Biography:

Theater legend Käthe Reichel is known worldwide as an outstanding performer of the works of Bertolt Brecht. Reichel was born in 1926 in Berlin, where she grew up and still lives.

A self-taught actress, she acted in various provincial theaters before becoming part of the Berliner Ensemble in 1950. There Brecht considered her his most talented actor and gave her leading roles. Her interpretation of Shen Te / Schui Ta in Brecht’s Der gute Mensch von Sezuan (The Good Person of Szechuan, 1957, dir. Benno Besson) brought her international acclaim.

In 1961, Reichel joined the Deutsches Theater ensemble, where she acted in important roles in the plays of Hebbel, Kleist, Sartre, and Handke. Her film debut was in Artur Pohl’s Corinna Schmidt, followed by important supporting roles in Levins Mühle, Die Legende von Paul und Paula, and Die Verlobte.

Käthe Reichel is also known for her political engagement. She was one of the co-organizers of the November 4, 1989 demonstration for freedom and democracy in Berlin. She has supported many international projects as a peace activist, and was awarded the Civil Rights Award in 2000 by the German Society for Civil and Human Rights.

Reichel’s closeness to Brecht is reflected in two volumes she wrote—Verehrter Brecht (2004) and Windbriefe an den Herrn b.b. (2006)—which address the meaning of life in conversation with the deceased artist.

Festivals & Awards:

Bibliography & More:

Reichel, Käthe. Verehrter Brecht [trans. Honored Brecht]. Hamburg: Europäische Verlagsanstalt. 2004.

Reichel, Käthe. Windbriefe an den Herrn b.b [trans. Wind Letters to Mr. b. b.]. London: Faber & Faber. 2006.