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Grete Diercks

Grete Diercks

1890 - 1978

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Grete Diercks

The actress Grete Diercks was born as Margarete Dierkes. She got an education for acting and singing and was able to apply it in practice from 1906.
But her first experience on stage she already made at the age of ten when she went to a casting of the new opened Deutsches Schauspielhaus in Hamburg without the knowing of her parents. After her presentation of the song "Die letzte Rose" of the opera "Martha" she was engaged.

Although as a child she was befallen by a domestic accident when her mother spilled some hot water from a cooking pot over the head of Grete Diercks. She had some stigmas on her forehead which she hid behind her noticeable parting hairstyle later.

Grete Diercks made her professional stage debut in 1906 also at the German Schauspielhaus in Hamburg where she first impersonated support roles. 
In the next years followed other engagements at other German theaters where she also appeared as an operetta singer before she went to Vienna in 1912.

Grete Diercks already appeared in the movie "Der fidele Bauer" (08) for the first time (according to the biography of Curt Bois) and for this reason might be referred as a pioneer of the film.

Four years later followed the production "Musikantenlene" (12), another four years later "Die Fiebersonate" (16).

Grete Diercks became a regular movie actress from 1918 and she took part besides many great movie stars of those years under the direction of well-known directors.
To these movies belong "Carmen" (18) as Dolores, directed by Ernst Lubitsch, the stars were Pola Negri and Harry Liedtke, "Todesurteil" (19) with Paul Biensfeldt and Bernhard Goetzke as well as "Rausch" (19) directed by Ernst Lubitsch with Alfred Abel, Asta Nielsen and Pola Negri.

For the movie "Carmen" (18) Grete Diercks was also involved with the writing of the script.

Her last cinematical works came in the 20s into being with "Die Geierwally" as Afra, directed by Ewald André Dupont with Albert Steinrück and Henny Porten in the title role, as Maria in "Der brennende Acker" (22) directed by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau with Werner Krauss, Eugen Klöpfer and Lya de Putti, "Das Feuerschiff" (22) with Camilla von Hollay and Viggo Larsen, "Am Rande der Grossstadt" (22) with Rudolf Forster and Fritz Kortner as well as "Und dennoch kam das Glück" (23) directed by Gerhard Lamprecht.

She got married with Curt von Grueber in 1923 and retired from the film business. 

Grete Dierks is often confused with the singer and actress Grete Dierkes (1882-1957).  Thanks to her grandson Peter Schati for the correction of the biography.

 
Other movies with Grete Diercks:
Unsühnbar (17) Durchlaucht Hypochonder (18) Fünf Minuten zu spät (18) Keimendes Leben, Teil 1 (18) Zwangsliebe im Freistaat (19) Max als Juxgraf (19) Keimendes Leben, Teil 2 (19) Max als Lumpenbaron (19) Frauen vom Gnadenstein (20) Der Kampf ums Ich (22) Die Sonne von St. Moritz (23) Die Kette klirrt (23) Der Liebe Pilgerfahrt (23)



Grete Diercks in Riga in 1912

Grete Diercks with her husband Curt von Grueber in 1923

Grete Diercks with her daughter in 1924

Abbildung der Fotos mit freundlicher Genehmigung von Peter Schati.
 
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