Hardy Krüger
In the film, Krueger plays a German Luftwaffe pilot shot
down in Britain in 1940, and his attempts to escape captivity are documented,
and the actor fits the criteria of a blond German soldier perfectly. Krueger
managed to live up to the archetype of the blond German soldier without
appearing cold and arrogant, thus avoiding the villainous role in the war films
that would inevitably follow. [Sources: 3, 5]
Kruger starred in the 1957 British film "The
Runaways," about a captured German fighter pilot who makes a series of
daring attempts to escape the Allies, which, as the title suggests, ultimately
succeeds . Kruger returned to show business after the war, starring in Otto
Premings' German version of The Moon is Blue (1953). Krueger wasn't interested
in the roles he got in Germany, and he looked for work in France, England and
Hollywood. [Sources: 8, 9]
He starred in the 1957 British war film How to Get Away,
about Franz von Weil, the only German prisoner of war who managed to escape
Allied custody and return to Germany. He later appeared in the 1957 British
film The Runaways and other English-language films such as 1977's Too Far
Bridge and 1978's Wild Goose. He left behind Pak and his children Christiana,
Malaika and Hardy Jr. from previous marriages. [Sources: 9, 12, 13]
Peter Keflein, Kruger's literary agent in Hamburg, said he
died suddenly and unexpectedly in California, where he lived with his third
wife, author Anita Parker. Kruger died "suddenly and unexpectedly"
Wednesday in California, where he lived with his third wife, American writer
Anita Parker, his Hamburg literary agent Peter Keflein said. [Sources: 3, 5]
Kruger was born in Berlin in 1928, the son of a supporter of
Adolf Hitler. He was a young actor, but in 1944 he was drafted into the
Wehrmacht, one of the Nazi armed forces. [Sources: 7]
After the war, he returned to acting, first in theatre and
later in the resurgent German film industry. He became a German film star in
the 1950s with Otto Preminger's The Young Frau in the Country (1953). Known as
Eberhard Krüger, he made his debut in The Young Eagles (1944), the last film in
Nazi Germany, mainly set in an aircraft factory. [Sources: 1, 5, 6]
After his acting debut at the age of 15, he was drafted into
the army and saw action during World War II. He returned to his German uniform
for one of his later roles as Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in the American
miniseries War and Remembrance (1988), based on the novel by Hermann Woux. At the
age of 15, Hardy made his film debut in a German film (Junge Adler (1944)), but
his acting career was cut short when, in 1944, at the age of 16, he was drafted
into the German army and assigned to the infantry. regiment. [Sources: 0, 1,
14]
In an interview with the German newspaper Bild in 2006,
Hardy recounted how he and his classmates were sent to the front as cannon
fodder in Hitler's futile attempt to stop the Allied advance. After the war,
Kruger found it difficult to pay for acting school, so he resumed his career
with small theater roles. Since the early 1950s, Krueger has appeared in two to
three films a year, mostly escapist films exclusively for home viewing—all of
which are permeated by his heartfelt appeal. Fluent in German, English and
French, Kruger has appeared in many European and American films. [Sources: 1,
3, 6]
German actor Hardy Krueger, best known for his roles in
films such as Barry Lyndon and A Bridge Too Far, has died at the age of 93.
Hardy Krueger, the German-born actor who had a long career in Hollywood with
films like A Bridge Too Far and Flight of the Phoenix, died Wednesday at the
age of 93, his agent said. . He acted in films all over the world, performed on
stage and wrote many books. Two of them, Christiana and Hardy Junior, became
well-known actors in Germany, performing on stage, film and television.
[Sources: 0, 2, 11]
However, Krueger later detailed how his experience with
older actors on set made him aware of the horrors of Adolf Hitler's dictatorship.
Krueger, who was 16 at the time, had to fight experienced American troops in
southern Germany. Kruger fled and went into hiding in Italy for the rest of the
war before returning to acting. [Sources: 3, 7, 8]
On set, Kruger learned more from the older cast about the
horrors of Nazi rule. Although Kruger was intended to be a propaganda film,
Kruger's encounter with senior actors on the set opened his eyes to the horrors
of Adolf Hitler's dictatorship. As the war turned against Germany, the Krugers
Hitler Youth was drafted into the newly formed SS Division Nibelungen.
[Sources: 1, 5, 8]
Hardy Krüger
In the film, Krueger plays a German Luftwaffe pilot shot
down in Britain in 1940, and his attempts to escape captivity are documented,
and the actor fits the criteria of a blond German soldier perfectly. Krueger
managed to live up to the archetype of the blond German soldier without
appearing cold and arrogant, thus avoiding the villainous role in the war films
that would inevitably follow.
In later years, Krueger supported movements to educate younger
generations about Nazi crimes and to confront neo-Nazi groups in postwar
Germany. After becoming a German film star in the 1950s,[2] Kruger increasingly
threw himself into roles in international films such as Hatari!, Flight of the
Phoenix, Wild Geese, Sunday and Cybele, A Bridge Too Far",
"Battle". Neretwas, Mystery of St. Victoria, The Red Tent, The
Runaways and Barry Lyndon. Krueger is considered one of the greatest German
actors in postwar cinema, and he has appeared in many notable Among the English-language
projects is the 1957 film The Runaways.
Kruger starred in the 1957 British film "The
Runaways," about a captured German fighter pilot who makes a series of
daring attempts to escape the Allies, which, as the title suggests, ultimately
succeeds . Kruger returned to show business after the war, starring in Otto
Premings' German version of The Moon is Blue (1953). Krueger wasn't interested
in the roles he got in Germany, and he looked for work in France, England and
Hollywood.
Peter Keflein, Kruger's literary agent in Hamburg, said he
died suddenly and unexpectedly in California, where he lived with his third
wife, author Anita Parker. Kruger died "suddenly and unexpectedly"
Wednesday in California, where he lived with his third wife, American writer
Anita Parker, his Hamburg literary agent Peter Keflein said.
Kruger was born in Berlin in 1928, the son of a supporter of
Adolf Hitler. He was a young actor, but in 1944 he was drafted into the
Wehrmacht, one of the Nazi armed forces.
He spent time as a prisoner of war but then escaped and hid
in Italy until the end of the war. Krueger deserted, was taken prisoner by the
Allies and was held captive for some time.
After the war, he returned to acting, first in theatre and
later in the resurgent German film industry. He became a German film star in
the 1950s with Otto Preminger's The Young Frau in the Country (1953). Known as
Eberhard Krüger, he made his debut in The Young Eagles (1944), the last film in
Nazi Germany, mainly set in an aircraft factory.
In an interview with the German newspaper Bild in 2006,
Hardy recounted how he and his classmates were sent to the front as cannon
fodder in Hitler's futile attempt to stop the Allied advance. After the war,
Kruger found it difficult to pay for acting school, so he resumed his career
with small theater roles. Since the early 1950s, Krueger has appeared in two to
three films a year, mostly escapist films exclusively for home viewing—all of
which are permeated by his heartfelt appeal. Fluent in German, English and
French, Kruger has appeared in many European and American films.
Again, as a former fighter pilot, Kruger starred in the
French film Les Dimanches de Ville dAvray, which won the Oscar for Best Foreign
Film in 1963. Joanna Matz in roles originally played by William Holden and
Maggie McNamara and each pair made cameo appearances in a different film. In
terms of quality, the 1950s were a difficult time for West German cinema, which
was still recovering from World War II, but it was also a time when many German
actors became internationally famous, including Kurt Jürgens, Romy Schneider,
Horst Buchholz, Maria Schell and Hardy Krueger, who died at the age of 93. When
no one wanted to see an actor from a country that brought death and destruction
to the people of this world, Hardy became the first German to star in films
that were shot in London, Paris, Sydney, Moscow, Stockholm. and Hollywood.
German actor Hardy Krueger, best known for his roles in
films such as Barry Lyndon and A Bridge Too Far, has died at the age of 93.
Hardy Krueger, the German-born actor who had a long career in Hollywood with
films like A Bridge Too Far and Flight of the Phoenix, died Wednesday at the
age of 93, his agent said. . He acted in films all over the world, performed on
stage and wrote many books. Two of them, Christiana and Hardy Junior, became
well-known actors in Germany, performing on stage, film and television.
However, Krueger later detailed how his experience with
older actors on set made him aware of the horrors of Adolf Hitler's
dictatorship. Krueger, who was 16 at the time, had to fight experienced
American troops in southern Germany. Kruger fled and went into hiding in Italy
for the rest of the war before returning to acting.
On set, Kruger learned more from the older cast about the
horrors of Nazi rule. Although Kruger was intended to be a propaganda film,
Kruger's encounter with senior actors on the set opened his eyes to the horrors
of Adolf Hitler's dictatorship. As the war turned against Germany, the Krugers
Hitler Youth was drafted into the newly formed SS Division Nibelungen.
Hardy Krüger
Obituary
At one stage a
“heart-throb” poll in a British fan magazine rated him at number two, second
only to Dirk Bogarde, with whom he starred in A Bridge Too Far (1977). His
great personal charm belied a steely determination, however, and this did not
always
German Actor HardyKruger, Star Of Adventure Movies, Dies
BERLIN (AP) — Hardy
Kruger, considered one of post-war Germany’s best actors, has died. He was 93.
His Hamburg-based
literary agent, Peter Kaefferlein, said Thursday that Kruger died “suddenly and
unexpectedly” Wednesday in California, where he lived with his third wife,
American-born writer Anita Park.
Kruger starred in
the 1957 British movie “The One That Got Away” about a captured German fighter
pilot who stages a series of daring attempts to escape the Allies and, as the
title suggests, finally succeeds.
His charm, good
looks and the fact that he deserted from the Nazi army toward the end of World
War II helped Kruger land further roles at a time when Germans of his
generation were still eyed with suspicion abroad.
Kruger appeared in
a string of English-language adventure and war movies, including “Barry Lyndon”
(1975), “A Bridge too Far” (1977) and “The Wild Geese” (1978).
In later years, he
focused on making travel films for German television, writing books and the
occasional stage performance.
Franz Eberhard
August Krueger was born April 12, 1928, in Berlin.
Initially, he
wanted to follow in the footsteps of his engineer father, but while at an elite
Nazi boarding school he appeared in the 1944 film “Junge Adler.”
While it was
intended as a propaganda movie, Kruger’s encounter with older actors on the set
opened his eyes to the horrors of Adolf Hitler’s dictatorship.
As the war turned
against Germany, Kruger’s Hitler Youth unit was drafted into the newly formed
SS division “Nibelungen.”
Kruger, who was 16
at the time, found himself fighting experienced American troops in southern
Germany.
In a 2006 interview
with German daily Bild, he recounted how he and his school friends were sent to
the front “as cannon fodder” in Hitler’s futile attempt to halt the Allies’
advance.
“I knew the war was
lost,” he told the newspaper. “I knew that there were concentration camps and
that the Nazis were a bunch of criminals.”
Ambition led Kruger
to Paris and London where he studied French and English, and dropped the umlaut
in his surname name, in the hope of landing more glamorous roles in foreign
films.
His breakthrough
came when English director Roy Baker picked Kruger for the role of Luftwaffe
ace Franz von Werra in “The One That Got Away.” Kruger managed to fit the
archetype of the blond German soldier without appearing cold and superior —
thereby avoiding being cast as the villain in the war movie roles that would
inevitably follow.
“I had no interest
in playing the war criminal,” Kruger said in a 2003 interview with German
magazine Der Spiegel, adding that he wanted to portray the many Germans who
found themselves unwilling participants in the war. In later years, Kruger
supported campaigns to educate younger generations about Nazi crimes and
confront neo-Nazi groups in post-war Germany.
“The fight against
racism and the education of young people was his personal mission in life,”
Kruger’s agent said in a statement. “His warm-heartedness, his joy for life and
his unshakable sense of justice made him unforgettable.”
Once again in the
role of a former fighter pilot, Kruger starred in the French movie “Les
Dimanches de Ville d’Avray,” which won an Academy Award for best foreign film
in 1963. Claude Martin, a former French ambassador in Berlin, said years later
that the film inspired sympathy for the Germans among French moviegoers whose
memories of the war were still fresh.
During the 1960s
and ’70s Kruger appeared in numerous international blockbusters, starring
alongside John Wayne in the safari movie “Hatari” (1962), and “The Flight of
the Phoenix” (1965), whose all-star cast included James Stewart, Richard
Attenborough and Peter Finch.
An avid traveler,
he once owned a farm in Tanzania at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro.
“After World War II
he was one of the first German actors to gain international recognition,”
Germany’s culture minister, Claudia Roth, said in a statement. “Hardy Kruger’s
power as an artist and his clear stance against right-wing violence will be
missed,” she said.
Kruger is survived
by Park and his children Christiane, Malaika and Hardy Jr. From previous
marriages.
Hardy Kruger Dies:
‘A Bridge Too Far’ & ‘Barry Lyndon’ Actor Was 93
German actor Hardy
Kruger, known for his roles in films including Barry Lyndon and A Bridge Too
Far, has died at the age of 93.
His death was
confirmed by his literary agent, Peter Kaefferlein, who told the AP that Kruger
died “suddenly and unexpectedly” on Wednesday at his home in California.
Born in Berlin in
1928, Kruger’s parents were Nazi party members, with the actor later in life
recalling his upbringing as a supporter of Adolf Hitler.
Having made his
acting debut at the age of 15, he was conscripted into the army and saw combat
during the Second World War. When he refused to ambush a group of U.S.
Soldiers, he was sentenced to death, only to be given a late reprieve. Kruger
deserted the army and hid out until the war was over. He later went on to
become a member of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, which campaigns against right-wing
extremism.
Returning to his
acting work, Kruger began appearing in German films, before a desire to act in
international cinema saw him land a key role in 1957 British film The One That
Got Away, in which he depicted the only German prisoner of war to successfully
escape from Allied custody and return to Germany.
He continued to
work in both European and American films, racking up a credits list that
boasted Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon, in which he played Captain Potzdorf,
Richard Attenborough’s A Bridge Too Far, in which he shared a scene with
Laurence Olivier, and The Wild Geese with Richard Burton.
Kruger leaves three
children: the actor Christiane Krüger, from his first marriage to Renate
Densow, and two from his second marriage to Francesca Marazzi; Malaika Krüger
and Hardy Krüger Jr. He lived with his third wife, Anita Park, in California.
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