Hanna Schygulla’s 70th Birthday
70 years. This is a fact. We bow to the unequaled Hanna Schygulla. Kudos to you!
And now on to a personal note wherein we dare to turn to some basic math. We would like to divide the seventy by two and say: Half your life. This, honored Hanna Schygulla, brings us to 1978, the year when Rainer Werner Fassbinder created THE MARRIAGE OF MARIA BRAUN with Hanna Schygulla as lead actress. Doubtless a personal highlight, a portrayal quoted synonymously with the New German Film. Cult.
This was 35 years ago. Since then, the kaleidoscope called life has caused countless facets to sparkle. The relationship between Schygulla and Fassbinder was multi-facetted, complex, complicated. In the autobiography she just published (Wach auf und träume) she gives a detailed summary of their connection.
It is fair to suggest that he without her or she without him would certainly have changed the path of German post-war film.
For many years, the Rainer Werner Fassbinder Foundation has been on very good and amicable terms with you, dear Hanna Schygulla. Our relationship is a professional one in the best sense of the word. Whenever we do meet, it is always great fun, and our get-togethers are filled with mutual respect.
The only RWFF team member who remembers “Hanna” back from the old RWF time is Juliane Maria Lorenz. We all send our congratulations on your great day, joining a large group of felicitators. And we know quite well that if every single one of us brings just one of the uncounted facets in the birthday girl’s biography to sparkle, then everything will be glorious!
Happy Birthday, dear Hanna Schygulla!
The Team of the Rainer Werner Fassbinder Foundation
More information
http://www.kulturradio.de/programm/sendungen/131225/kulturtermin_1904.html
Photo right: © RWFF / photo: Barbara Baum