Irm Hermann turns 70
Currently performing at the Komische Oper and the Volksbühne in Berlin
On October 4, the actress born Irmgard Hermann in Munich in 1942 joins the “70s club.” This year also sees her continuing to expand her already wide spectrum of roles in theater, radio, television and film. She can currently be seen in two Berlin stage productions: as Frau Amtsgerichtsrat in Glaube Liebe Hoffnung (Faith, Hope and Charity) by Ödön von Horváth at the Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz (next performance on October 16) and at the Komische Oper as the Kaiser in the operetta Im Weißen Rößl, which begins its new season on October 14. In addition, she appears in the film VATERTAGE – OPA ÜBER NACHT (Grandpa Overnight), which is currently playing throughout Germany.
Before becoming an actress, Irm Hermann trained to work in publishing and went on to work for the magazine Quick and then as a secretary for the ADAC automobile association. She got to know Rainer Werner Fassbinder in 1966 at a drama competition for young people held in Munich’s Jazzkeller. Soon afterwards he cast her in his short film THE CITY TRAMP. This proved to be the beginning of a collaboration that would ultimately comprise nineteen films. Beginning with Fassbinder’s first feature-length film, LOVE IS COLDER THAN DEATH (1969), Hermann embodied women in Fassbinder’s work whom he saw as devoid of Hollywood clichés. In 1972, Irm Hermann’s performance in MERCHANT OF FOUR SEASONS won her the German Film Prize.
From 1975 onwards, after withdrawing from the group around Fassbinder, Hermann appeared in numerous films by other renowned directors, including Hans W. Geißendörfer, Werner Herzog, Reinhard Hauff and Percy Adlon. However, she returned to RWF for WOMEN IN NEW YORK, BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ and LILI MARLEEN.
In the last 45 years Irm Hermann has appeared in over 100 films and television productions, delivering legendary performances under the direction of Christoph Schlingensief (THE GERMAN CHAINSAW MASSACRE and THE 120 DAYS OF BOTTROP), Loriot (PAPPA ANTE PORTAS) and Gerhard Polt (GERMANIKUS).
She was awarded the German Film Prize a second time in 1983 for playing the main role in Percy Adlon’s “THE FIVE LAST DAYS,” a drama about the anti-Nazi “White Rose” group. In 2000 she was part of the ensemble of actors awarded Berlin Film Festival’s “Golden Bear” for Rudolf Thome’s PARADISO – SEVEN DAYS WITH SEVEN WOMEN. In 2009, she was again nominated for the German Film Prize in the category of “Best Supporting Actor” for her performance in ANONYMA – A WOMAN IN BERLIN.
The Rainer Werner Fassbinder Foundation warmly congratulates Irm Hermann on her birthday and wishes her all the very best!
More information:
Komische Oper Berlin
Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz
Photo left: © Bernd Hennig / RWFF, 2007
Photo right: Irm Hermann in HÄNDLER DER VIER JAHRESZEITEN, 1971 © RWFF