Hildegard Knef (1925 – 2002)

The actress/singer, Hildegard Knef was born on December 28, 1925 in Ulm, Germany. After her father’s death in 1926 her mother resettled with her in Berlin. At age 15 Hildegard Knef began an apprenticeship as a cartoonist with the UFA film studios in Berlin. Her talent was soon recognized and the studios began to prepare her for an acting career. Her first films were Unter den Brücken (Under the Bridges) in 1944 and Fahrt ins Glück (Journey to Happiness) in 1945. Her first film after the war in 1946 was one that brought her international recognition, Die Mörder sind unter uns” (The Murderers are Among Us)

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The U.S. film producer David O. Selznick brought her to Hollywood in 1948 where she contracted to 20th Century Fox. She appeared on Broadway in 1955 in the musical, Silk Stockings. Her best known Hollywood film was The snows of Kilimanjaro, in 1952. In the United States she changed the spelling of her name to Neff. After a contract dispute with Fox she returned to Germany. In Europe she began a second career as a singer, movie star and TV actress. Her greatest song hit was, Für mich soll’s rote rosen regen, 1992 (Let it Rain Red Roses for Me). She published her autobiography in 1970, Der geschenkte Gaul (The Gift Horse) which was one of the largest sellers on the German market.

On February 1, 2002 Hildegard Knef died of a lung infection. Ms. Knef had married three times and gave birth to one child, a daughter. She had made over 50 films during her career.

Eine der Institutionen der deutschen Kulturlandschaft, Hildegard Knef, wurde 28. Dezember 1925 in Ulm geboren. Sie hat wie keine andere Schauspielerin der Nachkriegszeit, deutsche Kinogeschichte geschrieben. Ihr Filmdebüt trat sie mit Die Mörder sind unter uns an und schockierte in Die Sünderin das biedere Nachkriegsdeutschland. Boykottaktionen gegen diesen Film machten die Knef neben Marlene Dietrich zu einem Exportschlager. Hildegard Knef setzte sich auch in Hollywood , unter anderem mit Schnee am Kilimandscharo durch. Sie wurde ebenso als Schauspielerin bekannt, z.B. mit Der geschenkte Gaul. Sie erhielt den Edison-Preis für insgesamt 320 Texte und das Bundesverdienstkreuz im Jahre 1974.