Hedwig Wangel

Hedwig Wangel’s estate is dispersed across several institutions. She personally gave part of her archive to the Deutsche Kinemathek in 1983. These holdings include a photo album with star postcards of fellow actors and actresses, augmented with personal dedications and Wangel’s annotations, as well as several photos from a theatre performance (1908) at the Internat Schloss Bischofstein boarding school directed by Wilhelm Ripke. There are also photos of Lucie Höflich, Else Heims with her son Gottfried Reinhardt, Erika von Kellermann, Walter Rilla, Albert Steinrück and Frieda von Zitzewitz. On a picture with Paul Wegener, Wangel noted: “Probe am Münchner Schauspielhaus, 1936” (Rehearsal at the Schauspielhaus in Munich, 1936). And she enhanced a photo of Adele Sandrock with the description: “mit ihr spielte ich in Riga die Kruisa schon 1895” (I performed at the Kruisa in Riga with her back in 1895). In addition, the archive contains a collection of individual photos and postcards, most often with longer dedications, for instance from Kristina Söderbaum, Wilhelmine Sandrock, Hermann Schomberg, and Hilde Körber. In a handwritten letter, dated 16 November 1937, Wilhelmine Sandrock informed her of the death of her sister Adele [here in translation]: “Dying is a step toward the attainment of completion. To my dear and esteemed Hedwig Wangel in everlasting memory of my most faithful and beloved sister Adele”. It included an unusual photo of Adele Sandrock in her casket. Just how much Hedwig Wangel was revered by her fellow actors and companions is also indicated by a photo with a dedication from Johannes Strauß [in translation]: “To a great artist and a warm and beautiful person ‒ in old, loyal friendship. Berlin-Dahlem, May 1940”. (Text: Gerlinde Waz)