Therese Giehse

1941 that she had her greatest success in the leading role. She performed More than any other German actress Therese Giehse embodies the turmoil of German theatre in the 20th Century – as regards her character, her work and her life. She very swiftly became the leading character actress of the 1920’s. Her close friendship with Erika and Klaus Mann, her determination to fight the  Nazi regime and her Jewish ancestry drove her into exile in Switzerland. It was there, at the premiere of Brecht’s „Mother Courage and Her Children” in the theatre and on television until just before her death in 1975. Her last part was the grandmother in Helmut Dietl’s cult-series „Münchner Geschichten” (Munich Tales).


Renate Schmidt was a close friend of Therese Giehse and was appointed as the executor of her estate following her death; the collection includes 43 of the actor’s diaries. The author, who featured in Fellini’s „City of Women” and „Casanova” in the seventies, is currently on tour with her successful soloprogramme „Therese Giehse-H. – German actress”.