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Max Burghardt | |
|---|---|
 Max Burghardt | |
| President of theCultural Association of the German Democratic Republic | |
| In office 1958–1977 | |
| Preceded by | Johannes R. Becher |
| Succeeded by | Hans Pischner |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1893-11-27)November 27, 1893 Wickendorf,Schwerin,German Empire |
| Died | January 22, 1977(1977-01-22) (aged 83) East Berlin,German Democratic Republic |
| Political party | Socialist Unity Party of Germany (1946–) Communist Party of Germany (1930–1946) |
| Spouse(s) | Marianne Gornig Charlotte Massenburg-Burghardt |
| Alma mater | Marxist Workers' School |
| Awards | Patriotic Order of Merit, honour clasp (1973) Order of Karl Marx (1970 & 1968) Patriotic Order of Merit, in gold (1965 & 1963) National Prize of the German Democratic Republic (1959 & 1952) Patriotic Order of Merit, in silver (1955) |
| Military Service | |
| Allegiance |  German Empire |
| Service | Imperial German Army |
| Battles / wars | First World War |
Max Burghardt (November 27, 1893 – January 22, 1977) was a German actor, director, and president of theCultural Association of the GDR.
Burghardt was born in Wickendorf,Schwerin, where his maternal grandfather owned a small estate nearLake Schwerin. He lived there for about three to four years and then moved with his family toBerlin-Moabit. One of his school friends wasGustav von Wangenheim, who later also became known as an actor. Burghardt later stated that his first visit to the theater, to see theFriedrich Schiller playThe Robbers at theSchiller Theater in Berlin, inspired him to become an actor.[1]
Following his parents' divorce in 1910, Burghardt moved toRostock. In Rostock he worked initially for an insurance company and later for a bookseller.
Burghardt studied at the Maria Moissi Acting School inBerlin from 1913 to 1914. At the acting school he adopted aspects of the acting style ofAlexander Moissi.[2]
At the beginning of theFirst World War, Burghardt volunteered for theImperial German Navy inKiel, but was rejected. Later, he volunteered for the 17th Dragoon Regiment inLudwigslust and joined the cavalry.[2] After basic training he was sent to theEastern Front and fought on theDaugava. He was taken to a hospital with a knee injury and later transferred back to Ludwigslust. In the late autumn of 1917, he was transferred to the infantry, where he worked as a telephone operator at regimental headquarters and returned to theEastern Front.
After the conclusion of the war, Burghardt resumed his acting career inBremen, where he was hired as a trainee at the Bremen City Theatre. His first important role was as Mortimer inMary Stuart at theTheater Lübeck. During this time he took acting lessons fromHermann Wlach, who worked inHamburg.
InPlauen, Burghardt met the opera singer Charlotte Massenburg, whom he married a year later inDarmstadt. After the marriage, he acted predominantly in theFrankfurt region, in order to remain closer to his wife. The growing popularity of theNazi Party begun to cause problems, especially for his wife, who was exposed to hostility on account of herJewish heritage. Burghardt spent time in Berlin writing short stories and poetry.
In 1930, Burghardt and his wife became members of theCommunist Party of Germany (KPD); they had previously been close to the party for a long time. The couple attended theMarxist Workers' School together; with their first teacher beingKurt Hager. In 1932 Burghardt returned to Frankfurt from Berlin to play the role ofHamlet at the Frankfurt Artists' Theater.
After the Nazi Party seized power in 1933, the theater scene in Germany changed dramatically. He continued to act in Frankfurt, and wroteradio plays during this time.
Burghardt sheltered political opponents of the Nazis, including Alexander Maaß andMax Opitz. He also undertook underground activities on behalf of the bannedCommunist Party of Germany; travelling toBasel andZurich to make contact with Swiss communists.
On December 5, 1935, Burghardt was arrested by theGestapo inDegerloch, on account of his association withLilo Herrmann.[2] He spent two years in prison awaiting trial. During his trial he was found not guilty oftreason, which carried the death penalty. He was sentenced to four years and six months in prison on other charges. Burghardt was sent to theLudwigsburg Prison to serve his sentence. However, after serving his sentence, he was not immediately released, instead being transferred to a prison camp inWelzheim. After about a year in Welzheim, he was released on April 6, 1941.
After the conclusion of theSecond World War, Burghardt tried to get permission to run acabaret stage in Bremen, but was rebuffed by theAmerican occupation authorities.
Burghardt then had an opportunity to head a radio station inStuttgart, but was prevented from doing so by American occupation authorities on account of his communist sympathies.
On February 10, 1946, Burghardt received a visit from his friend Alexander Maaß. Maaß had considerable influence withBritish occupation authorities and was able to offer Burghardt the directorship ofNordwestdeutscher Rundfunk (NWDR) radio station inCologne. In 1946, Burghardt became a member of theSocialist Unity Party (SED).[2]
Burghardt's appointment to the directorship of the Cologne NWDR radio station drew considerable criticism, particularly in conservative circles.Konrad Adenauer complained about the "red director" accusing the British occupation authorities of ignorance.
At the radio station, he was able to recruitKarl-Eduard von Schnitzler,Els Vordemberge,Karl Georg Egel, andKarl Gass. Burghardt's visit to a public rally byWilhelm Pieck andOtto Grotewohl in Cologne on July 21, 1946, caused tension between him and British occupation authorities.
In 1946, Burghardt was able to premiere a play he had written during the warJudiths Sohn (trans. Judith's Son) in Stuttgart.
Despite the political tensions, Burghardt was considered for directorship of theNordwestdeutscher Rundfunk, but ultimately not selected. Eventually, British occupation authorities became increasingly unsettled about the communist sympathies of both Burghardt andKarl-Eduard von Schnitzler. Due to this conflict, he resigned in late 1946.
After leaving Cologne,Friedrich Wolf brought him to Berlin. Wolf introduced Burghardt toErich Weinert. Weinert hired Burghardt to oversee the postwar reconstruction of the theatre industry in theSoviet occupation zone. During this time, Burghardt was initially lived in the still damagedHotel Adlon but later obtained an apartment inNiederschönhausen. He later brought his wife Charlotte, who had remained inCologne but had since become ill withangina, to Berlin.
In 1950, Burghardt was made general director of theLeipzig Municipal Theater at the suggestion of his friend Max Opitz, who was now mayor of Leipzig. In 1951, Burghardt became a member of theAcademy of Arts.
The world premiere ofRobespierre took place in Leipzig, directed by Arthur Jopp, with the president of the German Democratic Republic, Wilhelm Pieck, in attendance, accompanied by Otto Grotewohl and Max Opitz. Other notable performances include:The Maid of Orleans bySchiller, Die Flamme von Paris byBoris Asafyev,Wat Tyler byAlan Bush,Florian Geyer byGerhart Hauptmann, and theWinterschlacht byJohannes R. Becher. The premiere of theWinterschlacht took place in February 1953 and was attended byBertolt Brecht.
Paul Dessau's adaption ofFriedrich Wolf's poemDie Studentin von Stuttgart was premiered in Leipzig under Burghardt. Many further plays by Wolf would be performed in the theater. These included:Die Matrosen von Cattario, Tai Yang erwacht,Der arme Konrad, andBürgermeister Anna. The premiere ofDer arme Konrad on October 1, 1953, was also the last theater performance that Wolf attended before he died on October 5, 1953.[3]
From 1954 to 1963, Burghardt wasintendent of theBerlin State Opera. He was appointed byJohannes R. Becher, Minister of Culture of the German Democratic Republic. He replaced Henner Allmeroth. The State Opera building was still under construction, so theAdmiralspalast served as a temporary venue.[4]
Burghardt attempted to recruitErich Kleiber as a conductor at the State Opera. Kleiber came to Berlin, but ultimately declined the role for political reasons.[5]Franz Konwitschny became the new music director in Kleiber's place.[6] Various other artists left the State Opera around this time, includingLovro von Matačić.
The rebuilt Berlin State Opera building was opened on September 4, 1955, withIphigenia in Aulis. The performance ofWozzeck byAlban Berg was an early success for the opera. Other notable performances under Burghardt's tenure include: theNeue Odyssee byRobert Hanell,Der Revisor byWerner Egk,Krutnava byEugon Suchon,Richard Wagner'sGötterdämmerung, Werner Egk 's operaPeer Gynt was performed to mark his 60th birthday. The work had its premiere at the German State Opera in 1938.andOttmar Gerster'sThe Witch of Passau, a dramatic opera ballad set during thePeasants' War.
In 1958, Burghardt became president of the Cultural Association of the German Democratic Republic, succeeding Johannes R. Becher.[7] In 1959, he became a member of theCentral Committee of theSocialist Unity Party.[2]
On May 21, 1961, his wife Charlotte died of astroke in Berlin.[8]
The construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 imposed challenges for the opera. Around 200 employees residing inWest Berlin terminated their contracts. Although the employees could still cross intoEast Berlin after the construction of the wall, their salaries could no longer be converted fromEast German marks intoWest German marks. Despite these challenges, the opera was still able to proceed with a November 22, 1961, performance ofFidelio.
Facing increasing health problems, Burghardt asked the then minister of cultureHans Bentzien to release him from directorship of the State Opera; to allow him to concentrate exclusively on his role as president of theCultural Association. Burghardt ultimately left his position at the State Opera in 1963, with his recommendation for successor,Hans Pischner, holding the role until 1988.[9][10]
Around this time, Burghardt married Marianne Gornig, whom he had met in the 1950s when she was mayor ofOttendorf-Okrilla. Upon his death in 1977, he was succeeded as president of theCultural Association of the GDR byHans Pischner.[2][10]