Portrait of the photographer Alexander Binder by Thomas Staedeli

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Alexander Binder

The well-known signature of Alexander Binder

1888 - 1929

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The photographer Alexander Binder was the most important German portrait photographer of movie stars of the silent movie era. He had nearly all important movie stars of his time in front of his camera, among others Emil Jannings, Ernst Lubitsch, Hans Albers, Greta Garbo, Willy Fritsch, Lilian Harvey, Leni Riefenstahl, Douglas Fairbanks and Lil Dagover.

Alexander Binder was born in Alexandria in 1888 and was presumably of Swiss origin. Later he studied engineering science without finishing it.
From 1908 he worked for the Munich Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt für Photographie where he learnt the ability of a photographer.

He took the plunge in 1913 into the freelance work and he founded his first own photo studio in Berlin. Two years later he moved at the Kurfürstendamm where he became the No. 1 address for portraiture. His photo studio was regarded as the biggest one in Europe in the 20s.

Already at an early stage of his career he portrayed silent movie stars. Many of his photographs were published by publishers like Photochemie and especially Ross which are still existing today as autograph cards in a huge number. The actor/actresses portraits made him famous internationally.

Besides his portrayal he also worked for advertisements and for the fashion trade.

Alexander Binder often marked his photos with his in white written signature "Binder" in the picture.

For the atelier Binder may have worked many photographers over the years and a lot of them learnt their trade at this studio.

Alexander Binder died surprisingly in 1929 at the age of only 40 years. He was on the height of his career.

His photo studio was continued by his wife Binder-Allemann, his two daughters and by Liesel von Stengel. Like Alexander Binder all were Jewish. In 1938 the National Socialists dispossessed them and Liesel von Stengel was deported to the KZ Theresienstadt. There she was able to survive the inhuman conditions as a Kapo - an attendant nominated from the prisoners. She died in Ascona/Switzerland in 1978. It is unknown what happened with the family Binder.

The photo studio survived but there are different information about the continuation. On the one hand they say that the photographer Hubs Floter took over the studio in 1938 - he was an employee of the studio since 1935 - and that after his conscription call his wife took over the function. On the other hand they say that the photographer Karl Ludwig Haenchen continued the photo studio in 1938.

During the years 1929 till 1938 (perhaps even longer) the pictures of the studio were still published with the signature of Alexander Binder although he did not shoot the pictures himself.

After World War II the photo studio Binder was taken over by the company Hasse und Wiese.

Gallery of movie portraits by Alexander Binder

Truus van Alten 1910 - 1999	Alfred Abel 1879 - 1937	Fritz Achterberg 1880 - 1971	Marcella Albani 1899 - 1959	Hans Albers 1891 - 1960	Luciano Albertini 1882 - 1945	Erna Alberty ? - ?	Bernd Aldor 1881 - 1950
Dorothea Albu 1903 - ?	Georg Alexander 1888 - 1945	Ferdinand von Alten 1885 - 1933	Edith d'Amara ? - ?	Irene Ambrus 1904 - 1990	Betty Amman 1907 - 1990 mit Modekünstlerin Mirowa	Lena Amsel 1898 - 1929	Fern Andra 1894 - 1974
Karl Armster 1883 - 1943	Valy Arnheim 1883 - 1950	Hansi Arnstaedt 1878 1945	Lu L'Arronge ? - ?	Nils Asther 1897 - 1981	Carl Auen 1892 - 1972	Margit Barnay 1896 - 1974	Leopold Bauer ? - ?
Theodor Becker 1880 - 1952	Carl Beckersachs 1881 - 1951	Olga von Belajeff 1900 - ?	Henry Bender 1867 - 1933	Anita Berber 1899 - 1928	Harry Berber 1886 - 1972	Siegfried Berisch ? - 1933	Else Berna ? - ?
Steffa Bernhard 1901 - ?	Paul Biensfeldt 1869 - 1933	Käthe Bill ? - ?	Teddy Bill 1900 - 1949	Sybille Binder 1895 - 1962	Lars Birbach ? - ?	Michael Bohnen 1887 - 1965	Ilse Bois 1896 - 1960
Carmen Boni 1904 - 1963	Ferdinand Bonn 1861 - 1933	Valery Boothby 1904 - 1982	Inge Borg ? - ?	Elfriede Borodin 1909 - 1993	Else Bötticher 1880 - 1966	Hans Brausewetter 1899 - 1945	Kurt Brenkendorf 1882 - ?
Gerd Briese 1897 - 1957	Elga Brink 1905 - 1985	Hanna Brinkmann 1895 - 1984	Louise Brooks 1906 - 1985	Rolf Brunner ? - ?	Gisa Bund ? - ?	Eugen Burg 1871 - 1944	Diana Carenne 1888 - 1940
Lizzi Castella ? - ?	Carmencita Chamira ? - ?	Nils Chrisander 1884 - 1947	Lillebil Christensen 1899 - 1989	Mady Christians 1896 - 1951	Rita Clermont 1894 - 1969	Maria Corda 1898 - 1976	Jonnie Cox ? - ?
Lil Dagover 1886 - 1980	Lily Damita 1904 - 1994	Gerhard Dammann 1883 - 1946	Betty Darmand ? - ?	Bruno Decarli 1877 - 1950	Maly Delschaft 1898 - 1995	Olga Desmond 1890 - 1964	Xenia Desni 1897 - 1962
Ernst Deutsch 1890 - 1969	Wilhelm Diegelmann 1861 - 1934	Wilhelm Dieterle 1893 - 1972	Marlene Dietrich 1901 - 1992	Barbara Dju ? - ?	Hugo Döblin 1876 - 1960	Fred Döderlein 1906 - 1985	Lucy Doraine 1898 - 1989
Anita Dorris 1903 - 1993	Käthe Dorsch 1890 - 1957	Blandine Ebinger 1899 - 1993	Ada van Ehlers 1899 - 1981	Richard Eichberg 1888 - 1952	Lilian Ellis 1907 - 1951	Mogens Enger 1894 - 1918	Agnes Esterhazy 1891 - 1956
Evi Eva 1899 - 1985	Karin Evans 1907 - 2004	Josef Ewald ? - ?	Douglas Fairbanks 1883 - 1939	Julius Falkenstein 1879 - 1933	Maria Fein 1892 - 1965	Cilly Feindt 1909 - 1999	Fritz Feld 1900 - 1993
Angelo Ferrari 1897 - 1945	Hugo Flink 1879 - 1947	Olaf Fjord 1897 - 1945	Lilli Flohr 1893 - 1978	Olaf Fönss 1882 - 1949	Heidi Ford ? - ?	Willi Forst 1903 - 1980	Ellen Frank 1904 - 1999
Olivia Fried 1911 - ?	Willy Fritsch 1901 - 1973	Gustav Fröhlich 1902 - 1987	Alphons Fryland 1888 - 1953	Elsie Fuller 1902 - ?	Wladimir Gaidarow 1893 - 1976	Greta Garbo 1905 - 1990	Viola Garden 1902 - 1993
Otto Gebühr 1877 - 1954	Cécile Gelers ? - ?	Vivian Gibson 1893 - 1981	Erika Glässner 1890 - 1959	Ingeborg Gleichen ? - ?	Curt Goetz 1888 - 1960	Bernhard Goetzke 1884 - 1964	Rolf von Goth 1906 - 1981
Dina Gralla 1905 - 1994	Cläre Grieger ? - ?	Sascha Gura 1896 - ?	Olga Gzowskaja 1883 - 1962	Käthe Haack 1897 - 1986	Dolly Haas 1910 - 1994	Liane Haid 1895 - 2000	Anneliese Halbe 1894 - 1986
Harry Halm 1902 - 1980	Max Hansen 1897 - 1961	Harry Hardt 1899 - 1980	Stella Harf 1890 - 1979	Hella Hartwig ? - ?	Lilian Harvey 1906 - 1968	Claire Hayn ? - ?	Alice Hechy 1893 - 1973
Grit Hegesa 1891 - 1972	Paul Heidemann 1884 - 1968	Edith Heinrich ? - ?	Brigitte Helm 1908 - 1996	Trude Hesterberg 1892 - 1967	Gertrud Hoffmann ? - ?	Ernst Hofmann 1890 - 1945	Loo Holl ? - ?
Dary Holm 1897 - 1960	Gerda Holmer 1904 - 1983	Reva Holsey 1911 - 1987	Evelyn Holt 1906 - 2001	Paul Hörbiger 1894 - 1981	Camilla Horn 1903 - 1996	Tatjana Irrah ? - ?	Emil Jannings 1884 - 1950
Victor Janson 1884 - 1960	Ria Jenda 1898 - ?	Babette Jenssen 1909 - ?	Mary Johnson 1896 - 1975	Jenny Jugo 1904 - 2001	Zinaida Jurjevskaja 1892 - 1925	Fritz Kampers 1891 - 1950	Dora Kasan 1900 - ?
Bruno Kastner 1890 - 1932	Mary Kid 1901 - 1988	Marga Kierska ? - ?	Lucy Kieselhausen 1897 - 1926	Herbert Kiper 1897 - 1978	Melitta Klefer 1893 - 1987	Eugen Klöpfer 1886 - 1950	Leopoldine Konstantin 1886 - 1965
Siri von Kora ? - ?	Werner Krauss 1884 - 1959	Mely Lagarst ? - ?	Harry Lamberts 1895 - 1928	Max Landa 1873 - 1933	Inge Landgut 1922 - 1986	Gilda Langer 1896 - 1920	Viggo Larsen 1880 - 1957
Max Laurence 1852 - 1926	Franz Lederer 1899 - 2000	Fred Louis Lerch 1902 - 1985	Lori Leux 1896 - 1964	Gritta Ley 1903 - ?	Lya Ley 1899 - 1992	Rose Liechtenstein 1887 - 1955	Harry Liedtke 1882 - 1945
Georgia Lind 1905 - 1984	Margo Lion 1899 - 1989	Lo Lolotte ? - ?	Theodor Loos 1883 - 1954	Ernst Lubitsch 1892 - 1947	Curt Lucas 1888 - 1960	Anny Lucas-Navarra ? - ?	Max Mack 1884 - 1973
Max Magnus ? - ?	Helena Makowska 1893 - 1964	Fee Malten 1911 - 2005	Lya Mara 1897 - 1960	Carmen Marah ? - ?	Fay Marbé 1899 - 1986	Oscar Marion 1896 - 1986	Mona Maris 1903 - 1991
Hilde Maroff 1904 - 1984	Ernst Matray 1891 - 1978	André Mattoni 1900 - 1985	Gerda Maurus 1903 - 1968	Eva May 1902 - 1924	Mia May 1884 - 1980	Ila Meery 1915 - 2010	Rudolf Meinert 1882 - 1943
Edith Meller 1897 - 1953	Hans Mierendorff 1882 - 1955	Marietta Millner 1894 - 1929	Alexander Moissi 1879 - 1935	Hella Moja 1890 - 1951	Trude von Molo 1906 - 1989	Phoebe Monard ? - ?	Beni Montano ? - ?
Dene Morel 1901 - 1928	Erna Morena 1885 - 1962	Paul Morgan 1886 - 1938	Grete Mosheim 1905 - 1986	Anna Müller-Lincke 1869 - 1935	Vony Myriame ? - ?	Käthe von Nagy 1904 - 1973	Pola Negri 1897 - 1987
Lotte Neumann 1896 - 1977	Alwin Neuss 1879 - 1935	Ellinor Niell ? - ?	Asta Nielsen 1881 - 1972	Aud Egede Nissen 1893 - 1974	Veronika Nitschmann ? - ?	Ralf Nordeck ? - ?	Ethel Orff ? - ?
Ressel Orla 1889 - 1931	Martha Orlanda ? - ?	Maria Orska 1893 - 1930	Berthe Ostyn 1906 - ?	Richard Oswald 1880 - 1963	Ossi Oswalda 1897 - 1947	Paul Otto 1878 - 1943	Anna von Palen 1875 - 1939
Max Pallenberg 1877 - 1934	Mizzi Parla ? - ?	Dita Parlo 1908 - 1971	Lee Parry 1901 - 1977	Reinhold Pasch 1883 - 1965	Maria Paudler 1903 - 1990	Albert Paulig 1873 - 1933	Herbert Paulmüller 1858 - 1939
Heinrich Peer 1867 - 1927	Agnes Petersen 1906 - 1973	Ivan Petrovich 1894 - 1962	Ellen Petz 1899 - 1970	Leo Peukert 1885 - 1944	Lupu Pick 1886 - 1931	Mary Pickford 1892 - 1979	Harry Piel 1892 - 1963
Elisabeth Pinajeff 1900 - 1995	Werner Pittschau 1902 - 1928	Anton Pointner 1890 - 1949	Rosa Porten 1884 - 1972	Elizza la Porta 1902 - 1997	Edith Posca 1892 - 1931	Lya de Putti 1897 - 1931	Hanna Ralph 1888 - 1978
Ernst Reicher 1885 - 1936	Grete Reinwald 1902 - 1983	Ellen Richter 1891 - 1969	Eva Richter ? - ?	Arnold Rieck 1876 - 1924	Leni Riefenstahl 1902 - 2003	Johannes Riemann 1888 - 1959	Walter Rilla 1894 - 1980
Ita Rina 1907 - 1979	Lily Rodien ? - ?	Claire Rommer 1904 - 1996	Else Roscher ? - ?	Lore Rückert ? - ?	Heinz Rühmann 1902 - 1994	Rita Sacchetto 1880 - 1959	Thea Sandten 1884 - 1943
Fritzi Schadl 1905 - 1975	Ina Schätz ? - ?	Joseph Schildkraut 1896 - 1964	Vera Schmiterlöw 1904 - 1987	Robert Scholz 1886 - 1927	Heinrich Schroth 1871 - 1945	Reinhold Schünzel 1888 - 1954	Friedrich Schütze 1891 - 1968
Guido Schützendorff ? - ?	Grete Sellin ? - ?	Dagny Servaes 1894 - 1961	Kissa von Sievers 1889 - ?	Ferry Sikla 1865 - 1932	Walter Slezak 1902 - 1983	Sybil Smolowa 1900 - ?	Vladimir Sokoloff 1889 - 1962
Maria Solveg 1907 - 1993	Emmy Sonnemann 1893 - 1973	Senta Söneland 1882 - 1934	Eva Speyer 1883 - 1932	Marianne Stanior 1910 - 1967	Anna Sten 1908 - 1993	Klaus Sternheim 1908 - 1946	Magnus Stifter 1878 - 1943
Ilse Stobrawa 1908 - 1987	Olaf Storm 1894 - 1931	Henry Stuart 1885 - 1942	Hans Stüwe 1901 - 1976	Lu Synd 1886 - 1978	Szöke Szakall 1883 - 1955	Rita Tanagra ? - ?	Elza Temary 1905 - 1968
Mechthildis Thein 1888 - 1959	Erna Thiele 1895 - ?	Carola Toelle 1892 - 1958	Christa Tordy 1904 - 1945	Anni Törsz ? - ?	Ludwig Trautmann 1885 - 1957	Luis Trenker 1892 - 1990	Wanda Treumann 1889 - ?
Olga Tschechowa 1897 - 1980	Manja Tzatschewa ? - ?	Rosa Valetti 1876 - 1937	Nina Vanna 1899 - 1953	Conrad Veidt 1893 - 1943	Rose Veldtkirch 1891 - 1971	Ernst Verebes 1902 - 1971	Hedda Vernon 1886 - ?
Susi Vernon 1901 - 1997	Carl de Vogt 1885 - 1970	Vera Voronina 1905 - ?	Hanna Waag 1904 - 1995	Steffi Walidt ? - ?	Walter-Wolff ? - ?	Hertha von Walther 1903 - 1987	Gustav v. Wangenheim 1895 - 1975
Aruth Wartan 1880 - 1945	Hans Wassmann 1873 - 1932	Hanni Weisse 1892 - 1967	Grete Weixler ? - ?	Gertrude Welcker 1896 - 1988	Molly Wessely ? - ?	Paul Westermeier 1892 - 1972	Maria Widal ? - ?
Mathias Wieman 1902 - 1969	Marianne Winkelstern 1910 - 1966	Eduard v. Winterstein 1871 - 1961	Hermann Wlach 1884 - 1962	Arete Woltze ? - ?	Hilde Wörner 1894 - 1963	Emmy Wyda 1876 - 1942	Friedrich Zelnik 1885 - 1950
Bruno Ziener 1870 - 1941	Manny Ziener 1887 - 1972	Mira Hörmann-Richter ? - ?	Charlotte Freyer ? - ?	Edith Hamann ? - ?	Cordy Millowitsch 1890-1977	Erich Pommer Producer 1889-1966	Ludwig Kainer 1885-1967 Art Director
Paul Graetz 1889-1937	Helena Makowska 1893-1964	Emmy Denner	Maria Elsner 1905 - 1983

Special serial "Stars with Cars"

Lee Parry 1901 - 1977	Harry Piel 1892 - 1963	Lya de Putti 1897 - 1931	Paul Heidemann 1884 - 1968
Johannes Riemann 1888 - 1959	Hanni Weisse 1892 - 1967 und Curt Bois 1901 - 1991	Maria Corda 1898 - 1976, Georg Alexander 1888 - 1945 und Lya de Putti 1897 - 1931	Maly Delschaft 1898 - 1995 und Leo Peukert 1885 - 1944
Car with Ernst Hofmann, Margot Landa, Irene Ambrus und Truus van Aalten	Adler Coupé with Morell, Walter Slezak, Vera von Schmitterlöw, Oskar Marion, Hertha von Walther	Car with Norma Shearer, Elisabeth Pinajeff und Ruth Rickelt

Galery of miscellaneous portraits by Alexander Binder

Albert Speer Architect 1905 - 1981	Hans Poelzig Architect 1869 - 1936	Erich Ludendorff General 1865 - 1937	Paul Löbe Politician 1875 - 1967	Ernst Müller-Meiningen Politician, Jurist 1866 - 1944	Gustav Stresemann Politician 1878 - 1929	Bobby E. Lüthge Screen Writer 1891 - 1964	Edith von Coler Writer 1895 - 1949
Marianne Mosner 1912 - 1988 und Charlotte Roman ? - ? Cabaret artists	Genia Radow Stage artist ? - ?	Erich Engel Movie Director 1891 - 1966	Lotte Eckener Photographer 1906 - 1995	G. H. Emmerich Gründer Fotoschule 1870 - 1923	Manfred v. Brauchitsch Race Driver 1905 - 2003	Bruno Loerzer Fighter Pilot 1891 - 1960	Frank Arnau Writer 1894 - 1976
Hedwig Courth-Mahler Writer 1867 - 1950	Cäsar Flaischlen Lyricist 1864 - 1920	Bruno Frank mit Frau Writer 1887 - 1945	Artur Landsberger Writer 1876 - 1933	Friedrich Werner von Oesteren Writer 1874 - 1953	Luigi Pirandello Writer 1867 - 1936	Rudolf Presber Writer 1868 - 1935	Annemarie Schwarzenbach Writer 1908 - 1942
Carl Zuckmayer Writer 1896 - 1977	Marianne Alfermann Singer 1891 - 1954	Elisabeth Blatzheim Singer ? - ?	Elisabeth van Endert Singer 1876 - 1956	Edwin Heyer Singer 1885 - 1966	Grace Holst Singer 1892 - 1975	Karl Gentner Opera Singer 1876 - 1922	Elfriede Marherr Singer 1888 - 1973
Konstanze Nettesheim Singer 1900 - 1965	Beate Roos-Reuter Singer 1899 - 1994	Mafalda Salvatini Singer 1886 - 1971	Josef Schwarz Singer 1880 - 1926	Claire Waldoff Singer 1884 - 1957	Hermann Wehling Singer ? - ?	Emmy Zimmermann Singer 1878 - 1954	Friedrich Holländer Composer 1896 - 1976
Richard Strauss Composer 1864 - 1949	Wilhelm Furtwängler Conductor 1886 - 1954	Erich Kleiber Conductor 1890 - 1956	Felix von Weingartner Conductor 1863 - 1942	Dajos Béla Violinist 1897 - 1978	Harriet Cohen Pianist 1895 - 1967	Heinrich Jolles Pianist 1902 - 1965	Tatjana Barbakoff Dancer 1899 - 1944
Baby Cornay Dancer ? - ?	Isadora Duncan Dancer 1877 - 1927 Sergei Yesenin Lyricist 1895 - 1925	Little Esther Dancer 1915 - ?	Yvonne Georgi Dancer 1903 - 1975	Gina und Roberts Dancing Duo ? - ?	Tamara Karsawina Dancer 1885 - 1978	Rudolf Kölling Dancer 1904 - 1970	Riccardo de Luca Dancer 1904 - 1970
Ruth Marcus Dancer 1909 - 1990	Maja Mat Dancer ? - ?	Cat Nemo Dancer ? - ?	Tatjana Schimanowskaja Dancer ? - ?	Irma Westphal Dancer ? - ?	Yvette und Roberts Dancing Duo ? - ?	Paul Simmel Painter 1887 - 1933	Elisabeth Rodzin Miss Germany 1928 ? - ?
Edith Andreae Salonnière 1883 - 1952	Esther Glück ? - ?	Gerti Reimann ? - ?	Elfriede Elisabeth Köhler Wife and Muse of Rudolf Schlichter 1902 - 1975	Sascha Teit Fashion Designer ? - ?	Hilde Zimmermann Modell ? - ?	Gertrud Hoffmann Wife of Karl Freund ? - ?	Ilse Domgraf-Fassbaender Berliner Society ? - ?
Lillyclaire von Gontard Berliner Society ? - ?	Marie-Louise und Regine von Graffenried Swiss Society ? - ?	Wilhelmine von Preussen ? - ?	Käthe Boddien ? - ?	Njura Noskaja ? - ?	Nele ? - ?	Gerda Rademacher ? - ?	Unbekannt Child Model
Unbekannt Child Model	Unbekannt Child Model	Unbekannt Child Model	Unbekannt Child Model	Unbekannt Child Model	Unbekannt Child Model	Unbekannt Child Model	Unbekannt Child Model
Unbekannt Child Model	Unbekannt Child Model	Alexandra de Vaux Child Model	Unbekannt Child Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model
Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Lieselotte Boll Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model
Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model
Unbekannt Models	Unbekannt Models	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Liselotte Semera Model	Stephani von Huneralsky Model
Unbekannt Model	Unbekannt Model	Cerina Kirchhofer Model	Steffi Bischoff Model	Inge Model	Unbekannt Models	Unbekannt Model	Hans Redding Motorist
Asch Wednesday with Maria Paudler, Agnes von Esterhazy, Harry Liedtke und Ernst Verebes	Car	Car "Adler"	Boat	Boat	Roses	Spätsommertag	Paris
Dog	Margret Pfahl-Wallerstein 1897-1950 Sängerin	Margrete von Kluck ? - ?	Paula Schwarz Modell	Kronprinz Wilhelm	Neugebauer auf N.A.G.	Baronin Veronika von Goldschmidt - Rothschild 1902-1965	Marie - The Morél Theaterschauspielerin ? - ?
Irene Palasty Sängerin 1898 - 1985	Ruth Patzschke Sängerin ? - ?

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