Joe Strassner

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Joe Strassner , even Joe Straßner (* 28 April 1898 in Berlin-Charlottenburg as John Frederick Strassner , † around the 14. March 1970 in New York City , New York , USA ) was a German fashion designer and costume designer , the most important member of his profession in German films before 1933.

Life

John 'Joe' Friedrich Strassner began his professional career at the theater in Munich . He later returned to Berlin and opened his own fashion salon on Kurfürstendamm . Since the mid-1920s, the cinema began to gain importance in Strassner's career. When it came to silent films, he was mainly active for Eichberg-Film, the production company of director Richard Eichberg . At this time he met Eichberg's protégé Lilian Harvey , for whom he was to work particularly intensively at the beginning of the sound film age .

Strassner's designs were characterized by great chic, elegance and glamor. His costumes and suits were worn by the most important stars of those years, including Hans Albers , Heinz Rühmann , Käthe von Nagy , Elisabeth Bergner , Willy Fritsch , Emil Jannings and Anna Sten . Numerous celebrities on the screen were also privately dressed by Strassner. Together with Lilian Harvey, Strassner accepted an offer from Hollywood at the beginning of 1933 , where he initially designed the costumes for two less successful US American Harvey films. In view of the lack of connection offers, Strassner left the USA again, but as a Jew could no longer return to Germany, which had meanwhile become National Socialist.

Joe Strassner settled in London in 1934 and became the leading costumer in British cinema until the early 1940s. Strassner was involved in a number of key productions by directors Paul Czinner and Alfred Hitchcock . In early 1937, Strassner announced the opening of his own fashion salon in London. His company 'Strassner Ltd., Haute Couture' existed until spring 1941. At that time, in the midst of the Battle of Britain , the Jew Strassner left the UK, which was becoming unsafe for him, and moved to the USA. Strassner settled in Los Angeles and took American citizenship. There is hardly any evidence of activities in the USA; he no longer worked in film or theater. Most recently, Joe Strassner lived in New York .

Filmography

literature

  • Kay Less : "In life, more is taken from you than given ...". Lexicon of filmmakers who emigrated from Germany and Austria between 1933 and 1945. A general overview. ACABUS Verlag, Hamburg 2011, ISBN 978-3-86282-049-8 , p. 492.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Strassner, Joe
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Strassner, Joe; Strassner, John Friedrich (birth name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German fashion and costume designer
DATE OF BIRTH April 28, 1898
PLACE OF BIRTH Berlin-Charlottenburg
DATE OF DEATH around March 14, 1970
Place of death New York City , New York , USA