Carl Froelich
Encyclopedia
Carl August Froelich was a German
film pioneer and film director
.
, one of the advance guard of German cinema, for whom initially he worked on the construction of cinematographic equipment. As cameraman for Messter's weekly newsreels he filmed among many other things the aftermath of a train accident on the Berlin elevated railway
on 28 September 1908, one of the worst transport disasters of the time.
In 1913 Froelich made his directorial debut with Richard Wagner
. In 1920 he founded his own production company, Froelich-Film GmbH, among the productions of which were Kabale und Liebe (1921) and Mutter und Kind (1924). During these years he often filmed with the actress Henny Porten, who made her screen debut in one of his earliest films, and with whom between 1926 and 1929 he shared ownership of a production company.
In 1929 Froelich made the first German sound film
, Die Nacht gehört uns ("The Night Belongs To Us"). In 1930 he took over two glasshouses in Berlin-Tempelhof, which had been used as studios in the days of silent film
, and had them converted to sound film studios. Here he produced many films, including Rolf Hansen
's short film Das Schönheitsfleckchen (1936) ("The Beauty Spot"), the first German drama film
in colour. In 1931 he was advisor, as "senior artistic director", to Leontine Sagan
's famous boarding-school film and later lesbian
classic, Mädchen in Uniform ("Girls in Uniform") (1931).
By 1933 Froelich was one of Germany's most noted film artists, producing successful films with the stars of the period, among others Hans Albers
, Heinz Rühmann
, Ingrid Bergman
and Zarah Leander
.
Some of the best-known of the films he made during this period were:
in 1933 and took over the direction of the Gesamtverbandes der Filmherstellung und Filmverwertung ("Union of Film Manufacture and Film Evaluation"). In 1937 he was awarded a professorship and in 1939 was appointed president of the Reichsfilmkammer
, an office which he retained until the end of the war
in 1945. The Reichsfilmkammer was subordinate to the Reichskulturkammer
, which as a National Socialist trade organisation regulated and controlled access to all artistic professions. He was one of the few filmmakers that received the title "Filmprofessor" from Goebbels.
. His studio had been badly damaged during the war and did not resume production. Only two more films were made under his direction before his death: Drei Mädchen spinnen and Stips.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
film pioneer and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
.
Apparatus builder and cameraman
From 1903 Froelich was a colleague of Oskar MessterOskar Messter
Oskar Messter was a German inventor and film tycoon in the early years of cinema.-Biography:He was born in Berlin, where his father had founded a company selling and manufacturing optical equipment in 1859...
, one of the advance guard of German cinema, for whom initially he worked on the construction of cinematographic equipment. As cameraman for Messter's weekly newsreels he filmed among many other things the aftermath of a train accident on the Berlin elevated railway
Elevated railway
An elevated railway is a form of rapid transit railway with the tracks built above street level on some form of viaduct or other steel or concrete structure. The railway concerned may be constructed according to the standard gauge, narrow gauge, light rail, monorail or suspension railway system...
on 28 September 1908, one of the worst transport disasters of the time.
Film director and producer
Between 1912 and 1951 he made 77 films.In 1913 Froelich made his directorial debut with Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
. In 1920 he founded his own production company, Froelich-Film GmbH, among the productions of which were Kabale und Liebe (1921) and Mutter und Kind (1924). During these years he often filmed with the actress Henny Porten, who made her screen debut in one of his earliest films, and with whom between 1926 and 1929 he shared ownership of a production company.
In 1929 Froelich made the first German sound film
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
, Die Nacht gehört uns ("The Night Belongs To Us"). In 1930 he took over two glasshouses in Berlin-Tempelhof, which had been used as studios in the days of silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
, and had them converted to sound film studios. Here he produced many films, including Rolf Hansen
Rolf Hansen (director)
Rolf Hansen was a German film director. He directed 20 films between 1936 and 1960.-Selected filmography:* Die grosse Liebe * Dr. Holl * Desires...
's short film Das Schönheitsfleckchen (1936) ("The Beauty Spot"), the first German drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
in colour. In 1931 he was advisor, as "senior artistic director", to Leontine Sagan
Leontine Sagan
Leontine Sagan was an Austrian actress and theatre director.Born in Budapest, Sagan trained with Max Reinhardt. The first and most widely known of her two films is Mädchen in Uniform...
's famous boarding-school film and later lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
classic, Mädchen in Uniform ("Girls in Uniform") (1931).
By 1933 Froelich was one of Germany's most noted film artists, producing successful films with the stars of the period, among others Hans Albers
Hans Albers
Hans Philipp August Albers was a German actor and singer. He was the single biggest male movie star in Germany between 1930 and 1945 and one of the most popular German actors of the twentieth century.- Life and work :...
, Heinz Rühmann
Heinz Rühmann
Heinrich Wilhelm "Heinz" Rühmann was a popular German film actor.-Life and work:Rühmann was born in Essen, Westphalia. His role in the 1930 movie Die Drei von der Tankstelle led him to film stardom. He remained highly popular as a comedic actor throughout the 1930s and early 1940s...
, Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films. She won three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, and the Tony Award for Best Actress. She is ranked as the fourth greatest female star of American cinema of all time by the American Film Institute...
and Zarah Leander
Zarah Leander
Zarah Leander was a Swedish actress and singer.Leander began her career in the late 1920s, and by the mid 1930s her success in Europe, particularly in Germany and the Scandinavian countries, led to invitations to work in the United States...
.
Some of the best-known of the films he made during this period were:
- 1934: Ich für dich, du für michIch für dich, du für michIch für dich, du für mich is a 1934 German film directed by Carl Froelich.- Cast :*Maria Wancka*Inge Kick*Ruth Eweler*Ruth Claus*Karl Dannemann*Carl de Vogt*Knut Hartwig*Eleonore Stadie*Liselotte Wahl*Heinz Rippert*Paul W. Krüger...
for the Reich Propaganda Directorate of the NSDAP - 1938: HeimatHeimatHeimat is a German word that has no simple English translation. It is often expressed with terms such as home or homeland, but these English counterparts fail to encapsulate the true meaning of the word.-The meaning of Heimat:...
- 1940: Das Herz der KöniginDas Herz der KöniginDas Herz der Königin is a 1940 German historical film, making selective use of the life story of Mary, Queen of Scots and her execution by Queen Elizabeth I for anti-British propaganda purposed, in the context of the Second World War going on at the time.The cast included* Zarah Leander, starring...
("The Queen's Heart"), an anti-BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
historical film about Mary, Queen of Scots - 1941: Der Gasmann, a propaganda filmPropaganda filmThe term propaganda can be defined as the ability to produce and spread fertile messages that, once sown, will germinate in large human cultures.” However, in the 20th century, a “new” propaganda emerged, which revolved around political organizations and their need to communicate messages that...
, in which Heinz Rühmann plays a gas-meter reader suspected of being a foreign spy
Culture politics
Froelich became a member of the National Socialist PartyNational Socialist Party
Parties in various contexts have referred to themselves as National Socialist parties. Because there is no clear definition of national socialism, the term has been used to mean very different things...
in 1933 and took over the direction of the Gesamtverbandes der Filmherstellung und Filmverwertung ("Union of Film Manufacture and Film Evaluation"). In 1937 he was awarded a professorship and in 1939 was appointed president of the Reichsfilmkammer
Reichsfilmkammer
The Reichsfilmkammer was a public corporation based in Berlin that regulated the film industry in National Socialist Germany between 1933 and 1945...
, an office which he retained until the end of the war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1945. The Reichsfilmkammer was subordinate to the Reichskulturkammer
Reichskulturkammer
The Reichskulturkammer was an institution of Nazi Germany. It was established by law on 22 September 1933 in the course of the Gleichschaltung process at the instigation of Reich Minister Joseph Goebbels as a professional organization of all German creative artists...
, which as a National Socialist trade organisation regulated and controlled access to all artistic professions. He was one of the few filmmakers that received the title "Filmprofessor" from Goebbels.
After the end of the war
After the end of the war Froelich was arrested and in 1948 de-NazifiedDenazification
Denazification was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of any remnants of the National Socialist ideology. It was carried out specifically by removing those involved from positions of influence and by disbanding or rendering...
. His studio had been badly damaged during the war and did not resume production. Only two more films were made under his direction before his death: Drei Mädchen spinnen and Stips.