Eva-Maria Hagen | |
|---|---|
 Hagen in 1981 | |
| Born | Eva-Maria Buchholz (1934-10-19)19 October 1934 |
| Died | 16 August 2022(2022-08-16) (aged 87) Hamburg, Germany |
| Occupation(s) | Actress and singer |
| Years active | 1957–2022 |
| Spouse | |
| Partners |
|
| Children | Nina Hagen |
| Relatives |
|
Eva-Maria Hagen (née Buchholz;German:[ˈeː.fama.ˈʁiː.aˈhaːgŋ̩]ⓘ; 19 October 1934 – 16 August 2022) was a German actress and singer. She was known as the "Brigitte Bardot of theGDR" but was banned from performance for political reasons.
Hagen was born Eva-Maria Buchholz[2] inKöltschen (present-day Poland) on 19 October 1934,[3] the daughter of farm workers fromEast Brandenburg.[4] In 1945, Költschen was occupied by the Soviet army and the family was expelled.[5] They moved toPerleberg, which became part of the GDR in 1949.[5]
In 1952, after completing an apprenticeship as a machinist, she was trained at theErnst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin.[6] She joined theBerliner Ensemble in 1953.[7] Hagen made her theater debut in 1953 inErwin Strittmatter's playKatzgraben directed byBertolt Brecht at the Berliner Ensemble.[8]
In 1957, she made her film debut inKurt Maetzig's comedyDon't Forget My Little Traudel.[9] Her film career led to her being called the "Brigitte Bardot of the GDR".[10] From 1958, she acted at theMaxim Gorki Theater in Berlin.[1] At theLandestheater Dessau, she had continued success as the flower girl Eliza in the musicalMy Fair Lady.[3]
In 1965, she metWolf Biermann.[5] Despite becoming a successful film actress she was sidelined because of her relationship with Biermann.[11] He was a singer-songwriter whose politics kept him unemployed. In 1972, Biermann and Hagen separated.[5] In 1976, she publicly protested against Biermann's expatriation. She was dismissed without notice from the German television broadcasterDeutscher Fernsehfunk (DFF) in the GDR and banned from working.[12] In 1977, Hagen's citizenship in the GDR was revoked,[13] and she moved to West Germany the same year.[7]
She built up a second career as a chanson singer in addition to film and theater.[14] After thefall of the Berlin Wall, Hagen made films inBabelsberg again, appeared on stage asMedea orMother Courage or sang Brecht songs.[3] She painted in oil and went on reading tours with her own books.[13]
In 1954 she marriedHans Oliva-Hagen and they had a child named Catharina, singer and actressNina Hagen.[15] She divorced him in 1959[16] over psychological issues.[17]
Hagen lived in Hamburg, Berlin and theUckermark.[18] She is the grandmother ofCosma Shiva Hagen.[15]
Hagen died on 16 August 2022 in Hamburg, at the age of 87.[3][8]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
