Sybille Schmitz(1909-1955)
- Actress
- Soundtrack
The enigmatic actress remains one of the most interesting figures in
German film. Although she achieved stardom early in her career, the
tragic Sybille Schmitz could never fit in with her surroundings. Too
"alien looking" for Hollywood, Schmitz never migrated to America like
her more glamorous peers and began losing roles in her native Germany
as well due to her vaguely Semitic appearance and ties to the Jewish
community. After the war, like many former UFA stars, Sybille was seen
as a painful reminder of the Third Reich and she was once more
displaced by the optimistic "new look" actresses. With acting being her
sole reason to thrive, Sybille Schmitz began to drink heavily and rely
on drugs as her career sank lower and lower. She finally committed
suicide under mysterious circumstances on April 13, 1955, while being
"cared for" by a corrupt lesbian doctor she was living with at the time
of her death.
