Kayssler, Friedrich

ACTOR, THEATRE DIRECTOR, AUTHOR, COMPOSER (GERMANY)
BORN 7 Apr 1874, Neurode, Lower Silesia (now: Nová Ruda) - DIED 24 Apr 1945, Kleinmachnow (near Berlin): Max-Reimann-Straße 17,
BIRTH NAME Kayssler, Friedrich Martin Adalbert
CAUSE OF DEATH shot to death
GRAVE LOCATION Kleinmachnow (near Berlin), Brandenburg: Waldfriedhof Kleinmachnow (Grabstelle A 002/001)

Friedrich Kayssler was a schoolfriend of Christian Morgenstern at the Gymnasium in Breslau. They met in 1889 and were friends until Morgenstern's death in 1914. Kayssler studied philosophy in Breslau and Munich. He started his career as an actor under Otto Brahm in Berlin. When he resided in Görlitz he met his first wife Luise, who was an actress at the theatre in that place.

In Berlin he met Max Reinhardt. Together they started the cabaret "Schall und Rauch". Morgenstern joined them as a regular author. In 1904 he met Helene Fehdmer, who played Lola Montez at the Neues Theater. She became his second wife in 1905.

In 1905 Reinhardt became the manager of the Deutsche Theater and in 1907 he directed Kayssler in "Prinz von Homburg". More successes followed. In 1913 he made his first movie. In 1918 Kayssler became director of the Volksbühne (until 1923). Helene Fehdmer follewed him and played many parts at the Volksbühne.

From 1933 onwards he worked for the Staatstheater, where he was directed by Gustaf Gründgens and Jürgen Fehling. He continued his movie career as well, starring in "Das Flötenkonzert von Sanssouci" (1930), "Peer Gynt" (1934), "Friedrich Schiller" (1941) and many other movies.

On April 24th, 1945 Kayssler was trying to protect his landlady when he was shot by the Russians at his door at the Max-Reimann-Strasse 17 in Kleinmachnow (near Berlin). His son Christian Kayssler was an actor as well. He died on 3 March 1944 during an allied bomb attack.

Family
• Wife: Fehdmer-Kayssler, Helene (1905-)

Related persons
• cooperated with Reinhardt, Max

Events
15/11/1941Premiere of Gerhart Hauptmann's "Iphigenie in Delphi" at the Schauspielhaus in Berlin. It was staged on the 79th birthday of Hauptmann. Jürgen Fehling was the director and the cast included Hermine Körner, Maria Koppenhöfer, Bernhard Minetti, Gustav Knuth, Friedrich Kayssler, Franz Nicklisch and Ulrich Haupt. The music was written by Mark Lothar and Rochus Gliese was the stage designer. [Koppenhöfer, Maria][Minetti, Bernhard]

Images

Friedrich Kayssler.
(1941-1944)
Picture by Binz

 

The grave of Friedrich Kayssler and Helene Fehmder at the Waldfriedhof, Kleinmachnow.
Picture by Androom (28 Jan 2008)

 

Friedrich Kayssler.
 

Sources
Friedrich Kayssler - Wikipedia
Iphigenie in Delphi (Drama - Wikipedia (DE)


Keats, John

Published: 17 Feb 2008
Last update: 14 Feb 2022