Heinrich Steffen
Heinrich Johann Christoph Steffen (born August 5, 1833 in Tanne ; † December 8, 1909 in Hildesheim ) was a German actor, director and theater director.
Life
Heinrich Steffen was born in Tanne as the son of master hammer smith Christian Steffen. From August 1840 to March 1848 Steffen attended the three-class elementary school in Tanne. After his confirmation he worked as a charcoal burner boy in the ducal forest. From May 1850 he became an apprentice in the Tanner ironworks.
His talent for acting was discovered during his time as an apprentice and he went to Braunschweig in 1853. There he became a volunteer at the Ducal Theater under the direction of Carl Schultes . After a short training period, he joined a group of theater actors and went on a tour of Germany's theaters. This trip took him to Königsberg, Puttbus, Dessau, Leipzig, Glauchau, Dresden and Berlin. In Dresden, Steffen worked as a director from 1872. Steffen was married from 1870 to the actress Maria Wohlbrück (born April 21, 1844 in Insterburg, died October 17, 1889 in Osnabrück).
On September 16, 1876, Steffen took over the first post of theater director in Paderborn. In December 1876 Steffen was appointed to the city theater in Münster. The theater flourished under his leadership. In 1877 he finally became princely theater director in Detmold and head of the spa theater in Bad Pyrmont. Steffen was in charge of the theaters in Detmold, Münster and Bad Pyrmont until spring 1892. Then he retired and died in Hildesheim in 1909.
Artistic work
The best and most famous actors in Germany performed at the theaters directed by Steffen. As a director he celebrated success in staging operas and comedies. In March 1873 Steffen had a meeting with Richard Wagner at the theater in Dessau . Steffen later described this meeting as "the greatest moment" of his life. His life was shaped by the fact that, although he came from a humble background and without any basic acting training, he rose to become a nationally known theater director of the 19th century.
publication
- Heinrich Steffen: From Köhler club to princely theater director. Memories from my 40-year life on stage. Benno Goeritz, Braunschweig 1904
literature
- Gunther Heuer: A look back at the Princely Theater in Detmold, under the direction of H. Steffen from 1877-1892. Detmold 1892
- Rudolf Vierhaus : German Biographical Encyclopedia (DBE). Volume 9: Schlumberger - Thiersch. Saur, Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-598-25039-2
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Steffen, Heinrich |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Steffen, Heinrich Johann Christoph |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German actor, director and theater director |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 5, 1833 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | fir |
| DATE OF DEATH | December 8, 1909 |
| Place of death | Hildesheim |