On 13 February, German actress, singer and author Johanna von Koczian (1933-2024) passed away in Berlin. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, she was one of Germany’s most popular film stars. Later, she evolved into a stage actress, a popular Schlager singer, a TV presenter, and a successful author of novels and children's books. Johanna von Koczian was 90.
West-German postcard by AFA, Berlin-Tempelhof, no. CK-323. Photo: Ringpress / Vogelmann.
German postcard by WS-Druck, Wanne-Eickel, no. F 125. Photo: Constantin.
German postcard by Ufa, Berlin-Tempelhof, no. CK-60. Photo: Arthur Grimm / Central Europa Film.
German postcard by Ufa, Berlin-Tempelhof, no. CK-64. Photo: Arthur Grimm / Central Europa Film.
Johanna von Koczian was born in Berlin as Johanna von Miskoczy in Berlin in 1933. She was the daughter of Gustav von Koczian-Miskolcy, a German soldier, and his wife Lydia Alexandra.
Johanna grew up in Austria, where she studied at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts Mozarteum in Salzburg.
Here, she was discovered by director Gustaf Gründgens, who gave her a role at the Salzburg Theater Festival. Her breakthrough in the theatre was her role as Anne Frank at the Schiller Theatre in Berlin.
Her first film role was the lead in the remake of the famous cross-dressing comedy Viktor und Viktoria/Viktor and Viktoria (Karl Anton, 1957) with Georg Thomalla and Johannes Heesters.
The next year she played the female lead in the box office hit Wir Wunderkinder/Aren't We Wonderful? (Kurt Hoffmann, 1958) with Hansjörg Felmy. For her role, she was awarded the Bundesfilmpreis (Federal Film Prize).
German postcard by Ufa, Berlin-Tempelhof, no. CK-60. Photo: Arthur Grimm / Central Europa Film / Prisma. Johannes Heesters and Johanna von Koczian in Viktor und Viktoria/Viktor and Viktoria (Karl Anton, 1957).
West-German postcard by Ufa/Film-Foto, no. FK 3552. Photo: Arthur Grimm / Central Europa / Prisma Film. Johanna von Koczian in Viktor und Viktoria/Viktor and Viktoria (Karl Anton, 1957).
German postcard by Ufa/Film-Foto (Universum-Film Aktiengesellschaft), Berlin, no. FK 3553. Retail price: 25 Pfg. Photo: Arthur Grimm / Prisma Film. Publicity still for Viktor und Viktoria/Viktor and Viktoria (Karl Anton, 1957).
Dutch postcard by Gebr. Spanjersberg N.V., Rotterdam, no. 5338. Sent by mail in the Netherlands in 1960. Photo: HAFBO-film. Johanna von Koczian, Hansjörg Felmy and Wera Frydtberg in Wir Wunderkinder/Aren't We Wonderful? (Kurt Hoffmann, 1958).
West German postcard by Frans Josef Rüdel, Filmpostkarenverlag, Hamburg-Bergedorf, no. 2466. Photo: Filmaufbau / Constantin / Ringpress / Vogelman.Johanna von Koczian and Hansjörg Felmy in Wir Wunderkinder/Aren't We Wonderful? (Kurt Hoffmann, 1958).
In the later 1950s, Johanna von Koczian was one of the most popular German film stars and played in films like Petersburger Nächte/Petersburg Nights (Paul Martin, 1958) with Ewald Balser, Ivan Desny and Claus Biederstaedt, Bezaubernde Arabella/Enchanting Arabella (Axel von Ambesser, 1959) based on a novel by Georgette Heyer, Menschen im Netz/People in the Net (Franz Peter Wirth, 1959) again with Hansjörg Felmy and the musical Jacqueline (Wolfgang Liebeneiner, 1959).
She played Anastasia in the Friedrich Dürrenmatt adaptation Die Ehe des Herrn Mississippi/The Marriage of Mr. Mississippi (Kurt Hoffmann, 1961) with O.E. Hasse. That year, she also appeared in Unser Haus in Kamerun/Our House in Cameroun (Alfred Vohrer, 1961) with Götz George and the drama Straße der Verheißung/Street of Temptation (Imo Moszkowicz, 1961) with Mario Adorf and Karin Baal.
From 1962 on, Von Koczian was mainly working on stage for several different companies. She often starred in Boulevard comedies.
She also appeared in popular TV series like Praxis Bülowbogen/Practice Bülowbogen (1987-1988) and as Dr. Cora in the satire show Fragen Sie Frau Dr. Cora/Ask Doctor Cora (1989).
She only made two more feature films, the episodic film Das Liebeskarussell/The Daisy Chain (Rolf Thiele, Axel von Ambesser, Alfred Weidenmann, 1965) and Käpt'n Rauhbein aus St. Pauli/Nurses for Sale (Rolf Olsen, 1971) with Curd Jürgens.
Austrian postcard by Verlag Hubmann, Wien, licence holder of Ufa for Austria. Photo: Filipp / Wernerpress / Constantin Film / Ufa/Film-Foto.
German postcard by Kolibri-Verlag G.m.b.H., Minden / Westfalen, ca. 1959-1960. Photo: Corona / Constantin / Filipp. Publicity postcard for Serenade einer Grossen Liebe/For the First Time (Rudolph Maté, 1959). This musical was an American/German/Italian coproduction starring opera singer Mario Lanza.
German postcard by Universum-Film Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin Tempelhof (UFA), no. CK 303. Photo: Klaus Collignon / UFA.
Belgian postcard by Cox, no. 23.
During her career, Johanna von Koczian appeared on the stages of the Schauspielhaus in Wuppertal, the Staatlichen Schauspielbühnen (State Theatre) in Berlin, the Bayerische Staatsschauspiel (Bavarian State Theatre) in Munich, the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna and the Hamburg Thalia Theatre under the direction of Boy Gobert.
In 1977 she had a major hit single in Germany and Austria with her song 'Das bißchen Haushalt' (The Little Bit of Homemaking), mocking a macho husband's attitude towards a homemaker's duties. Other popular Schlagers of her include 'Keinen Pfennig' (No Penny)(1974), 'Aufsteh'n ist schön' (Getting Up Is Beautiful) (1978) and 'Karl, gib' mal den Hammer rüber' (Karl, Hand Me the Hammer)(1979), which she often performed on TV.
For German public television, she also presented the music quiz Erkennen Sie die Melodie?/Do You Recognize This Melody? She appeared in popular Krimis like Derrick (1975-1978), Der Alte/The Old Fox (1983), Tatort/Crime Scene (1986-1987) and SOKO 5113 (2002). She played in the popular TV film Single Bells (Xaver Schwarzenberger, 1998) and its sequel O Palmenbaum/O Palm Tree (Xaver Schwarzenberger, 2000).
More recently she appeared in the popular series Die Landärztin/The Country Doctor (2005-2009). Since the 1980s she wrote successful children's books and such novels as 'Sommerschatten' (Summer Shadows, 1989) and 'Das Narrenspiel' (The Fool's Game, 1992).
She was married twice, first shortly to director Dietrich Haugk who directed her in the films Heldinnen/Heroes (1960) and Agatha, laß das Morden sein!/Agatha, stop killing! (1960), and after their divorce she was married to music producer Wolf Kabitzky till his death in 2004. She moved to a nursing home in the Grunewald district in 2017, withdrawing from public life. Johanna von Koczian died in 2024, at the age of 90. She was the mother of actress Alexandra von Koczian.
West-German postcard by Franz Josef Rüdel, Filmpostkartenverlag, Hamburg-Bergedorf, no. M 2485. Photo: CCC / Deutsche Film Hansa (FDH) / Arthur Grimm. Ivan Desny, Johanna von Koczian, Claus Biederstaedt, Therese Giehse and Ewald Balser in Petersburger Nächte/Petersburg Nights (Paul Martin, 1958).
German postcard by Kolibri-Verlag G.m.b.H., Minden/Westf., no. 308. Photo: Arthur Grimm / CCC / DFH. Johanna von Koczian and Claus Biederstaedt in Petersburger Nächte/Petersburg Nights (Paul Martin, 1958).
East-German postcard by VEB Progress Film-Vertrieb, Berlin, no. 2106, 1964. Photo: Mario Lanza and Johanna von Koczian in For the First Time (Rudolph Maté, 1959).
East German postcard by VEB Progress Film-Vetrieb, Berlin, no. 1583, 1961. Johanna von Koczian in Agatha, lass das Morden sein!/Agatha, stop killing! (Dieter Haugk, 1960).
Belgian press photo by Elan Film, Brussels. Johanna von Koczian, Götz George, Katrin Schaake, Hans Söhnker and Bertha Drews in Unser Haus in Kamerun/Our House in Cameroun (Alfred Vohrer, 1961).
Trailer Wir Wunderkinder/Aren't We Wonderful? (1958). Source: Trailer Tracker Classic (YouTube).
Sources: Stephanie D'heil (Steffi-Line - German), Wikipedia (German and English) and IMDb.
West-German postcard by AFA, Berlin-Tempelhof, no. CK-323. Photo: Ringpress / Vogelmann.
German postcard by WS-Druck, Wanne-Eickel, no. F 125. Photo: Constantin.
German postcard by Ufa, Berlin-Tempelhof, no. CK-60. Photo: Arthur Grimm / Central Europa Film.
German postcard by Ufa, Berlin-Tempelhof, no. CK-64. Photo: Arthur Grimm / Central Europa Film.
Crossdressing comedy
Johanna von Koczian was born in Berlin as Johanna von Miskoczy in Berlin in 1933. She was the daughter of Gustav von Koczian-Miskolcy, a German soldier, and his wife Lydia Alexandra.
Johanna grew up in Austria, where she studied at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts Mozarteum in Salzburg.
Here, she was discovered by director Gustaf Gründgens, who gave her a role at the Salzburg Theater Festival. Her breakthrough in the theatre was her role as Anne Frank at the Schiller Theatre in Berlin.
Her first film role was the lead in the remake of the famous cross-dressing comedy Viktor und Viktoria/Viktor and Viktoria (Karl Anton, 1957) with Georg Thomalla and Johannes Heesters.
The next year she played the female lead in the box office hit Wir Wunderkinder/Aren't We Wonderful? (Kurt Hoffmann, 1958) with Hansjörg Felmy. For her role, she was awarded the Bundesfilmpreis (Federal Film Prize).
German postcard by Ufa, Berlin-Tempelhof, no. CK-60. Photo: Arthur Grimm / Central Europa Film / Prisma. Johannes Heesters and Johanna von Koczian in Viktor und Viktoria/Viktor and Viktoria (Karl Anton, 1957).
West-German postcard by Ufa/Film-Foto, no. FK 3552. Photo: Arthur Grimm / Central Europa / Prisma Film. Johanna von Koczian in Viktor und Viktoria/Viktor and Viktoria (Karl Anton, 1957).
German postcard by Ufa/Film-Foto (Universum-Film Aktiengesellschaft), Berlin, no. FK 3553. Retail price: 25 Pfg. Photo: Arthur Grimm / Prisma Film. Publicity still for Viktor und Viktoria/Viktor and Viktoria (Karl Anton, 1957).
Dutch postcard by Gebr. Spanjersberg N.V., Rotterdam, no. 5338. Sent by mail in the Netherlands in 1960. Photo: HAFBO-film. Johanna von Koczian, Hansjörg Felmy and Wera Frydtberg in Wir Wunderkinder/Aren't We Wonderful? (Kurt Hoffmann, 1958).
West German postcard by Frans Josef Rüdel, Filmpostkarenverlag, Hamburg-Bergedorf, no. 2466. Photo: Filmaufbau / Constantin / Ringpress / Vogelman.Johanna von Koczian and Hansjörg Felmy in Wir Wunderkinder/Aren't We Wonderful? (Kurt Hoffmann, 1958).
One of the most popular German film stars
In the later 1950s, Johanna von Koczian was one of the most popular German film stars and played in films like Petersburger Nächte/Petersburg Nights (Paul Martin, 1958) with Ewald Balser, Ivan Desny and Claus Biederstaedt, Bezaubernde Arabella/Enchanting Arabella (Axel von Ambesser, 1959) based on a novel by Georgette Heyer, Menschen im Netz/People in the Net (Franz Peter Wirth, 1959) again with Hansjörg Felmy and the musical Jacqueline (Wolfgang Liebeneiner, 1959).
She played Anastasia in the Friedrich Dürrenmatt adaptation Die Ehe des Herrn Mississippi/The Marriage of Mr. Mississippi (Kurt Hoffmann, 1961) with O.E. Hasse. That year, she also appeared in Unser Haus in Kamerun/Our House in Cameroun (Alfred Vohrer, 1961) with Götz George and the drama Straße der Verheißung/Street of Temptation (Imo Moszkowicz, 1961) with Mario Adorf and Karin Baal.
From 1962 on, Von Koczian was mainly working on stage for several different companies. She often starred in Boulevard comedies.
She also appeared in popular TV series like Praxis Bülowbogen/Practice Bülowbogen (1987-1988) and as Dr. Cora in the satire show Fragen Sie Frau Dr. Cora/Ask Doctor Cora (1989).
She only made two more feature films, the episodic film Das Liebeskarussell/The Daisy Chain (Rolf Thiele, Axel von Ambesser, Alfred Weidenmann, 1965) and Käpt'n Rauhbein aus St. Pauli/Nurses for Sale (Rolf Olsen, 1971) with Curd Jürgens.
Austrian postcard by Verlag Hubmann, Wien, licence holder of Ufa for Austria. Photo: Filipp / Wernerpress / Constantin Film / Ufa/Film-Foto.
German postcard by Kolibri-Verlag G.m.b.H., Minden / Westfalen, ca. 1959-1960. Photo: Corona / Constantin / Filipp. Publicity postcard for Serenade einer Grossen Liebe/For the First Time (Rudolph Maté, 1959). This musical was an American/German/Italian coproduction starring opera singer Mario Lanza.
German postcard by Universum-Film Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin Tempelhof (UFA), no. CK 303. Photo: Klaus Collignon / UFA.
Belgian postcard by Cox, no. 23.
Successful children books
During her career, Johanna von Koczian appeared on the stages of the Schauspielhaus in Wuppertal, the Staatlichen Schauspielbühnen (State Theatre) in Berlin, the Bayerische Staatsschauspiel (Bavarian State Theatre) in Munich, the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna and the Hamburg Thalia Theatre under the direction of Boy Gobert.
In 1977 she had a major hit single in Germany and Austria with her song 'Das bißchen Haushalt' (The Little Bit of Homemaking), mocking a macho husband's attitude towards a homemaker's duties. Other popular Schlagers of her include 'Keinen Pfennig' (No Penny)(1974), 'Aufsteh'n ist schön' (Getting Up Is Beautiful) (1978) and 'Karl, gib' mal den Hammer rüber' (Karl, Hand Me the Hammer)(1979), which she often performed on TV.
For German public television, she also presented the music quiz Erkennen Sie die Melodie?/Do You Recognize This Melody? She appeared in popular Krimis like Derrick (1975-1978), Der Alte/The Old Fox (1983), Tatort/Crime Scene (1986-1987) and SOKO 5113 (2002). She played in the popular TV film Single Bells (Xaver Schwarzenberger, 1998) and its sequel O Palmenbaum/O Palm Tree (Xaver Schwarzenberger, 2000).
More recently she appeared in the popular series Die Landärztin/The Country Doctor (2005-2009). Since the 1980s she wrote successful children's books and such novels as 'Sommerschatten' (Summer Shadows, 1989) and 'Das Narrenspiel' (The Fool's Game, 1992).
She was married twice, first shortly to director Dietrich Haugk who directed her in the films Heldinnen/Heroes (1960) and Agatha, laß das Morden sein!/Agatha, stop killing! (1960), and after their divorce she was married to music producer Wolf Kabitzky till his death in 2004. She moved to a nursing home in the Grunewald district in 2017, withdrawing from public life. Johanna von Koczian died in 2024, at the age of 90. She was the mother of actress Alexandra von Koczian.
West-German postcard by Franz Josef Rüdel, Filmpostkartenverlag, Hamburg-Bergedorf, no. M 2485. Photo: CCC / Deutsche Film Hansa (FDH) / Arthur Grimm. Ivan Desny, Johanna von Koczian, Claus Biederstaedt, Therese Giehse and Ewald Balser in Petersburger Nächte/Petersburg Nights (Paul Martin, 1958).
German postcard by Kolibri-Verlag G.m.b.H., Minden/Westf., no. 308. Photo: Arthur Grimm / CCC / DFH. Johanna von Koczian and Claus Biederstaedt in Petersburger Nächte/Petersburg Nights (Paul Martin, 1958).
East-German postcard by VEB Progress Film-Vertrieb, Berlin, no. 2106, 1964. Photo: Mario Lanza and Johanna von Koczian in For the First Time (Rudolph Maté, 1959).
East German postcard by VEB Progress Film-Vetrieb, Berlin, no. 1583, 1961. Johanna von Koczian in Agatha, lass das Morden sein!/Agatha, stop killing! (Dieter Haugk, 1960).
Belgian press photo by Elan Film, Brussels. Johanna von Koczian, Götz George, Katrin Schaake, Hans Söhnker and Bertha Drews in Unser Haus in Kamerun/Our House in Cameroun (Alfred Vohrer, 1961).
Trailer Wir Wunderkinder/Aren't We Wonderful? (1958). Source: Trailer Tracker Classic (YouTube).
Sources: Stephanie D'heil (Steffi-Line - German), Wikipedia (German and English) and IMDb.
2 comments:
Thank you for posting this. I have linked back to the post at my blog. She was a favorite of an older German friend, and I often heard her tapes being played in his store. In fact, that was my introduction.
And thank you, for sharing your memory in this comment and for the link on your blog. Can you tell us which blog?
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