Passport Land - Grete Mosheim
(1905-1986)
Biography
Grete Mosheim, born Margarete Emma Dorothea Mosheim, (8
January 1905, Berlin, Germany - 29 December 1986, New York, NY) was a
leading German film,
theatre and television actress of Hungarian Jewish ancestry.
Grete Mosheim
started her acting career at the age of 17 and was a member of
the Deutsches Theatre,
Berlin from 1922 to 1931. She began studying at Max Reinhardt's School
of Drama under Berthold Held in early 1922, alongside Marlene
Dietrich. Grete Mosheim
and Dietrich discovered they had both had affairs with Held, and became
close friends. Mosheim became established under Max Reinhardt, and he
gave her the chance to
substitute in the American play "The Speaking Ape" when the female lead
became ill. Mosheim learned the difficult role from Albert Bassermann
in just 24 hours and became a superstar almost overnight.
Until 1933,
when Grete Mosheim went to London to escape Adolf Hitler's rise to
power, she was
pre-eminent in the Berlin theatre scene. She appeared in a wide variety
of roles, being equally at home in drama and comedy. After intensive
study, she mastered English well enough to appear in "Two Share a
Dwelling" in London in 1934. She appeared again on stage in Germany in
1952, but did not return to films until her appearance as the
grandmother in "Moritz, Dear Moritz" in 1978.
Grete Mosheim
appeared in numerous German films, mostly silent movies, starting with
"Michael" in 1924. Until she fled Germany in 1933, she starred in many
important films, including "Dreyfus" (1930) and "Yorck" (1931).
Grete Mosheim married twice, but had no children. On 28 June 1928, she
married (1) Oskar
Homolka, the actor, in Berlin. They divorced
in London in 1933, after leaving Germany. On 16 May 1937, she married
(2) Howard
Gould (8 June 1871, New York, NY
- 13 September 1959), the American industrialist in Klagenfurt,
Austria. She was living at Mongewell Park,
Wallingford, Berkshire, England until she emigrated from Southampton to
New York, sailing on the Queen Mary on 15 Dec 1938. In 1938, her
nationality was "Stateless" and her race or people was "Hebrew". Her
travel document was issued in London on 20 Oct 1938.
Margarete Emma Dorothea Gould became a naturalized US citizen on 24
January 1944, when she was 5' 2" and weighed 106 lbs. From
1942-1944 (at least), Grete Gould and Howard Gould were living in an
apartment at the Plaza
Hotel, New York. Grete Mosheim and Howard Gould divorced in 1947. From
14-19 Sep 1949, Margarete E D Gould sailed first class on the RMS Queen
Elizabeth from Cherbourg, France to New York, NY. She was single and
living at 37 E 64th St, New York, NY.
In 1976, Grete M Gould was living at 250 E 63rd St, Apt 21c, New York,
NY. She had also lived at 2 W 86th St, New York, NY. Grete Mosheim died
of cancer in New York City on 29 December 1986, aged 81. You can read
more about her at Wikipedia.
Lori Lahner
Her sister was the actress Lori Lahner, born Lori Mosheim (13 July
1914, Germany - 14 Feb 1964, Los Angeles, CA), who had a brief
film career, appearing in "Summer Storm" in 1944. Lori Lahner married
Erwin Oskar Brettauer (15 Feb 1884, Frankfurt am Main Germany - 28 Mar
1973, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA). In 1936, Erwin Oscar
Brettauer was a widowed physician with Austrian nationality, living in
Melide, Lugano, Switzerland. In 1937, he was a Banker, with Austrian
nationality. In 1939, he was a Dr of Philosophy, without nationality.
Also in 1939, he was a Professor, without nationality. In 1942, he
founded Angelus Pictures with Seymour Nebenzahl. From 1944-46 (at
least), Erwin O. Brettauer and Mrs
Lori Lahner
Brettauer lived at 7209 Hillside Av, Los Angeles. They were both US
citizens by 1948. In 1951, they lived
at 102 Hartportnay, Beverly Hills, CA.
Erwin Oscar Brettauer and Lori Lahner had children:
- Margo Ervi Brettauer (19 Jan 1947 - ). In 1970, Dr Ervi M
Brettauer was living at 1113 Tower Rd, Beverly Hills, CA.
- Karin H Brettauer (31 Dec 1949, Los Angeles, CA - ). Probably the
same person as:
- Ossi Gretehelen Brettauer (31 Dec 1949, Los Angeles, CA - )
Lori Lahner had grandchildren: Kevin Thomas Brettauer/Wagner (20 Mar
1985, Los Angeles, CA-), Emily Margarete Brettauer/Feldstein (25 Sep
1990, Los Angeles, CA-), and Michael Brettauer.
Ancestry
Grete Mosheim's father was ______ Mosheim.
Grete Mosheim's mother was ______ Hilgers.
They had at least two children:
- Margarete Emma Dorothea Mosheim, (8
January 1905, Berlin, Germany - 29 December 1986, New York, NY)
- Lori Mosheim (13 July 1914, Germany - 14 Feb 1964, Los Angeles,
CA)
Passport
This 1936 passport includes journeys to France, Germany, Egypt, Sudan,
Italy and Switzerland.
