Angela Winkler’s acting career has remained remarkably consistent since its start in the late 1960s, and it has been nothing short of stunning, with memorable roles in both German and international cinema. While she appeared in the 2018 remake of famed Italian horror director Dario Argento’s Suspiria and the popular German streaming series Dark, it was a number of films in the 1970s that made Winkler a star.
This month, learn German with the incredible films of Angela Winkler!
Get to Know Angela Winkler
Angela Winkler was born on January 22, 1944, in Templin, Germany, a small town north of Berlin. Born the third of five children, Winkler spent part of her childhood in Erlangen. Her mother had studied music, and her father was held as a prisoner of war by Russia during World War II.
At 17, Winkler dropped out of school to pursue acting. She briefly attended Stuttgart’s High School for Music and Performing Arts but left after only a few months. At the suggestion of colleagues, Winkler moved to Munich to take acting lessons with established actors Ernst Fritz Fürbringer and Hanna Burgwitz. By the mid-1960s, she had secured her first roles in theater and then film.
Today, Winkler splits her time between Berlin and France. She and her partner, artist Wigand Witting, have four children.
Die Verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum (The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum)
The classic 1975 film The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum was co-directed by Volker Schlöndorff and Margarethe von Trotta. It’s based on the book of the same title by Heinrich Böll.
Katharina (Winkler) meets Ludwig (portrayed by Jürgen Prochnow) at a party, and the two instantly connect. The next morning, the police arrive at Katharina’s apartment, revealing that Ludwig is a wanted man accused of terrorism and bank robbery. Suspicion falls on Katharina, too.
When the tabloid press gets wind of her association with Ludwig, they amplify the suspicion. Hounded by both the police and the media, Katharina is placed under unbearable pressure, with no one willing to hear her side of the story.
While the film claims to be a work of fiction, its narrative echoes real-life events, particularly criticisms of the German tabloid newspaper Bild.
The film also stars Mario Adorf as Kommissar Beizmenne.
Die Blechtrommel (The Tin Drum)
Set in Danzig after World War I, 1979’s The Tin Drum follows Oskar Matzerath, a little boy with a wisdom far beyond his years. Disillusioned by adults and the world around him, he decides to stop aging on his third birthday. On this birthday, he is gifted a tin drum. In this surreal and satirical film, Oskar drums incessantly while chaos mounts and the world edges toward World War II. Winkler has a prominent role in this film as Oskar’s mother Agnes.
The film version of author Günter Grass’ novel of the same name was a huge success in Germany. But, despite some controversial scenes, it also made its mark internationally, winning Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars in 1980.
Benny’s Video
Written and directed by Michael Haneke, 1992’s Benny’s Video is set in Vienna, Austria. Fourteen-year-old Benny (portrayed by Arno Frisch) is obsessed with violent films.
Although his family is wealthy, his mother (Angela Winkler) and father are emotionally and physically distant. As a result, Benny’s on his own a lot. He uses the time to make his own film: a gory documentary about a pig being slaughtered.
When he meets a girl at the video store, he offers to show her the documentary. What happens next is a series of unpredictable events that spiral out of control.
Practice, practice, practice! Be sure to explore more German-language films with other featured actors and actresses.
Photo by Joachim Gern used courtesy of Ausser Atem Artists. This post contains affiliate links.
