Brigitte Horney

The manageably-sized collection, given to the Kinemathek by art historian Mayen Würdig-Beckmann in 1988, contains a variety of photos, mostly film stills, autograph cards and star portraits for German-language and international film productions as well as for theatre performances. It includes a photo of Luise Rainer in Castonier’s ‘Die Sardinenfischer’ (Freie Volksbühne Berlin, 1932). There are also a few private photographs and an album with pictures from Horney’s childhood. The written material comprises several editions of the ‘Illustrierter Film-Kurier’ serial programme as well as magazines such as ‘Filmwelt’, ‘Die junge Dame’, ‘Der Stern’ and the American-German postwar illustrated magazine ‘Heute’. They contain articles on Horney’s films and actors’ reports, including the ‘Stern’ coverage of ‘‘Biggi’s Start ins Leben’’, published in several instalments in June 1939. There is also a brochure from the Rogo-Werke in Oberlungwitz – the filming of ‘Du und ich’, directed by Wolfgang Liebeneiner, took place in the stocking factory in 1938. It was the first of several of Horney’s collaborations with the actor Joachim Gottschalk. Numerous newspaper articles with theatre and film reviews complete the inventory. The actress’ report about moving to the United States in 1952, for instance, was printed in several newspapers. Private correspondence is almost wholly lacking; only one letter with an autograph request (1964) and a letter from a Rogo-Werke employee (1987) are preserved as originals. (Text: Mirko Wiermann)