Heidemarie Hatheyer

Heidemarie Hatheyer was an Austrian actress, singer and cabaret artist. She was born in Villach, Carinthia, Austria. After finishing high school she started to be a journalist but went instead to Vienna to play at the cabaret "Atelier am Naschmarkt". In 1936 she had her first stage engagement at the Theater an der Wien with Zarah Leander in "Axel an der Himmelstür" with music by Ralph Benatzky and lyrics by Paul Morgan and Hans Weigel.

In 1937 she worked at the Kammerspiele, Munich. And in 1942 an der Staatstheater Berlin. Luis Trenker discovered her for his film Der Berg ruft! (1938) , in which she became the leading lady. After that she signed a contract with Tobis Films. She played in Die Geierwally (1940) and I accuse (1941). After the war, because of her acting in this last Nazi-propaganda film, she was forbidden to play in cinema. Nevertheless, she played on stage in Germany, Switzerland and Vienna. From 1949 she was allowed to play again in cinema and on TV. In 1952 she married the author Curt Riess.

In the 60s she got many awards. In 1984 she got the German Filmband in Gold for her work in the German cinema and in 1989 the Filmband in Gold for acting in 1989 "Martha Jellneck".