Paul Wegener

Paul Wegener was born in Arnoldsdorf, West Prussia, part of the German Empire. His birthplace is currently part of Poland, under the name "Jarantowice". Wegener's family included a number of scientists, the most notable being his cousin Alfred Wegener (1880-1930). Alfred is remembered as the originator of the theory of continental drift.

He wanted to adapt the legend into film, and started co-writing a script with Henrik Galeen (1881-1949).

As most of his colleagues of this time he won his spurs at the theater. There he worked since 1895 and remained true to this profession till his death.

By 1906, he was part of an acting troupe led by Max Reinhardt (1873-1943). Reinhardt went on to become a film director.

Paul has no known relation to another Paul Wegener (1908-1993), who served as a Nazi Party official and an officer of the Schutzstaffel (SS). Paul Wegener initially followed legal studies in college, but dropped out in order to become a theatrical actor.

By 1912, Wegener himself had become interested in the film medium, and sought roles as a film actor.

In 1913, Wegener heard of an old Jewish legend, concerning the Golem.

In 1914 he shot "Der Golem"; with this movie he started a trilogy - probably the first one in film history - and it followed "Der Golem und die Tänzerin" (1917) and "Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam" (1920). With last one he achieved the first worldwide success for a German movie.

Their script was adapted into the film "The Golem" (1915), with Wegener and Galeen serving as the two co-directors. The film was a success and established Wegener as a celebrated figure in German cinema.

His first movies dealt with the "twilight zone" and created nearly fairytale lines. To this movies count "Rübezahls Hochzeit" (1916),"Der Yoghi" (1916) and "Der Rattenfänger" (1918).

Wegener returned to adapting the Golem legend into film, by directing a parody film in 1917 and the more serious "The Golem: How He Came into the World" (1920).

The 1920 film remains one of the classics of German cinema. Wegener's other films often reflected his personal interests, such as trick photography, the supernatural, and mysticism.

In 1926 he appeared in his only Hollywood film, Rex Ingram's The Magician, in which he played the Aleister Crowley-esque Oliver Haddo in an adaptation of Somerset Maugham's story, followed by The Strange Case of Captain Ramper in 1927. In 1928, he starred alongside Brigitte Helm in his old collaborator Henrik Galeen's adaptation of Hanns Heinz Ewers' Alraune, playing the Frankenstein-like Professor ten Brinken.

Predestined because of his appearance he played most of the time twilight characters, so in "Svengali" (1927), "Alraune" (1927) and "Unheimliche Geschichten" (1932) - Paul Wegenerss first sound film.

He continued his film career into the 1930s, and made the transition from silent films to sound films.

Under the Nazi regime (1933-1945), several actors and directors faced persecution or exile.

In the 30's he returned to the direction and captured movies like "Ein Mann will nach Deutschland" (1934) and "Unter Ausschluss der Öffentlichkeit" (1937) on the screen.

Wegener instead found himself favored by the regime and appeared regularly in Nazi propaganda films of the 1940s. Wegener personally disliked the regime (which had persecuted a number of his friends and associates) and reputedly financed a number of German resistance groups.

In 1945, with World War II over and Berlin in ruins, Wegener took initiative as president of an organization intended to improve the living standards for surviving citizens of Berlin.

He continued to appear in theatrical productions from 1945 to 1948, although he was suffering from an increasingly poor health.

In July 1948, Wegener collapsed on stage during a theatrical performance. The curtain was brought down and the rest of the performance was canceled. It was his last acting role, as he retired in an attempt to recuperate.

He died in his sleep in September 1948.