Leontine sagan biography

Jewish actress and coating director who achieved critical acclaim a while ago being forced to flee Nazi Frg for South Africa in 1933 most recent went on to co-found the Civil Theatre in Johannesburg. Name variations: Leontine Fleischer; Leontine Sagan-Fleischer; Leontine Fleischer-Sagan; Leontine Schlesinger. Pronunciation: Leon-teen-AH ZAH-gahn. Born Leontine Schlesinger on February 13, 1889, instruction Budapest, Hungary;died in Pretoria, South Continent, of cerebral thrombosis on May 20, 1974; daughter of Josef Schlesinger obtain Emma (Fasal) Schlesinger; attended elementary institute in Vienna, Austria, and elementary leading secondary school in Johannesburg, South Africa; attended the Acting School of nobleness German Theater (Reinhardt School) in Songster for the two-year course (1910–12); hitched Dr. Victor Fleischer (an archivist, melodramatist, and novelist); children: not known.

Awards:

Lion read San Marco at the Venice Single Festival (1932) for Mädchen in Composed (variously translated as Maidens in Unvarying, Girls in Uniform, and Children mosquito Uniform ).

Moved from Vienna to City with her parents sometime after 1900; returned to Berlin to attend blue blood the gentry Acting School of the German Region (1910); member of the Cooperative pleasant German Stage Actors (Genossenschaft Deutscher Bühnen-Angehöriger, GDBA, 1912–34), acting in various cities, including Vienna, Frankfurt am Main, presentday Berlin; directed Mädchen in Uniform (1931), which brought her worldwide acclaim, subject her second and only other film Men of Tomorrow (also titled Grassy Apollo ), in the United Community (1932); remained in UK after Racial Socialist takeover and toured South Continent (1933); produced operettas by Ivor Novello in London, Glasgow, New York, with the addition of other cities (1934–39); worked as grand stage director in Johannesburg and Capetown, South Africa (1939–42); helped co-found probity National Theatre in Johannesburg; produced cooperation the theater and BBC in Writer after 1943; returned to South Continent (1950s), where she worked as clever director and impresario there and give back Rhodesia until her death.

Major theater credits: (under direction of Erich Pabst) up to date in Onkelchen hat geträumt at primacy Komödie (Comedy) in Berlin (Aug.–Sept. 1924); (under direction of Carl Sternheim) whole in 1913 at the Komödie (1924); appeared as Der Glaube (Faith) in Jedermann and Liza in Der lebende Leichnam (The Living Corpse) at rank National Theater in Basel, Switzerland, through a tour with Max Reinhardt's playing company (1926); directed Freudiges Ereignis (Little Accident ) at the Komödie (1929); directed Children in Uniform at picture Duchess Theater in London (her twig production in England, 1932); subsequently produced Finished Abroad (1933); produced and pensive in Children in Uniform and Nine-spot Till Six in South Africa (1933); worked in London (1933–39); directedRichard IIIfor the Oxford University Dramatical Society (1934); played Lady Anne at the Commence Air Theatre (June 1934); directed person in charge produced numerous plays, including Murder dynasty Mayfair (1934), Glamorous Night (1935), Twosome Share a Dwelling (1935), Vicky (1935), O Evening Star (1936), Careless Exaltation (1936), The Old Maid (1936), Balalaika (1936), Crest of the Wave (1937), Venus in Silk (1937), Paprika (1938), The Scarlet Pimpernel (1938), and Illustriousness Dancing Years (1939); returned to Southeast Africa (1939–43); producedArc de Triomphe(1943), Trim Night in Venice (1944), and Facetious Rosalinda (1945) in London.

Leontine Sagan judicious acting from two masters of 20th-century theater, Max Reinhardt and Victor Barnowsky. Although the biographical details of become emaciated life remain scant, it is effective that she was far ahead tactic her time. Her films Mädchen welcome Uniform (1931) and Men of Tomorrow (1932), which used new photography mount sound techniques and handled radical topic matter, established Sagan as one objection the great directors in pre-World Battle II Germany and Britain.

Born in 1889 in Budapest, Hungary, Sagan was tender enough to be fully aware close the turn-of-the-century renaissance that took reside in in Europe prior to the happening of the First World War improve 1914. In fact, she spent put an end to of her childhood in Vienna, loftiness city that epitomized this cultural turn, before her family relocated in Southeast Africa in the early 1900s. Blue blood the gentry family's move was by no pitch unusual, since many Jewish immigrants consider Europe between 1901 and 1914 crucial order to escape the racism talented prejudice prevalent there.

Sagan certainly must control been influenced by the events exercise place around her while she was enrolled in primary school in Vienna, and these may well have sparked her interest in the theater while in the manner tha she attended secondary school in Southern Africa. In 1910, she returned connection Europe where she had been conventional at the Acting School of grandeur German Theater in Berlin, founded build up directed by Reinhardt. In attempting hitch develop a "theater for the masses" before World War I, he abstruse become famous, and he consistently benefactored, supported, and encouraged numerous novice choose, actresses, film directors, producers and artists in the 1920s and 1930s.

Following acquirement of her two-year course of read, Sagan began acting professionally and at the appointed hour joined the Cooperative of German Mistreat Actors (Genossenschaft Deutscher Bühnen-Angehöriger, GDBA) constrict 1912. It is uncertain when she first began using her stage term "Sagan"; however, she first appears do up this name in the 1912 copy of the New Theater Almanac (Neuer Theater Almanach), the official publication souk the GDBA.

During 1912 and 1913, Sagan played bit roles in Teplitz, Deutschland, and other smaller towns, intent soupзon building her reputation as a fastening actress. In 1914, she landed have time out first full-time professional job with calligraphic theater company at the Albert Performing arts in Dresden. In 1915, she was back in Austria at the Neue Wiener Bühne (New Vienna Stage), in she remained only one year beforehand leaving for Frankfurt am Main. Erstwhile during 1915 or 1916 (the faultless date and place are unknown), Sagan married Dr. Victor Fleischer, archivist promulgate the reigning prince of Liechtenstein concentrated Vienna, director of the Frankfurter Verlagsanstalt (Frankfurt Publishing House), and later deft freelance dramatist in Berlin. In Frankfort, Sagan established permanent residence with prepare husband and was active as entail actress, especially in the Neues The stage (New Theater), the Frankfurter Kammerspiele (Frankfurt Chamber Theater), and the Schauspielhaus (Acting House). She had at least connect different residences while in Frankfurt, previously finally settling in an apartment basis the Corneliusstrasse where she lived disseminate 1921 to 1927.

Frankfurt's most intelligent sportswoman was [Leontine] Sagan.

—Rudolf Frank

It is dense to be certain how many meticulous jobs Sagan actually had at peasant-like given time. She was employed full-time at various theaters in Frankfurt working party Main, while appearing concurrently in Vienna, Berlin, and very possibly in distress large European cities. In 1926, she took part in a tour show evidence of Switzerland with Max Reinhardt's theater organisation, performing as "Glaube" (Faith) in Jedermann and as Liza in Der lebende Leichnam (The Living Corpse), both roles typically associated with Helene Thimig . That same year, she performed lead to the first time in Berlin. Sagan appeared at two theaters in Metropolis am Main in the 1928–29 time, and also in Berlin at rank well-known Renaissance Theater and the Englisches Theater Deutscher-Schauspieler e.V. (The English Ephemeral for German Actors), which produced Truly plays for the interested elite. Make wet 1930, she was working full-time take care these two theaters, and living speedy an apartment in Berlin-Wilmersdorf.

Although Leontine Sagan was well known in theater enwrap by the middle 1920s, she prime achieved worldwide recognition for two pictures that she directed in the anciently 1930s. Using her highly developed aptitude accumulated from nearly 20 years sharing work in the theater as be over actress and director, she became operate instant celebrity when her first album Mädchen in Uniform (Girls in Uniform or Maidens in Uniform), starring Dorothea Wieck and Hertha Thiele , was released in 1931. Based on interpretation play Gestern und Heute (Yesterday gain Today) by Christa Winsloe , Mädchen in Uniform was the first Germanic film to be cooperatively produced. Decency Deutsche Film Gemeinschaft, comprised of pitch members and crew, was formed ultra for this purpose, and shares work company stock were distributed in see of salaries. This unusual production array alone would have secured Mädchen alternative route Uniform a place in film history; because the movie was an beautiful achievement as well, it established Sagan as one of the top motion-picture directors in interwar Germany.

Sagan, who gripped on the film under the observation of Carl Froelich, received the Celeb of San Marco at the 1932 Venice Film Festival for Mädchen, extra the movie attained widespread critical approbation for its fresh filming and expansion techniques as well as for loom over superb handling of a lesbian keynote. In fact, Mädchen in Uniform hype regarded as the first truly requisite critical lesbian film. Its structure is expert mixture of montage and narrative sequences. Sagan pioneered the use of superimposition of one character's face over another's to convey the psychological bond in the middle of them. This technique is used exclusively to show the attraction between decency teacher Fräulein von Bernburg and eliminate student Manuela von Meinhardis. Sagan as well utilized shadows to add depth other emotion. For instance, she used that technique in the lighting and perspicacious of the school's back staircase get into symbolize the girls' confinement. They interrupt not allowed to use the descend front stairs, which are reserved represent the teachers and administrative personnel.

The film's frank treatment of lesbianism and German discipline at a German girls' institute was also far ahead of regarding films at this time. The film, with its anti-fascist, anti-authoritarian, and anti-patriarchal themes, is truly amazing when sole considers that it was shot two years before Adolf Hitler's emerge to power. Perhaps it was connote this reason that Mädchen in Uniform was considered so scandalous upon sheltered original release, a reputation it held for many years to come.

After prepare tremendous success, Sagan quickly started travail on a new project in Cumulative Britain, the film Men of Tomorrow, released in 1932. This was skin texture of the first films produced timorous the Korda Studios, founded by brothers Alexander, Vincent, and Zoltan Korda, who had immigrated from Hungary in 1932 after having produced numerous successful motion pictures in their homeland. All three went on to notable film careers quandary Britain.

Sagan's influence on theater and filmmaking in the late 1920s and indeed 1930s was immense. Her novel techniques and original production methods revolutionized Teutonic theater, and this expertise was transferred to Britain when she decided make somebody's acquaintance stay there following the National Collective seizure of power in 1933. Saunter year, despite huge success in Author, Paris and Berlin, Mädchen in Uniform was banned by National Socialist Ethnic Minister Joseph Goebbels for the poisonous "moral attitude" that it promoted. Underneath directed by these conditions, it was certainly change one\'s mind for Sagan to stay in England. Sadly, after the release of Men of Tomorrow, which only had light success, Sagan never again worked chimp a motion picture director. From substantiate on, she contented herself with tier productions.

Without adequate language skills, it would have been nearly impossible, even book someone as talented as Sagan, be selected for find work in London. Many émigré artists had difficulty finding work complicated England and America, and as rendering number of refugees increased after 1938, the situation would become even go into detail dire. But Sagan's childhood and juvenescence in South Africa had

prepared her able-bodied for work in the U.K.; she had a superb command of depiction English language. In 1933, she toured South Africa with the "Capetown Store Society," directing and acting in a variety of productions. Despite the job situation, she was able to find work ad aloft her return to London in 1934. She produced plays for the Metropolis University Dramatical Society, notably Richard III in 1934, and operettas by Ivor Novello in London, Glasgow, New Royalty, and other cities from 1934 become 1939.

In 1939, Sagan helped found integrity Austrian exile theater "The Lantern" relish London; she is listed on nobility theater's official letterhead as a maecenas. "The Lantern" became one of excellence best-known refugee theaters in Britain tell actively promoted the British cause discredit the fight against fascism during Pretend War II. Many of those complicated with "The Lantern" also worked means the BBC developing programming for outward show into occupied Europe. In addition, Sagan was actively involved in the European exile PEN Club as a finance and patron of the arts, down with author Stefan Zweig and do violence to notable Austrians. PEN (Poets, Playwrights, Essayists, Editors and Novelists) had been supported in 1921 in London to brave racial hatred and intolerance.

Sagan again exchanged to South Africa in late 1939 and helped co-found the National Theatrical piece in Johannesburg. Afterwards, she worked whilst a director at the new ephemeral, toured extensively, and produced throughout Southbound Africa and Rhodesia. She was conducive in the development of South Mortal theater during the Second World Clash and was one of the best-known actresses and stage producers in interpretation country. In 1943, she returned lodging London with her husband Victor Fleischer and began work for the BBC. They remained in London for distinction duration of the war, and Fleischer died there in 1951. Following excellence death of her husband, Sagan shared to South Africa where she furthermore took up an active role pin down the theater of her adopted cloudless. For the next 23 years, \'til her own death on May 20, 1974, she produced and directed amuse South Africa. As far as commission known, she never remarried, and take five death certificate lists her as "widowed."

In 1981, Sagan's film Mädchen in Uniform celebrated its London revival, and bear hug recent years there has been restore critical attention paid to her be anxious, but to date no biography fortify Sagan has been published, and approximately are large gaps in the advice available on her.

sources:

Arnsberg, Paul. Die Geschichte der Frankfurter Juden seit der Französischen Revolution, Bd. III. Darmstadt: Eduard Roether, 1983, p. 412.

Brüne, Klaus, ed. "Mädchen in Uniform," in Lexikon des Internationalen Films. Reinbek bei Hamburg: Rowohlt, 1988, p. 2381.

Deutsches Bühnenjahrbuch. Berlin: Verlag F.U. Günther & Sohn, 1915–35.

Institut für Zeitgeschichte (Institute of Contemporary History), Munich, Deutschland. "Abridged Death Certificate of Leontine Sagan-Fleischer from the Republic of South Continent, May 14, 1980."

Goble, Alan, ed. The International Film Index, 1895–1990. Vol. 2. Munich: Bowker-Saur, 1991, p. 1480.

International Help Dictionary of Central European Emigrés 1933–1945. Volume II. Ed. by Herbert Top-hole. Strauss and Werner Röder. Munich: K.G. Saur, 1983, p. 1009.

Jüdisches Lexikon. Ein enzyklopädisches Handbuch des jüdischen Wissens deck vier Bänden. Bd. II. Berlin: Jüdischer, 1968 (reprint from 1928), p. 679.

Katz, Ephraim. The International Film Encyclopedia. London: Macmillan, 1982, p. 1009.

Krusche, Dieter, come first Jürgen Labenski. Reclams Film Führer. 9. Aufl. Stuttgart: Philipp Reclam jun., 1993, pp. 339–340.

Letter from Mr. Herbert Bacteriologist, Registry Archive of the City have a high opinion of Vienna, Austria, March 15, 1996.

Lyon, Christopher, and Susan Doll, eds. "Mädchen heavens Uniform," in The International Dictionary be in possession of Films and Filmmakers: Volume I. London: Macmillan, 1987, pp. 273–274.

Uglow, Jennifer S., and Frances Hinton, eds. The Macmillan Dictionary of Women's Biography. London: Macmillan, 1982, pp. 407–408.

Die Vertreibung des Geistigen aus Österreich. Zur Kulturpolitik des Nationalsozialismus. Ausstellungskatalog Hrsg. von der Zentralsparkasse examination Kommerzialbank, Wien, in Zusammenarbeit mit what's left Hochschule für Angewandte Kunst in Wien. Jänner–Februar, 1985.

Walk, Joseph. Kurzbiographien zur Geschichte der Juden, 1918–1945. Munich: K.G. Saur, 1988, p. 323.

Who Was Who sound the Theatre, 1912–1976. Detroit, MI: Turbulence Research, 1978.

suggested reading:

Berghaus, Günter, ed. Theatre and Film in Exile: German Artists in Great Britain, 1933–1945. Oxford: Composer, 1989.

Pally, Marcia. "Women in Love: Filmmakers who choose Lesbianism as a Subject," in Film Comment. Vol. 22. March–April 1986, pp. 35–39.

related media:

Mädchen in Uniform (98 min.), starring Hertha Thiele (as Manuela von Meinhardis), Dorothea Wieck (as Fräulein von Bernburg), Emilia Unda (as the Headmistress), Ellen Schwanneke (as Ilse von Westhagen), Hedwig Schlichter (as Fräulein von Kosten), and Gertrud de Lalsky (as Manuela's aunt), directed by Leontine Sagan, Deutsche Film Gemeinschaft, 1931.

Mädchen acquit yourself Uniform (95 min. remake of 1931 version), starring Romy Schneider (as Manuela von Menhardis), directed by Geza von Radvanyi , CCC, 1958.

Men of Tomorrow (also titled Young Apollo), starring Parliamentarian Donat (as Julian Angell) and Merle Oberon (as Ysobel d'Aunay), directed manage without Leontine Sagan, Korda Studios, 1932.

GregoryWeeks , University of Graz, Austria