Alfred Bernau

Alfred Bernau

Alfred Bernau (real Adolf Breidbach, born March 6, 1879 in Engers near Neuwied, † May 20, 1950 in St. Wolfgang in the Salzkammergut ) was a German actor, director and theater director.

Wiener Kammerspiele

From 1916, Bernau was director of the Wiener Kammerspiele , which in 1919 became part of the Deutsches Volkstheater.

German Volkstheater Vienna

From 1918 to 1924 Bernau was director of the German People's Theater in Vienna.

As a director he campaigned for naturalism , neo-romanticism and expressionism and engaged Alexander Moissi , among others . An important director of his management was Karlheinz Martin , director of "activism", who u. a. Georg Kaiser's Gas I and II staged.

Bernau showed great skill in discovering important contemporary pieces, whereby he benefited from the relaxation of the censorship . Schnitzler's Professor Bernhardi was presented to the Viennese audience for the first time in 1918 after the play was banned, Bernau himself played the title role, followed in 1919 by Felix Salten's Der Gemeine . They played Walter Hasenclever , Fritz von Unruh , Ernst Toller . Bernau showed particular commitment to dramas by GB Shaw , Ibsen ( Peer Gynt and Die Kronprätendenten with a playing time of 6 hours) and Strindberg , whose Rausch was performed in 1918 with Raoul Aslan as Maurice. Numerous pieces reflected a pacifist mentality, such as Hasenclever's Antigone , Rolland's Die Zeit wirdommen and Hans Kaltneker's mystery The Sacrifice . Karl Schönherr's abortion drama It was premiered with Anton Edthofer and Lucie Höflich .

Veritable theater scandals generated Hermann Bahr's Die Voice (1918), Hans Müller's dirn drama Die Flamme with Ida Roland and above all Arthur Schnitzler's dance in the Kammerspiele attached to the Volkstheater on February 1, 1921, which resulted in the so-called "Reigen Trial".

Bernau's ensemble included names such as Josef Schildkraut , Oscar Sima , Hans Jaray , Lotte Medelsky , Wilhelm Klitsch , Hans Moser , Leopold Kramer , Traute Carlsen and her husband Karl Forest as well as Hansi Niese , Max Pallenberg , Fritzi Massary , Felix Bressart and Margarethe Koeppke (Wedekinds " Lulu "). The most celebrated guests included Alexander Moissi in Tolstoy's The Living Body (1922) and Grillparzer's Die Jüdin von Toledo (1923) as well as Tilla Durieux .

An important partner of Bernau was the set designer Oskar Strnad , who also equipped the house with a revolving stage . In productions with expressionist mass choreography and in numerous classic productions, the highlights of which are Goethe's Faust. A tragedy. and Stella and Büchner's Dantons death in 1921 , the two could not always convince audiences and critics.

In the course of cultural and political interests, Max Reinhardt showed Schöne Frauen with Hermann Thimig and Luise Rainer as well as The Nameless with Helene Thimig in 1922 , before opening the theater in der Josefstadt in 1924 .

In the course of the inflation, the Volkstheater ran into financial difficulties, and director Bernau was dismissed without thanks.

Munster municipal theaters

From 1929 to 1932 Adolf Bernau headed the Munster Municipal Theaters . In 1930 the city guide stated: “The theaters of the city of Münster see their primary task as being sites of true, refined art, to present classical works and works of modern authors in words and sounds and thus to act as cultural educational factors. In addition to drama and opera, the light muse can and should also come into its own. The modern operetta and the works of the composers around the turn of the century ensure hours of enjoyment, as do occasional rascals and antics. Above everything wafts a spirit of the noblest artistry, the most mature, most zealous creativity in the service of Thalia. A dance group also offers variety in the repertoire of the two stages in Münster. "

Web links

• Alfred Bernau in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• Entry on Alfred Bernau in the Austria Forum  (in the AEIOU Austria Lexicon )