Jacek Rotmil (1888–1944) was a

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

n-born art director and

production designer In film and television, the production designer is the individual responsible for the overall aesthetic of the story. The production design gives the viewers a sense of the time period, the plot location, and character actions and feelings. Wo ...

who worked on 100 films during his career Following the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, Rotmil entered the booming German film industry and worked prolifically until 1933. Following the

Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...

rise to power, Rotmil went into exile in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

where he was employed frequently on

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

and

Yiddish Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ve ...

productions. He had first become involved in the Polish film industry in 1930 when working on the

sound In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' b ...

version of the Polish film ''

Exile to Siberia ''Exile to Siberia'' (Polish: ''Na Sybir'') is a Polish historical film directed by Henryk Szaro and starring Adam Brodzisz, Jadwiga Smosarska and Mieczysław Frenkiel. It was released in 1930. The film's art direction was by Józef Galewski ...

'' in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

. After the Germans took over Poland in 1939, Rotmil went into hiding. He was later arrested and executed in

Pawiak Pawiak () was a prison built in 1835 in Warsaw, Congress Poland. During the January 1863 Uprising, it served as a transfer camp for Poles sentenced by Imperial Russia to deportation to Siberia. During the World War II German occupation ...

prison shortly before the

Warsaw Uprising The Warsaw Uprising ( pl, powstanie warszawskie; german: Warschauer Aufstand) was a major World War II operation by the Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. It occurred in the summer of 1944, and it was led ...

. He was one of many Polish film personnel to die during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

.Skaff p.185

Selected filmography

* ''

Evelyn's Love Adventures ''Evelyn's Love Adventures'' (German: ''Die Liebesabenteuer der schönen Evelyne'') is a 1921 German silent thriller film directed by Richard Eichberg and starring Lee Parry, Max Wogritsch and Aruth Wartan.Grange p.105 The film's sets were des ...

'' (1921) * '' In Thrall to the Claw'' (1921) * ''

The Living Propeller ''The Living Propeller'' (German: ''Der lebende Propeller'') is a 1921 German silent drama film directed by Richard Eichberg and starring Lee Parry, Aruth Wartan and Felix Hecht.Grange p.98 The film's sets were designed by the art director Ja ...

'' (1921) *'' Monna Vanna'' (1922) * '' Prashna's Secret'' (1922) * ''

The Romance of a Poor Sinner ''The Romance of a Poor Sinner'' (german: Der Roman einer armen Sünderin) is a 1922 German silent film directed by Richard Eichberg and starring Lee Parry, Aruth Wartan and Eduard Rothauser.Bock & Bergfelder p. 104 The film's sets were designe ...

'' (1922) * ''

Fräulein Raffke ''Fräulein Raffke'' is a 1923 German silent film directed by Richard Eichberg and starring Werner Krauss, Lydia Potechina and Lee Parry.Bock & Bergfelder p.8 A "Raffke" was Weimar era slang for a money accumulator. The film's sets were design ...

'' (1923) * ''

Das Milliardensouper ''Das Milliardensouper'' is a 1923 German silent comedy film directed by Victor Janson and starring Ossi Oswalda, Georg Alexander and Paul Biensfeldt.Bock & Bergfelder p.353 The film's sets were designed by the art director Jacek Rotmil. Ca ...

'' (1923) * ''

The Most Beautiful Woman in the World ''The Most Beautiful Woman in the World'' (German: ''Die schönste Frau der Welt'') is a 1924 German silent film directed by Richard Eichberg and starring Lee Parry, Livio Pavanelli and Olaf Fjord.Krautz p.570 It premiered in Berlin at the Mar ...

'' (1924) * '' The Heart on the Rhine'' (1925) * ''

The Motorist Bride ''The Motorist Bride'' (german: Die Motorbraut) is a 1925 German silent romance film directed by Richard Eichberg and starring Hans Mierendorff, Lee Parry and Ernst Hofmann. The film is notable for the use of Lilian Harvey as a stunt double f ...

'' (1925) * ''

Women of Luxury ''Women of Luxury'' (german: Luxusweibchen) is a 1925 German silent comedy film directed by Erich Schönfelder and starring Lee Parry, Hans Albers and Rudolf Lettinger.Ganeva p. 197 It was made at the Johannisthal Studios near Berlin. The fil ...

'' (1925) * ''

In the Valleys of the Southern Rhine ''In the Valleys of the Southern Rhine'' (German: ''Die vom Niederrhein'') is a 1925 German silent film directed by Rudolf Walther-Fein and Rudolf Dworsky and starring Albert Steinrück, Erna Morena Erna Morena (born Ernestine Maria Fuchs, ...

'' (1925) * '' Niniche'' (1925) * '' Passion'' (1925) *'' The Schimeck Family'' (1926) * ''

The Ones Down There ''The Ones Down There'' (german: Die da unten) is a 1926 German silent film directed by Victor Janson and starring Maly Delschaft, Aud Egede-Nissen, and Walter Rilla. The film's sets were designed by the art director Jacek Rotmil Jacek Rotmil ...

'' (1926) * '' Vienna, How it Cries and Laughs'' (1926) * '' The Queen of the Baths'' (1926) * '' The Divorcée'' (1926) * ''

The Blue Danube "The Blue Danube" is the common English title of "An der schönen blauen Donau", Op. 314 (German for "By the Beautiful Blue Danube"), a waltz by the Austrian composer Johann Strauss II, composed in 1866. Originally performed on 15 Februa ...

'' (1926) * '' The Adventurers'' (1926) *'' Chaste Susanne'' (1926) * '' The Fallen'' (1926) * ''

The Prince of Pappenheim ''The Prince of Pappenheim'' (German: ''Der Fürst von Pappenheim'') is a 1927 German silent comedy film directed by Richard Eichberg and starring Mona Maris, Curt Bois and Dina Gralla. Bois' character of an ambitious young man was closely mode ...

'' (1927) * '' The Girl from Abroad'' (1927) * '' The Orlov'' (1927) * ''

The Prince's Child ''The Prince's Child'' (German: ''Das Fürstenkind'') is a 1927 German silent film, silent drama film directed by Jacob Fleck and Luise Fleck and starring Harry Liedtke, Vivian Gibson and Evi Eva.Bock & Bergfelder p.285 It is based on Franz Lehá ...

'' (1927) * ''

Flirtation Flirting or coquetry is a Social behavior, social and Human sexual activity, sexual behavior involving spoken or written communication, as well as body language. It is either to suggest interest in a deeper relationship with the other person o ...

'' (1927) * ''

Carnival Magic ''Carnival Magic'' is a which entered service on 1 May 2011. The ship was named and christened in Venice by her godmother Lindsey Wilkerson, a former patient and current researcher at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. ''Carnival Magic'' ...

'' (1927) *'' Vacation from Marriage'' (1927) *'' Fabulous Lola'' (1927) * ''

Circle of Lovers ''Circle of Lovers'' (german: Liebesreigen) is a 1927 German silent drama film directed by Rudolf Walther-Fein and Rudolf Dworsky and starring Hans Mierendorff, Marcella Albani, and Charlotte Ander.Grange p.Grange p. 266 It was shot at the Sta ...

'' (1927) * '' The Serfs'' (1928) * '' Yacht of the Seven Sins'' (1928) * '' The Blue Mouse'' (1928) * '' Sajenko the Soviet'' (1928) * '' Under Suspicion'' (1928) * '' The Criminal of the Century'' (1928) * '' Because I Love You'' (1928) * '' Rhenish Girls and Rhenish Wine'' (1929) * '' The Convict from Istanbul'' (1929) * ''

Phantoms of Happiness Phantom may refer to: * Spirit (animating force), the vital principle or animating force within all living things ** Ghost, the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living Aircraft * Boeing Phantom Ray, a stealthy unm ...

'' (1929) * '' Ship in Distress'' (1929) * ''

The Model from Montparnasse ''The Model from Montparnasse'' (german: Das Modell vom Montparnasse) or ''Adieu Mascotte'' is a 1929 German comedy film directed by Wilhelm Thiele and starring Lilian Harvey, Igo Sym and Marietta Millner.Prawer p. 89 Originally made as a silen ...

'' (1929) *'' Her Dark Secret'' (1929) * ''

Dolly Gets Ahead ''Dolly Gets Ahead'' (german: Dolly macht Karriere) is a 1930 German musical film directed by Anatole Litvak and starring Dolly Haas, Oskar Karlweis, and Grete Natzler. It was shot at the Babelsberg Studios in Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the ...

'' (1930) * ''

Troika Troika or troyka (from Russian тройка, meaning 'a set of three') may refer to: Cultural tradition * Troika (driving), a traditional Russian harness driving combination, a cultural icon of Russia * Troika (dance), a Russian folk dance Pol ...

'' (1930) *''

'' (1930) *'' Peace of Mind'' (1931) * ''

The Office Manager ''The Office Manager'' (german: Der Herr Bürovorsteher) is a 1931 German comedy film directed by Hans Behrendt and starring Felix Bressart, Hermann Thimig and Maria Meissner.Bock & Bergfelder p. 63 The film's sets were designed by the art direc ...

'' (1931) * '' The Daredevil'' (1931) * '' The Forester's Daughter'' (1931) * ''

The Blue of Heaven ''The Blue of Heaven'' (german: Das Blaue vom Himmel) is a 1932 German musical film directed by Victor Janson and starring Mártha Eggerth, Hermann Thimig, and Fritz Kampers. It was shot at the Tempelhof Studios in Berlin.Klaus p.29 The film's ...

'' (1932) * '' Distorting at the Resort'' (1932) * ''

Holzapfel Knows Everything ''Holzapfel Knows Everything'' (german: Holzapfel weiß alles) is a 1932 German comedy film directed by Victor Janson and starring Felix Bressart, Iván Petrovich and Gretl Theimer.Bock & Bergfelder p. 63 It was shot at the Grunewald Studios in ...

'' (1932) *'' Prokurator Alicja Horn'' (1933) *''

Rapsodia Bałtyku Rapsodia Bałtyku (English: ''Baltic Rhapsody'') is a Polish melodrama film from 1935 directed by Leonard Buczkowski. It is the story about two friends, Adam and Zygmunt, serving in the floatplanes escadrille of the Polish Navy. It is notable ...

'' (1935) *'' Róza'' (1936) *''

Ostatnia brygada ''Ostatnia brygada'' (alternative title: ''Prawo do szczęścia'') is a 1938 Polish film directed by Michał Waszyński. The film's art direction is by Jacek Rotmil. Cast * Zbigniew Sawan ... Andrzej Dowmunt * Maria Gorczyńska ... Lena ...

'' (1938) *'' Robert and Bertram'' (1938)

References

Bibliography

Haltof, Marek Marek Haltof (Józef Marek Haltof, born 1957 in Cieszyn, Poland,) is a professor ( dr.hab.) of film studies. specializing in the cultural histories of Polish and Australian film. He studied at the University of Silesia ( Uniwersytet Śląski) in P ...

. ''Polish Film and the Holocaust: Politics and Memory''. Berghahn Books, 2012. *Skaff, Sheila. ''The Law of the Looking Glass: Cinema in Poland, 1896–1939''. Ohio University Press, 2008.

External links

* 1888 births 1944 deaths Russian Jews who died in the Holocaust Russian art directors German art directors Polish art directors Mass media people from Saint Petersburg Russian people executed by Nazi Germany Polish Jews who died in the Holocaust Polish people executed by Nazi Germany Soviet emigrants to Germany {{Russia-bio-stub