Bela Jenbach

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Bela Jenbach , actually Béla Jacobowicz (born April 1, 1871 in Miskolc , Austria-Hungary , † January 21, 1943 in Vienna ) was an Austrian actor and operetta librettist of Hungarian origin.

Bela Jenbach was of Jewish origin and the brother of screenwriter Ida Jenbach . He was the co-author of several well-known operetta librettos. Jenbach died in the Auersperg sanatorium in Vienna and was buried in the Matzleinsdorf Evangelical Cemetery.

Bela Jenbach grave site

Life

Jenbach came to Vienna at the age of 18. At first he kept his head above water by doing odd jobs and writing trivial literature. He invested his earnings in speaking lessons and showed himself to be an extremely talented student, as he managed to lose his accent in a very short time. The foundation stone for his career was laid and he was engaged at the Vienna Burgtheater. He took this as an opportunity to change his name from Jacobowicz to Jenbach. He hoped for greater recognition and did not want to be immediately associated with his Jewish roots.

Depressed about the low earnings as a castle actor, he came to the "Operettenbörse" in Café Sperl to write libretti. He would have preferred to become a recognized author of spoken pieces, but working for operetta composers was simply more lucrative.

During the Nazi era, his working conditions deteriorated. Jenbach had a Catholic wife and a daughter. He did not think of emigrating. From 1940 he hid in a cellar near Vienna's Kaunitzgasse. After three years in this involuntary dungeon, Jenbach felt severe physical pain. He was hospitalized with terminal gastric cancer and died there on January 21, 1943. His wife only survived him by eight days. She died of breast cancer on January 29, 1943. Both daughters survived the Nazi regime in Vienna as women with a Jewish father.

Bela Jenbach was married to the actress Anna Brandstätter from Krems. Their daughter Lydia Jenbach comes from this connection.

In 1955 Jenbachgasse in Vienna- Hietzing was named after him.

Works

Trivia

Jenbach immortalized himself in the third act of the Csardasfürstin through his place of birth. The prince speaks of the married Bretteldiva from Miskolc.

literature

  • H. Giebisch, L. Pichler, K. Vancsa (Eds.): Small Austrian Literature Lexicon. Hollinek brothers, Vienna 1948.
  • Felix Czeike: Historical Lexicon Vienna. Volume 3. Kremayr & Scheriau, Vienna 1994.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Jenbach, Bela
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Jacobowicz, Béla
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian librettist and actor
DATE OF BIRTH April 1, 1871
PLACE OF BIRTH Miskolc
DATE OF DEATH January 21, 1943
Place of death Vienna