Thea Gabriele von Harbou (27 December 1888 – 1 July 1954) was a German screenwriter, novelist, film director, and actress. She is remembered as the screenwriter of the

science fiction film Science fiction (or sci-fi) is a film genre that uses speculative, fictional science-based depictions of phenomena that are not fully accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial lifeforms, spacecraft, robots, cyborgs, interstellar ...

classic ''

Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big c ...

'' (1927) and for the 1925 novel on which it was based. Harbou collaborated as a screenwriter with film director

Fritz Lang Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), known as Fritz Lang, was an Austrian film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety'', August 4, 1976, p. 6 ...

, her husband, during the period of transition from silent to

sound film A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

Early life, family, and education

Thea von Harbou was born in

Tauperlitz Tauperlitz and Neutauperlitz are two merged former districts, now in the municipality of Döhlau in the district of Hof. The original settlement grew up along an old roadway, and is first mentioned in 1348 in a letter of foundation by Friedrich ...

(now part of Döhlau),

Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...

, in 1888, into a family of minor nobility and government officials, which gave her a level of sophisticated comfort. As a child, she was educated in a convent by private tutors who taught her several languages as well as piano and violin. She was a child prodigy. Her first works, a short story published in a magazine and a volume of poems published privately, focused on perceptions of art, subjects considered unusual for a girl of thirteen. Despite her privileged childhood, Harbou wanted to earn a living on her own, which led her to become an actress despite her father's disapproval.

From novelist to screenwriter

After her debut in 1906, Harbou met

Rudolf Klein-Rogge Friedrich Rudolf Klein (24 November 1885 – 29 May 1955), better known as Rudolf Klein-Rogge, was a German film actor, best known for playing sinister figures in films in the 1920s and 1930s as well as being a mainstay in director Fritz Lang's ...

and married him during World War I. By 1917, she and Klein-Rogge had moved to Berlin where Harbou devoted herself to building her career as a writer. She was drawn to writing epic myths and legends with an overtly nationalistic tone. In one historian's estimation: "Her novels became patriotic and morale-boosting, urging women to sacrifice and duty while promoting the eternal glory of the fatherland". Her first close interaction with cinema came when German director

Joe May Joe May (born Joseph Otto Mandl; 7 November 1880 – 29 April 1954) was an Austrian film director and film producer and one of the pioneers of German cinema. Biography After studying in Berlin and a variety of odd jobs, he began his career a ...

decided to adapt a piece of her fiction, ''Die heilige Simplizia''. From that moment forward, "Her fiction output slowed down. In short order she would become one of Germany's most celebrated film writers, not only because of her partnership with Fritz Lang, but also for writing scripts for

F. W. Murnau Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (born Friedrich Wilhelm Plumpe; December 28, 1888March 11, 1931) was a German film director, producer and screenwriter. He was greatly influenced by Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Shakespeare and Ibsen plays he had seen at t ...

, Carl Dreyer,

E. A. Dupont Ewald André Dupont (25 December 1891 – 12 December 1956) was a German film director, one of the pioneers of the German film industry. He was often credited as E. A. Dupont. Early career A newspaper columnist in 1916, Dupont became a screenwri ...

, and other German luminaries". Her brother, Horst von Harbou, worked for

UFA Ufa ( ba, Өфө , Öfö; russian: Уфа́, r=Ufá, p=ʊˈfa) is the largest city and capital of Bashkortostan, Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Belaya and Ufa rivers, in the centre-north of Bashkortostan, on hills forming the ...

as a photographer and began to work closely with Thea and Fritz Lang on many of their most famous productions.

Partnership with Lang

Thea von Harbou's first collaboration with

was marked by a common interest in India. As Harbou worked on an adaptation of her novel '' Das indische Grabmal'' (''The Indian Tomb'', 1918),

assigned Lang to help her write the screenplay and work out production details. Praising Harbou's skills,

Erich Kettelhut Erich Karl Heinrich Kettelhut (1 November 1893 – 13 March 1979) was a German production designer, Art director#In film, art director and set decorator. Kettelhut is considered one of the most important artists in the history of early German cin ...

recalled: "She was not only well-liked by her colleagues, but also as much a creative force, as highly motivated and smoothly efficient, as her husband. Her loving personality was crucial to the professional teamwork. Harbou's ability to reach out to people and find compromise in the worst situations was a vital resource." Fritz Lang und Thea von Harbou, 1923 od

Harbou and Lang began an affair during this time; she divorced Klein-Rogge in 1920. Following the success of '' Dr. Mabuse der Spieler'' (''Dr. Mabuse the Gambler'') and the death of Lang's first wife, the couple married in 1922. They worked on a script that would reflect their pride in their German heritage, ''

Die Nibelungen ''Die Nibelungen'' ("The Nibelungs") is a two-part series of silent fantasy films created by Austrian director Fritz Lang in 1924, consisting of ''Die Nibelungen: Siegfried'' and ''Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge''. The scenarios for bot ...

'' (1924), and enhance Harbou's reputation as a writer for the screen. She became known for her unique habit of wearing the same dress throughout filming, even as she cooked hot meals for the crew during late nights. Visitors remembered Harbou taking charge of all the domestic and social responsibilities when visiting the couple's apartment. During this time of poverty in 1920s Germany, Harbou became active in acquiring food for her film crew, as one friend recalled, "She was even able to talk the UFA into carrying the costs so the crew could get their meals for free ... she stood there on the rough floor of that drafty shed for hours and didn't mind peeling potatoes or cleaning vegetables with the other women. Such was the spirit of sacrifice." Harbou often developed her screenplays into full-length novels, with their publication scheduled to coincide with the release of the film, though this was not the case with ''

'' (1927). Harbou was a central player in producing ''Metropolis'', and this epic became significant. Besides writing the novel and the screenplay, and developing the distinct moral ending of ''Metropolis'', she discovered

Gustav Fröhlich Gustav Fröhlich (21 March 1902 – 22 December 1987) was a German actor and film director. He landed secondary roles in a number of films and plays before landing his breakthrough role of Freder Fredersen in Fritz Lang's 1927 film ''Metropoli ...

, who played the lead role of Freder Fredersen. Her next major collaboration with Lang was '' M'' (1931), a film about a child murderer. It was written with exquisite attention to accuracy. Lang and Harbou had been enthralled with news coverage of

Peter Kürten Peter Kürten (; 26 May 1883 – 2 July 1931) was a German serial killer, known as "The Vampire of Düsseldorf" and the "Düsseldorf Monster", who committed a series of murders and sexual assaults between February and November 1929 in the city of ...

, known as the Monster of Düsseldorf, during the late 1920s. She used newspaper articles in developing the script and "maintained regular contact with the police headquarters on Alexanderplatz and was permitted access to the communications and secret publications of Berlin's force". Recalling the script, Harbou's secretary Hilde Guttmann later said, "I saw many other film manuscripts, but never one which could compare with the manuscript for ''M''. Two typewriter ribbons were stuck together to give us three colors: one black and red, and the other blue. The camera work and the action were typed in black, the dialogue blue, and the sound, where synchronized, was typed in red". Harbou received no credit as the script writer for ''M''. She was also involved in politics, joining the campaign against Germany's paragraph 218, which made abortion a crime.Petro, Patrice. ''Joyless Streets: Women and Melodramatic Representation in Weimar Germany.'' New Jersey: Princeton UP, 1989 (26) At a mass rally in 1931, she said:

Divorce

Shortly after Harbou married Lang, he developed the habit of openly pursuing younger women, but they nevertheless presented themselves as a happy couple with a contented home that would have seemed like a small museum of exotic art for the common citizen. Then, during the production of ''Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse'', Lang discovered Harbou in bed with Ayi Tendulkar, an Indian journalist and student 17 years younger than her. After Lang and Harbou's divorce became final on 20 April 1933, the couple slowly lost contact with each other. Shortly after the divorce, Harbou and Ayi Tendulkar contracted a secret marriage, because the Nazi state did not permit someone of her public stature to marry a dark-skinned Indian.

Under Nazi rule

With

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

's rise to power in 1933, the German film industry began to be used for propaganda purposes. Harbou was loyal to the new regime. Around 1934, a year after the

Nazi Party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that crea ...

came to power, on her own initiative she wrote and directed two films, ''

Elisabeth und der Narr ''Elisabeth and the Fool'' (German: ''Elisabeth und der Narr'') is a 1934 German drama film directed by Thea von Harbou and starring Hertha Thiele, Theodor Loos and Rudolf Klein-Rogge. Dixon & Foster p.154 The film was the directing debut of Har ...

'' and ''

Hanneles Himmelfahrt ''The Ascension of Little Hannele'' (german: Hanneles Himmelfahrt), also known simply as ''Hannele'', is an 1893 play by the German playwright Gerhart Hauptmann.Hartnoll (1983, 377). In contrast to Hauptmann's naturalistic dramas, ''The Assumptio ...

''. However, she did not find the experience of directing satisfactory and remained a prolific scenarist during this time. "Under a regime where every film was a 'state film,' Thea von Harbou amassed writing credits on some twenty-six films, while giving uncredited assistance on countless others-including a handful with an indisputable National Socialist worldview".

After World War II

From July to October 1945, Thea von Harbou was held in Staumühle, a British prison camp. Though many have asserted she had significant Nazi sympathies, Harbou claimed she only joined the Nazi Party to help Indian immigrants in Germany, like her husband. Lang's biographer, Patrick McGilligan, wrote: "Her direct work on behalf of the government consisted, she claimed, entirely of volunteer welding, making hearing aids, and emergency medical care. In fact, she received a medal of merit for saving people in two air raids." In prison, she directed a performance of ''Faust'' and when released she worked as a

Trümmerfrau Trümmerfrau (; literally translated as rubble woman) is the German-language name for women who, in the aftermath of World War II, helped clear and reconstruct the bombed cities of Germany and Austria. Hundreds of cities had suffered significant ...

(rubble woman) in 1945 and 1946.

Death

Toward the end of Harbou's life, pain from high blood pressure, migraines, and neuralgia weakened her, although she continued to write or dictate from her bed. After attending a showing of ''Der müde Tod'' (''

Destiny Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. Fate Although often ...

'', 1921) as a guest of honor in 1954, she fell and suffered a hip injury. On 1 July 1954, she died in hospital at the age of sixty-five. Several years after her death, Lang directed the film '' The Indian Tomb'' (1959), based upon one of Harbou's novels.

Filmography

AFI/Film Index: Thea von Harbou
/ref> *''

The Passion of Inge Krafft ''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 ...

'', directed by

Robert Dinesen Robert Theodor Camillo Dinesen (23 October 1874 – 8 March 1972) was a Danish film actor and film director, director. He was first married to actress Laura Johanne Winter (1882-1930) and secondly to Christine Marie Christensen (1877-1935). He is ...

(1921, based on an idea by Thea von Harbou) *', directed by

Friedrich Feher Friedrich Feher (born Friedrich Weiß, 16 March 1889 – 30 September 1950) was an Austrian actor and film director. He first entered the film business in 1913, starting out as an actor but quickly gravitated toward directing. He is perhaps bes ...

(1921, based on the novel ''Das Haus ohne Tür und Fenster'') *'' The Indian Tomb'', directed by

(1921, based on the novel '' Das indische Grabmal'') *''

The Stone Rider ''The Stone Rider'' (german: Der steinerne Reiter) is a 1923 German silent drama film directed by Fritz Wendhausen and starring Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Lucie Mannheim and Gustav von Wangenheim.Bock & Bergfelder p. 248 It was shot at the Babelsberg S ...

'', directed by

Fritz Wendhausen Fritz Wendhausen(7 August 1890, Wendhausen – 5 January 1962, Königstein im Taunus) was a German actor, screenwriter and film director. He is also credited as Frederick Wendhausen and F.R. Wendhausen. In 1938 he emigrated to Britain from Nazi ...

(1923, based on an idea by Thea von Harbou) *''

'', directed by

(1927, based on the novel ''

'') *''

Spione ''Spione'' (English title: ''Spies'', under which title it was released in the United States) is a 1928 German silent espionage thriller directed by Fritz Lang and co-written with his wife, Thea von Harbou, who also wrote a novel of the sam ...

'', directed by

(1928, based on the novel ''Spione'') *''

Woman in the Moon ''Woman in the Moon'' (German language, German ''Frau im Mond'') is a German science fiction silent film that premiered 15 October 1929 at the UFA-Palast am Zoo cinema in Berlin to an audience of 2,000. It is often considered to be one of the f ...

'', directed by

(1929, based on the novel '' The Rocket to the Moon'')

Screenwriter

* ''

The Legend of Holy Simplicity ''The Legend of Holy Simplicity'' (german: Die Legende von der heiligen Simplicia) is a 1920 German silent drama film directed by Joe May and starring Eva May, Alfred Gerasch and Wilhelm Diegelmann.Bock & Bergfelder p. 181 The art director Er ...

'' (dir.

, 1920) * ''

The Wandering Image ''The Wandering Image'' (German: ''Das wandernde Bild'') is a 1920 German silent drama film directed by Fritz Lang and starring Mia May, Hans Marr and Rudolf Klein-Rogge. It is also known by the alternative titles of ''The Wandering Picture' ...

'' (dir.

, 1920) * ''

The Women of Gnadenstein ''The Women of Gnadenstein'' (german: Frauen vom Gnadenstein) is a 1921 German silent drama film directed by Robert Dinesen and Joe May and starring Erich Kaiser-Titz, Margarete Schön and Grete Diercks. The film was produced in 1920, but was n ...

'' (dir.

and

, 1921) * ''

Four Around a Woman ''Four Around the Woman'' (german: Vier um die Frau) is a 1921 German silent drama film directed by Fritz Lang and starring Hermann Böttcher, Carola Toelle and Lilli Lohrer. It is also known by the alternative title of ''Kämpfende Herzen''. T ...

'' (dir.

, 1921) - Screenplay based on a play by Rolf E. Vanloo * ''

'' (dir.

, 1921) * '' The Indian Tomb'' (dir.

, 1921) * ''

The Burning Soil ''The Burning Soil'' (german: Der brennende Acker) is a 1922 German silent film directed by F.W. Murnau. It was made the same year as Murnau's ''Nosferatu'' and released in Germany around the same time. The film follows the struggle over a plot ...

'' (dir.

, 1922) * '' Dr. Mabuse the Gambler'' (dir.

, 1922) - Screenplay based on ''

Dr. Mabuse Dr. Mabuse is a fictional character created by Norbert Jacques in his 1921 novel ('Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler'), and his 1932 follow-up novel ''Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse'' (1932). The character was made famous by three films about the character ...

'' by

Norbert Jacques Norbert Jacques (6 June 1880 – 15 May 1954) was a Luxembourgish novelist, journalist, screenwriter, and translator who wrote in German. He was born in Luxembourg-Eich, Luxembourg and died in Koblenz, West Germany. He created the character Dr. ...

* ''

Phantom 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 un ...

'' (dir.

, 1922) - Screenplay based on a novel by

Gerhart Hauptmann Gerhart Johann Robert Hauptmann (; 15 November 1862 – 6 June 1946) was a German dramatist and novelist. He is counted among the most important promoters of literary naturalism, though he integrated other styles into his work as well. He recei ...

* ''

Princess Suwarin ''Princess Suwarin'' (German: ''Die Prinzessin Suwarin'') is a 1923 German silent film directed by Johannes Guter and starring Lil Dagover, Heinrich Schroth and Xenia Desni.Hardt p.52 The film's sets were designed by the art director Erich Cze ...

'' (dir.

Johannes Guter Johannes Guter (born Jānis Gūters; 25 April 1882 – 18 March 1962) was a Latvians, Latvian-born German filmmaker, screenwriter, and occasional film producer. Although most of his work is now lost, he is considered a pioneer of German silent cin ...

, 1923) - Screenplay based on a novel by

Ludwig Wolff Ludwig Wolff (27 September 1857 – 24 February 1919), born in Neustadt in Palatinate (region), Palatinate, was a German chemist. He studied chemistry at the University of Strasbourg, where he received his Ph.D. from Rudolph Fittig in 1882. ...

* '' The Expulsion'' (dir.

, 1923) - Screenplay based on a play by * ''

The Grand Duke's Finances ''The Grand Duke's Finances'' (german: Die Finanzen des Großherzogs) is a 1924 silent German comedy film directed by F. W. Murnau. Plot The Grand Duke of Abacco is heir to a small and heavily indebted Mediterranean island. The Grand Duke is ...

'' (dir.

, 1924) - Screenplay based on a novel by

Frank Heller Frank Heller was the pen name of the Swedish writer Gunnar Serner (20 July 1886 - 14 October 1947), (aged 61). He wrote a string of light books about shady business transactions in an international milieu. His best known works concerned the recur ...

* ''

''—Part 1: Siegfried (dir.

, 1924) - Screenplay based on the

Nibelungenlied The ( gmh, Der Nibelunge liet or ), translated as ''The Song of the Nibelungs'', is an epic poetry, epic poem written around 1200 in Middle High German. Its anonymous poet was likely from the region of Passau. The is based on an oral tradition ...

* ''

''—Part 2: Kriemhild's Revenge (dir.

, 1924) - Screenplay based on the

* ''

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...

'' (dir.

Carl Theodor Dreyer Carl Theodor Dreyer (; 3 February 1889 – 20 March 1968), commonly known as Carl Th. Dreyer, was a Danish film director and screenwriter. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his movies are noted for their emotional aus ...

, 1924) - Screenplay based on a novel by

Herman Bang Herman Joachim Bang (20 April 1857 – 29 January 1912) was a Danish journalist and author, one of the men of the Modern Breakthrough. Biography Bang was born in Asserballe, on the small Danish island of Als, the son of a South Jutlandic vicar ...

* '' Chronicles of the Gray House'' (dir. , 1925) - Screenplay based on a novella by

Theodor Storm Hans Theodor Woldsen Storm (; 14 September 18174 July 1888), commonly known as Theodor Storm, was a German writer. He is considered to be one of the most important figures of German realism. Life Storm was born in the small town of Husum, on the ...

* ''

'' (dir.

, 1927) * ''

'' (dir.

, 1928) * ''

'' (dir.

, 1929) * '' M'' (dir.

, 1931) * ''

The First Right of the Child ''The First Right of the Child'' (german: Das erste Recht des Kindes) is a 1932 German drama film directed by Fritz Wendhausen and starring Hertha Thiele, Eduard Wesener and Helene Fehdmer. The film's sets were designed by the art director E ...

'' (dir.

, 1932) * ''

The Marathon Runner ''The Marathon Runner'' (german: Der Läufer von Marathon) is a 1933 German sports film directed by Ewald André Dupont and starring Brigitte Helm, Hans Brausewetter and Ursula Grabley. It was based on a 1928 novel by Werner Scheff, adapted by ...

'' (dir.

, 1933) - Screenplay based on a novel by

Werner Scheff Werner Scheff (1888–1947) was a German novelist and screenwriter. He is particularly noted as a prolific writer of sports fiction.Jensen p. 98 Following the Nazi Party's rise to power, he emigrated and died in London in 1947. Selected filmogra ...

* ''

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse ''The Testament of Dr. Mabuse'' (german: Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse), also called ''The Last Will of Dr. Mabuse'', is a 1933 German crime-thriller film directed by Fritz Lang. The movie is a sequel to Lang's silent film ''Dr. Mabuse the Gambl ...

'' (dir.

, 1933) - Screenplay based on ''

'' by

* ''

'' (dir. Thea von Harbou, 1934) - Screenplay based on ''

The Assumption of Hannele ''The Ascension of Little Hannele'' (german: Hanneles Himmelfahrt), also known simply as ''Hannele'', is an 1893 play by the German playwright Gerhart Hauptmann.Hartnoll (1983, 377). In contrast to Hauptmann's naturalistic dramas, ''The Assumpti ...

'' by

* ''

What Am I Without You ''What Am I Without You'' (german: Was bin ich ohne Dich) is a 1934 German musical comedy film directed by Arthur Maria Rabenalt and starring Wolfgang Liebeneiner, Betty Bird, and Olga Chekhova. The film's sets were designed by the art director ...

'' (dir.

Arthur Maria Rabenalt Arthur Maria Rabenalt (25 June 1905 – 26 February 1993) was an Austrian film director, writer, and author. He directed more than 90 films between 1934 and 1978. His 1958 film ''That Won't Keep a Sailor Down'' was entered into the 1st Moscow I ...

, 1934) * '' Elisabeth and the Fool'' (dir. Thea von Harbou), 1934) * '' Princess Turandot'' (dir.

Gerhard Lamprecht Gerhard Lamprecht (6 October 1897 – 4 May 1974) was a German film director, screenwriter and film historian. He directed 63 films between 1920 and 1958. He also wrote for 26 films between 1918 and 1958. Life and career Lamprecht was fasci ...

, 1934) - Screenplay based on ''

Turandot ''Turandot'' (; see below) is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, posthumously completed by Franco Alfano in 1926, and set to a libretto in Italian by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni. ''Turandot'' best-known aria is "Nessun dorma", whi ...

'' * ''

The Old and the Young King ''The Old and the Young King'' (German: ''Der alte und der junge König'') is a 1935 German historical drama film directed by Hans Steinhoff and starring Emil Jannings, Werner Hinz and Leopoldine Konstantin. The film's sets were designed by th ...

'' (dir.

Hans Steinhoff Hans Steinhoff (10 March 1882 – 20 April 1945) was a German film director, best known for the propaganda films he made in the Nazi era. Life and career Steinhoff started his career as a stage actor in the 1900s and later worked as a stag ...

, 1935) * ''

An Ideal Husband ''An Ideal Husband'' is a four-act play by Oscar Wilde that revolves around blackmail and political corruption, and touches on the themes of public and private honour. It was first produced at the Haymarket Theatre, London in 1895 and ran for ...

'' (dir.

Herbert Selpin Herbert Selpin (29 May 1904 – 1 August 1942) was a German film director and screenwriter of light entertainment during the 1930s and 1940s. He is best known for his final film, the partly suppressed ''Titanic (1943 film), Titanic'', during the ...

, 1935) - Screenplay based on ''

'' by

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...

* ''

I Was Jack Mortimer ''I Was Jack Mortimer'' (german: Ich war Jack Mortimer) is a 1935 German thriller film directed by Carl Froelich and starring Anton Walbrook, Eugen Klöpfer, and Sybille Schmitz. It was shot at the Tempelhof Studios in Berlin. The film's sets ...

'' (dir.

Carl Froelich Carl August Hugo Froelich (5 September 1875 – 12 February 1953) was a German film pioneer and film director. He was born and died in Berlin. Biography Apparatus builder and cameraman From 1903 Froelich was a colleague of Oskar Messter, one of ...

, 1935) - Screenplay based on ''

'' by

Alexander Lernet-Holenia Alexander Lernet-Holenia (21 October 1897, in Vienna — 3 July 1976) was an Austrian poet, novelist, dramaturgist and writer of screenplays and historical studies who produced a heterogeneous literary opus that included poetry, psychological ...

* '' Der Mann mit der Pranke'' (dir. Rudolf van der Noss, 1935) - Screenplay based on a novel by * ''

The Impossible Woman ''The Impossible Woman'' is a 1919 British silent comedy film directed by Meyrick Milton and starring Constance Collier, Langhorn Burton and Christine Rayner. It was based on the 1912 novel ''Tante'' by Anne Douglas Sedgwick, and 1916 play of ...

'' (dir. Johannes Meyer, 1936) - Screenplay based on a novel by Mia Fellmann * '' Escapade'' (dir.

Erich Waschneck Erich John Waschneck (29 April 1887, in Grimma, Kingdom of Saxony – 22 September 1970, in Berlin) was a German cameraman, director, screenwriter, and film producer. Early life Erich was the son of Karl Hermann Waschneck, a blacksmith, and his ...

, 1936) - Screenplay based on ''

My Official Wife ''My Official Wife'' is an 1891 novel by Richard Henry Savage, popular in its day, soon after adapted for the stage, and for silent films in 1914 and in 1926, and a German-language film in 1936. Book Savage wrote the first draft of his firs ...

'' by

Richard Henry Savage Richard Henry Savage (June 12, 1846 – October 11, 1903) was an American military officer and author who wrote more than 40 books of adventure and mystery, based loosely on his own experiences. Savage's life may have been the inspiration for the ...

* ''

A Woman of No Importance ''A Woman of No Importance'' by Oscar Wilde is "a new and original play of modern life", in four acts, first given on 19 April 1893 at the Haymarket Theatre, London. Like Wilde's other society plays, it satirises English upper-class society. It ...

'' (dir.

, 1936) - Screenplay based on ''

'' by

* '' The Ruler'' (dir.

Veit Harlan Veit Harlan (22 September 1899 – 13 April 1964) was a German film director and actor. Harlan reached the highpoint of his career as a director in the Nazi era; most notably his antisemitic film ''Jud Süß'' (1940) makes him controversial ...

, 1937) - Screenplay based on a play by

* ''

Don't Promise Me Anything ''Don't Promise Me Anything'' (german: Versprich mir nichts!) is a 1937 German comedy film directed by Wolfgang Liebeneiner and starring Luise Ullrich, Viktor de Kowa and Heinrich George. It was partly shot at the Grunewald Studios in Berlin.The f ...

'' (dir.

Wolfgang Liebeneiner Wolfgang Georg Louis Liebeneiner (6 October 1905 – 28 November 1987) was a German actor, film director and theatre director. Beginnings He was born in Lubawka, Liebau in Prussian Silesia. In 1928, he was taught by Otto Falckenberg, the directo ...

, 1937) - Screenplay based on a play by Charlotte Rissmann * ''

The Broken Jug ''The Broken Jug'' (german: Der zerbrochne Krug, link=no, , also sometimes translated ''The Broken Pitcher'') is a comedy written by the German playwright Heinrich von Kleist. Kleist first conceived the idea for the play in 1801, upon looking at ...

'' (dir.

Gustav Ucicky Gustav Ucicky (6 July 1899 – 27 April 1961) was an Austrians, Austrian film director, screenwriter, and cinematographer. He was one of the more successful directors in Austria and Germany from the 1930s through to the early 1960s. His work cov ...

, 1937) - Screenplay based on ''

'' by

Heinrich von Kleist Bernd Heinrich Wilhelm von Kleist (18 October 177721 November 1811) was a German poet, dramatist, novelist, short story writer and journalist. His best known works are the theatre plays '' Das Käthchen von Heilbronn'', ''The Broken Jug'', ''Amph ...

* ''

Mother Song ''Mother Song'' (German: ''Mutterlied'') is a 1937 German-Italian musical drama film directed by Carmine Gallone and starring Beniamino Gigli, Maria Cebotari and Hans Moser.Waldman p.202 It was produced by Itala Film, a Berlin-based production ...

'' (dir.

Carmine Gallone Carmine Gallone (10 September 1885 – 11 March 1973) was an early Italian film director, screenwriter, and film producer, who was also controversial for his works of pro-Fascist propaganda and historical revisionism. Considered one of Itali ...

, 1937) * ' (dir.

, 1938) - Screenplay based on a play by

Max Halbe Max Halbe (4 October 1865 – 30 November 1944) was a German dramatist and main exponent of Naturalism. Biography Halbe was born at the manor of Güttland (Koźliny) near Danzig (Gdańsk), where he grew up. He was a member of an old family of p ...

* '' The Woman at the Crossroads'' (dir.

Josef von Báky Josef may refer to *Josef (given name) *Josef (surname) Josef is the surname of the following people: * Jens Josef (born 1967), German composer of classical music, a flutist and academic teacher * Michelle Josef (born 1954), Canadian musician and tr ...

, 1938) - Screenplay based on a novel by * ''

Covered Tracks ''Covered Tracks'' (german: Verwehte Spuren) is a 1938 German historical drama film directed by Veit Harlan and starring Kristina Söderbaum, Philip Dorn, and Charlotte Schultz. It was shot at the EFA Studios in Berlin's Halensee and the Ba ...

'' (dir.

, 1938) - Screenplay based on a

radio drama 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 ...

by Hans Rothe * ' (dir.

, 1939) * ''

Hurrah! I'm a Father ''Hurrah! I'm a Father'' or ''Hurrah! I'm a Papa'' (german: Hurra, ich bin Papa) is a 1939 German comedy film directed by Kurt Hoffmann and starring Heinz Rühmann, Albert Florath, and Carola Höhn. It was shot at the Marienfelde and Tempelhof S ...

'' (dir.

Kurt Hoffmann Kurt Hoffmann (12 November 1910 – 25 June 2001) was a German film director, the son of Carl Hoffmann. He directed 48 films between 1938 and 1971. He ran a production company Independent Film along with Heinz Angermeyer. His 1958 film ' ...

, 1939) * '' Lauter Liebe'' (dir.

Heinz Rühmann Heinrich Wilhelm "Heinz" Rühmann (; 7 March 1902 – 3 October 1994) was a German film actor who appeared in over 100 films between 1926 and 1993. He is one of the most famous and popular German actors of the 20th century, and is considered a Ge ...

, 1940) * ''Wie konntest Du, Veronika!'' (dir.

Milo Harbich Milo Harbich (13 August 1900 – 13 September 1988) was a Brazilian-born German film editor and director. He was born to Austrian-Brazilian parents who moved to Dresden when he was a small child. He began career as stage actor, but by the early 19 ...

, 1940) * ' (dir.

Jürgen von Alten Jürgen von Alten (12 January 1903 – 28 February 1994) was a German actor, screenwriter and film director. During his career he directed around seventy short film, short and feature films. In 1939 he made the military comedy-drama ''Shoulder Arm ...

, 1940) - Screenplay based on a novel by F. B. Cortan * ''

Clarissa ''Clarissa; or, The History of a Young Lady: Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life. And Particularly Shewing, the Distresses that May Attend the Misconduct Both of Parents and Children, In Relation to Marriage'' is an epist ...

'' (dir.

, 1941) (uncredited) * ' (dir.

, 1941) - Screenplay based on a play by * ''

With the Eyes of a Woman ''With the Eyes of a Woman'' (German: ''Mit den Augen einer Frau'') is a 1942 German drama film directed by Karl Georg Külb and starring Ada Tschechowa, Olga Tschechowa and Gustav Fröhlich.Bock & Bergfelder p.485 The film's sets were designed b ...

'' (dir.

Karl Georg Külb Karl Georg Külb (1901–1980) was a German screenwriter and film director. Selected filmography Screenwriter * ''My Son the Minister'' (1937) * ''The Blue Fox (1938 film), The Blue Fox'' (1938) * ''The Girl of Last Night'' (1938) * ''Hello Janine ...

, 1942) - Screenplay based on a novel by

Zsolt Harsányi Zsolt Harsányi (27 January 1887 – 29 November 1943), also known as Zsolt von Harsanyi or Zsolt de Harsanyi, was a prolific and renowned Hungarian author, dramatist, translator, and writer. Born in Korompa, Upper Hungary (modern day Slovak ...

* ''

Maria Malibran Maria Felicia Malibran (24 March 1808 – 23 September 1836) was a Spanish singer who commonly sang both contralto and soprano parts, and was one of the best-known opera singers of the 19th century. Malibran was known for her stormy personality ...

'' (dir.

Guido Brignone Guido Brignone (6 December 1886 – 6 March 1959) was an Italian film director and actor. He was the father of actress Lilla Brignone and younger brother of actress Mercedes Brignone. Brignone was born in Milan, Italy. He was the first Italian ...

, 1943) * '' Gefährtin meines Sommers'' (dir. Fritz Peter Buch, 1943) - Screenplay based on a novel by * ' (dir.

Georg Jacoby Georg Jacoby (23 July 1882 – 21 February 1964) was a German film director and screenwriter.Profile
, bfi.org.uk; accessed ...

, 1943) - Screenplay based on two plays by * ''

A Wife for Three Days ''A Wife for Three Days'' (German: ''Eine Frau für drei Tage'') is a 1944 German romantic drama film directed by Fritz Kirchhoff and starring Hannelore Schroth, Carl Raddatz and Ursula Herking.Kreimeier p.354 It was shot at the Babelsberg Studio ...

'' (dir.

Fritz Kirchhoff Fritz Kirchhoff (1901–1953) was a German screenwriter, film producer and director. He was a noted director during the Nazi era, directing film such as the anti-British propaganda thriller ''Attack on Baku'' (1942). His 1942 film '' 5 June'' ...

, 1944) - Screenplay based on a novel by * ''

Via Mala Viamala or Via Mala ( Romansh: literally, "bad path") is a narrow gorge along the river Hinterrhein between Zillis-Reischen and Thusis in the Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland, as well as the ancient and notorious pathway which traverses ...

'' (dir.

, 1945) - Screenplay based on ''

'' by

John Knittel John Knittel, originally Hermann Emanuel Knittel (March 24, 1891 in Dharwar, India – April 26, 1970 in Maienfeld, Graubünden) was a Swiss writer. Life John Knittel was the son of a Württemberg missionary, Hermann Wilhelm Knittel, who was i ...

* '' Journey to Happiness'' (dir.

Erich Engel Erich Gustav Otto Engel (14 February 1891 – 10 May 1966) was a German film and theatre director.He is often confused with another German film director called Erich Engels, who specialised in comedy, and crime films. Biography Engel was ...

, 1944/1948) * ' (dir.

Ulrich Erfurth Ulrich Erfurth (1910–1986) was a German film director.Giesen p.201 Filmography Director * ' (1944/1950) * ''Finale'' (1948) * ''Not Afraid of Big Animals'' (1953) * ''Columbus Discovers Kraehwinkel'' (1954) * ''Captain Wronski'' (1954) * '' On ...

, 1944/1950) * '' A Day Will Come'' (dir.

Rudolf Jugert Rudolf Jugert (1907–1979) was a German film director. Selected filmography * ''Film Without a Title'' (1948) * ''Hello, Fraulein!, Hallo, Fräulein!'' (1949) * ''A Day Will Come (1950 film), A Day Will Come'' (1950) * ''Nights on the Road'' (195 ...

, 1950) - Screenplay based on a novella by

Ernst Penzoldt Ernst Penzoldt (14 June 1892 – 27 January 1955) was a German writer, sculptor and Painting, painter. Penzoldt was born in Erlangen. He had three older brothers. His father Franz Penzoldt was a German professor of medicine. From 1912 he studied ...

* ''

Dr. Holl ''Dr. Holl'' is a 1951 West German drama film directed by Rolf Hansen and starring Maria Schell, Dieter Borsche and Carl Wery. At the 1st Berlin International Film Festival it won the Certificate of Honour award. It was shot at the Bavaria St ...

'' (dir. Rolf Hansen, 1951) * '' Your Heart Is My Homeland'' (dir.

Richard Häussler Richard Häussler (26 October 1908 – 28 September 1964) was a German actor and film director. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1936 and 1964. He also directed seven films between 1951 and 1957. He was born in Munich, Germany and d ...

, 1953) - Screenplay based on a novel by Irmgard Wurmbrand

Director

* '' Elisabeth and the Fool'' (1934) *''

'' (1934)

Remakes

*'' The Tiger of Eschnapur'' (1938) – remake of '' The Indian Tomb'' (1921) *'' The Indian Tomb'' (1938) – remake of ''The Indian Tomb'' (1921) *'' M'' (1951) – Remake of '' M'' (1931) *'' The Tiger of Eschnapur'' (1959) – remake of ''The Indian Tomb'' (1921) *'' The Indian Tomb'' (1959) – remake of ''The Indian Tomb'' (1921) * ''

Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse ''The Testament of Dr. Mabuse'' (german: Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse), also called ''The Last Will of Dr. Mabuse'', is a 1933 German crime-thriller film directed by Fritz Lang. The movie is a sequel to Lang's silent film ''Dr. Mabuse the Gambl ...

'' (1962) – remake of ''

'' (1933)

Books

*''Wenn's Morgen wird'', 1905 *''Weimar: Ein Sommertagstraum'', verse stories 1908 *''Die nach uns kommen'', a village novel, 1910 *''Von Engeln und Teufelchen'', ten stories, 1913 *''Deutsche Frauen. Bilder stillen Heldentums'', five stories, 1914 *''Der unsterbliche Acker'', a war novel, 1915 *''Gold im Feuer'', novel, 1915 *''Der Krieg und die Frauen'', eight stories, 1915 *''Die Masken des Todes. Sieben Geschichten in einer'', 1915 *''Die Flucht der Beate Hoyermann'', 1916 *''Die Deutsche Frau im Weltkrieg'', essays, 1916 *''Aus Abend und Morgen ein neuer Tag'', 1916 *''Du junge Wacht am Rhein!'', 1917 *''Adrian Drost und sein Land'', 1918 *'' Das indische Grabmal (The Indian Tomb)'', 1918 *''Der belagerte Tempel'', 1917 *''Die nach uns kommen'', 1918 *''Legenden'', five stories (including ''Holy Simplicity''), 1919 *''Sonderbare Heilige'', ten stories, 1919 *''Die unheilige Dreifaltigkeit'', 1920 *''Das Haus ohne Tür und Fenster'', 1920 *''Gute Kameraden'', 1920 *''Gedichte'', 1920 *''Das Nibelungenbuch'', 1924 *''Mondscheinprinzeßchen'', 1925 *''

'', 1926 *''Der Insel der Unsterblichen'', 1926 *''Mann zwischen Frauen'', 1927 *''

Frau im Mond ''Honorifics'' are words that connote esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. In the German language, honorifics distinguish people by age, sex, profession, academic achievement, and rank. In the past, a distinction was ...

'', 1928 *''Spione'', 1929 *''Du bist unmöglich, Jo!'', novel, 1931 *''Liebesbriefe aus St. Florin''; Novella, 1935 *''Aufblühender Lotos'', 1941 *''Der Dieb von Bagdad'', 1949 *''Gartenstraße 64'', 1952

References

Bibliography

External links

* *
Thea von Harbou
at the Women Film Pioneers Project {{DEFAULTSORT:Harbou, Thea Von 1888 births 1954 deaths Film people from Bavaria German stage actresses German film actresses German silent film actresses German science fiction writers Nazi propagandists People from the Kingdom of Bavaria Bavarian nobility Nobility in the Nazi Party Women science fiction and fantasy writers 20th-century German actresses Women in Nazi Germany People from Hof (district) 20th-century German women writers German women screenwriters 20th-century German screenwriters Women film pioneers

Early life, family, and education

From novelist to screenwriter

Partnership with Lang

Divorce

Under Nazi rule

After World War II

Death

Filmography

Screenwriter

Director

Remakes

Books

References

Bibliography

Further reading

External links