Fritsch, Willy (1901-1971)

Fritsch, Willy

ACTOR (GERMANY)

BORN 27 Jan 1901, Kattowitz, Oberschlesien (now: Katowice, Poland) - DIED 13 Jul 1971, Hamburg
GRAVE LOCATION Hamburg: Friedhof Ohlsdorf, Fühlsbüttler Strasse 756 (AC 16 (151))

Willy Fritsch was the son of a facory owner in Katowice, Silesia. After his father went bankrupt in 1912 the family moved to Berlin. Willy started a technical education and like his father he was employed by Siemens. But he also soon found work as an extra at the Großes Schauspielhaus in Berlin. He left Siemens in 1919 to attend Max Reinhardt's drama school at the Deutsches Theater. There he debuted in small parts and sometimes played side by side with the young Marlene Dietrich.

In 1920 he had his first movie parts and he earned a contract with the UFA Studio's. In 1925 his leading part in Ludwig Berger's "A Waltz Dream" made his name. He refused a contract offered by United Artistst because his English was inadequate. Instead he starred in popular movies like "Melodie des Herzens" (1929, "Melody of the Heart") in which he spoke the first words ever in a German talkie. After that he appeared with Lilian Harvey he appeared in ten movies.

After the nazis came to power he continued his career in Germany. He played in comedies like "Amphitryon" (1935) and "Glückskinder" (1936). In 1937 he married the young dancer Dinah Grace. "Sieben Ohrfeigen" (1937) and "Frau am Steuer" (1939) where his last collaborations with Lilian Harvey before she emigrated to France. In 1940 he was in "Frauen sind doch bessere Diplomaten", the first German colour movie. He joined the NSDAP under pressure, but he managed to avoid propaganda movies until his part in "Junge Adler" (1944). He was put on the Gottbegnadeten list by Goebbels which meant he wasn't sent to war. The Gestapo watched him because he was considered political unreliable.

After the war he moved to Hamburg and he continued his movie career. He appeared in "Wenn der weiße Flieder wieder blüht" (1953) next to the young Romy Schneider. After his wife's early death in 1963 he played in only one more movie, "Das hab' ich von Papa gelernt" (1964), in which his son Thomas had a part as well. After that he retured from the public eye. He died in 1971 in Hamburg and was buried beside Dinah at the Ohlsdorf Cemetery in Hamburg.

Family
• Wife: Grace, Dinah (1937-1963)

Related persons
• cooperated with Dietrich, Marlene
• cooperated with Harvey, Lilian
• cooperated with Rökk, Marika

Images
The grave of Willy Fritsch and Dinah Grace at the Ohlsdorfer Friedhof in Hamburg. Picture by Androom (26 Jan 2006)	The grave of Willy Fritsch and Dinah Grace at the Ohlsdorfer Friedhof in Hamburg. Picture by Androom (26 Jan 2006)	Willy Fritsch. (1927-1928)
The grave of Willy Fritsch and Dinah Grace at the Ohlsdorfer Friedhof, Hamburg. Picture by Androom (30 Aug 2012)	Willy Fritsch. (1939-1940) Picture by Foto Baumann/UFA