Therese Giehse

Born in Munich to Jewish parents, textile merchant Salomon Gift (1849-1911) and Gertrud (née Hainemann, 1862-1934), she later adopted the surname Giehse. She attended acting lessons under Toni Wittels from 1918-20.

An ensemble member at the Munich Kammerspiele from 1926-33 and from 1949-73, on January 1, 1933, together with Magnus Henning, and Erika Mann and Klaus Mann, she founded the literary cabaret Die Pfeffermühle (The Peppermill). As a Jewish artist, she was forced to flee Nazi Germany later that same year. She emigrated to Switzerland, where she remained during the entirety of World War II. In 1936, Giehse married British author John Hampson-Simpson, thus gaining British citizenship, which could protect her from potential German attacks. From 1938-45 she worked at the Zürich Schauspielhaus. From 1949-52 she worked at the Berliner Ensemble.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Giehse continued to perform many lead roles in various theaters in Germany, often using her considerable comic skills to play character roles, as well as great dramatic roles, such as the leads in several landmark productions by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, the world premiere of "The Visit" in 1956, and "The Physicists" in 1962.

Director Paul Verhoeven died during the eulogy he delivered for her at the Munich Kammerspiele (22 March 1975).

Pictured on a 1 DM stamp, which was part of a series honoring women of the German history (11 November 1988).