Bohnen, Michael |
| OPERA SINGER, ACTOR, THEATRE MANAGER (GERMANY) |
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BORN 2 May 1887, Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen - DIED 26 Apr 1965, Berlin BIRTH NAME Bohnen, Franz Michael GRAVE LOCATION Berlin: Friedhof Heerstrasse, Trahkener Allee 1, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf (Feld 18-B-9 (ehemaliges Ehrengrab)) |
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Michael Bohnen was educated at the conservatory in Cologne as well as privately. In 1910 he debuted at the Stadttheater in Düsseldorf and in 1912 he appeared at the Hoftheater in Wiesbaden. In 1912 he joined the Court Opera in Berlin. From 1914 onwards he also appeared at the Bayreuth Festival. He entered the army during the First World War, but in 1916 he was asked to return to the Court Opera. He was popular as an actor and from 1920 to 1927 he had his own film company, Bohnen-Film Gmbh. From 1922 to 1933 he sang at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and from 1933 to 1934 in Buenos Aires. In 1934 he returned to Berlin where he worked for the Deutschen Oper from 1935 to 1945. At the time he returned to Berlin his marriage was in trouble and he lived with La Jana until her death in 1940. After the war he was the manager of the Deutschen Oper until 1947. After false accusations related to the nazi era by the singer Hans Beirer he was forced to give up his position. He appeared at the Deutschen Oper as a singer until 1951 and afterwards he lived in modest circumstances. He died in poverty in 1965. His grave at the Friedhof Heerstrasse in Berlin was a honourary grave of the City of Berlin from 1984 to 2005. Related persons • lived with Hiebel, Henny (La Jana) |
| Images |
 The grave of Michael Bohnen at Friedhof Heerstrasse, Berlin. Picture by androom (25 Aug 2006) |
