derrick A derrick is a lifting device composed at minimum of one guyed mast, as in a gin pole, which may be articulated over a load by adjusting its guys. Most derricks have at least two components, either a guyed mast or self-supporting tower, and a ...

'' - Season 12, Episode 8: "Schwester Hilde" (1985), as Schwester Hilde * ''Die Erbschaft'' (1987), as Wilhelmine Eisel * ''The State Chancellery'' (1989) * ' (1995), as Elisabeth Kampnagel * ' (2001), as Ruth Levenstein * ' (2004), as Elisabeth Kampnagel (final film role)

Film

* ''

Love '47 ''Love '47'' (german: Liebe 47) is a 1949 Cinema of Germany, German drama film directed by Wolfgang Liebeneiner and starring Dieter Horn, Hilde Krahl and Sylvia Schwarz. It was part of the cycle of rubble films made in post-war Germany. A young ma ...

'' (1949) * ''

My Niece Susanne ''My Niece Susanne'' (german: Meine Nichte Susanne) is a 1950 West German musical comedy film directed by Wolfgang Liebeneiner and starring Hilde Krahl, Inge Meysel and Harald Paulsen. It is set in Paris at the beginning of the twentieth century. ...

'' (1950) * ''

Taxi-Kitty ''Taxi-Kitty'' is a 1950 West German musical comedy film directed by Kurt Hoffmann and starring Hannelore Schroth, Carl Raddatz and Fita Benkhoff.Bock & Bergfelder p. 207 The film was made at the Bendestorf Studios. The film's sets were designed ...

'' (1950) * '' Shadows in the Night'' (1950) * ''

The Dubarry ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1951) * ''

Sensation in San Remo ''Sensation in San Remo'' is a 1951 West German musical comedy film directed by Georg Jacoby and starring Marika Rökk, Peter Pasetti and Ewald Balser. It was one of Rökk's most successful post-war films.Marshall, Bill & Stillwell, Robynn. ''Mus ...

'' (1951) * ''Tanzende Sterne'' (1952) * ''

Under the Thousand Lanterns ''Under the Thousand Lanterns'' (german: Unter den tausend Laternen) is a 1952 French-West German crime film directed by Erich Engel and starring Michel Auclair, Gisela Trowe, and Hanna Rucker. It was entered into the 1952 Cannes Film Festival. ...

'' (1952) * ''

The Man of My Life The Man of My Life (french: L'Homme de sa vie) is a French film directed by Zabou Breitman, written by Breitman and Agnès de Sacy, and produced by Philippe Godeau. It was first released in 2006. It stars Bernard Campan, Charles Berling, Léa Dr ...

'' (1954) * ''

Des Teufels General ''The Devil's General'' (german: Des Teufels General) is a 1955 black and white West German film based on the play of the same title by Carl Zuckmayer. The film features Curd Jürgens as General Harras, Marianne Koch, Viktor de Kowa, Karl John, ...

'' (1955) * ''Uns gefällt die Welt'' (1956) * ''

Doctor Crippen Lives ''Doctor Crippen Lives'' (german: Dr. Crippen lebt) is a 1958 West German crime film directed by Erich Engels and starring Elisabeth Müller, Peter van Eyck and Fritz Tillmann.Davidson & Hake p.237 It was made at the Wandsbek Studios of Real Fil ...

'' (1958) * ''

Nasser Asphalt ''Nasser Asphalt'' (''Wet Asphalt'') is a 1958 West-German thriller starring Horst Buchholz and featuring Gert Fröbe, written by Will Tremper and directed by Frank Wisbar. Plot The young journalist Bachmann (Horst Buchholz) is released from pri ...

'' (1958) * '' Immer die Radfahrer'' (1958) * '' The Girl from the Marsh Croft'' (1958) * ' (1960) * ''

You Must Be Blonde on Capri ''You Must Be Blonde on Capri'' (German: ''Blond muß man sein auf Capri'') is a 1961 West German comedy film directed by Wolfgang Schleif and starring Karin Baal, Helmuth Lohner and Maurizio Arena. Schildt & Siegfried p.151-52 It was shot at Wes ...

'' (1961) * ' (1961), as Germaine Lescalier (Remake of the 1954/55 TV series) * '' Her Most Beautiful Day'' (1962), as Anni Wiesner (Remake of the TV film ''Das Fenster zum Flur'') * ' (1964), as Oberschwester Gertrud * ''Der rote Strumpf'' (1981), as Maria Panacek

References

External links

* * https://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040710/en_afp/germany_theater_obit_040710213952 * http://sueddeutsche.de/panorama/artikel/39/35004/—German text * http://www.rp-online.de/news/german/2000-0530/meysel.html—older text from 2000 (German) * https://web.archive.org/web/20050205014137/http://www.emma.de/632252258296745.html // interview in German language (1987) {{DEFAULTSORT:Meysel, Inge 1910 births 2004 deaths 20th-century German Jews Jewish German actresses People from Neukölln Actresses from Berlin Actresses from Hamburg Bisexual actresses German film actresses German stage actresses German television actresses German television personalities LGBT actors from Germany 20th-century German actresses German people of Danish descent Burials at the Ohlsdorf Cemetery 20th-century LGBT people