Hans Helmut Prinzler turns 75
A discerning film historian and refined stylist
The library in the Filmhaus on Potsdamer Platz in Berlin was already named after him in 2006. The former director of the Deutsche Kinemathek Hans Helmut Prinzler, who was born on September 23, 1938 in Berlin, is a renowned scholar and chronicler of the more than one-hundred-year history of cinema. And all those who know him can attest to his encyclopedic knowledge of almost all significant publications on international and particularly German film that have appeared over the last fifty years.
From 1969 to 1979, Hans Helmut Prinzler was director of studies at the German Film and Television Academy Berlin (dffb). From 1979 to 1990 he worked as a departmental director with the Deutsche Kinemathek Foundation, where he was responsible for events and publications, a role that included directing the Retrospective section of the Berlin Film Festival. He then spent a total of sixteen years as the Deutsche Kinemathek’s director. Since 1996 he has also been a member of the Berlin Academy of Arts in the Film and Media Art section, of which he was also director until 2009.
In 2008, he and the film journalist Michael Althen, who died far too young, presented their highly praised documentary AUGE IN AUGE – EINE DEUTSCHE FILMGESCHICHTE (Eye To Eye – All About German Film) at the Berlin Film Festival.
Today Prinzler continues to co-edit standard works on film and regularly updates his internet page with reviews of new books and reports on events within the film world – often linking them with short anecdotes and impressions drawn from his own experiences. For many years he has been an ardent supporter of the preservation of our cinematic heritage.
The Rainer Werner Fassbinder Foundation places great value on the work of Hans Helmut Prinzler, who for many years has been the foundation’s friend, prudent advisor and supporter, and congratulates him warmly on his birthday.
More information
- Hans Helmut Prinzler on filmportal.de
- Website of Hans Helmut Prinzler
Photo left: © rbb / Oliver Ziebe
Photo right: © Deutsche Kinemathek / Subbudha Kellner