Albert Florath


Albert Peter Adam Florath was a German stage and film actor.

Early life and education

Born to Joseph Florath, a locksmith, and his wife Matilda, née Burkart, he attended school in Brakel and the Realgymnasium in Paderborn. He embarked on a career as a civil servant in Delbrück, where he was active in the welfare, church and school department and the police administration.

Acting career

Florath gained first stage experience in amateur dramatic groups of local clubs in Delbrück. In 1908, Florath gave up his career in office and went to Munich-Schwabing, to devote himself entirely to acting. He debuted in 1908 as a stage actor at the court theater in Munich. He took acting lessons with Alois Wohlmut and, as a sideline, wrote feuilleton contributions.
When the First World War began, Florath interrupted his artistic career, volunteering as a reserve lieutenant and serving as an instructor of recruits. His wartime experiences caused him to rethink his political views and he turned towards socialism. In 1919, he served as a socialist deputy in the Bavarian National Assembly. After the failure of the Bavarian Soviet Republic and the murder of Kurt Eisner, Florath went to Berlin, where he served from 1920 until 1944 in the ensemble of the National Theatre and also directed. In 1938, Florath was designated as a Staatsschauspieler.
He made his film debut in 1918. With the advent of sound film, Florath established himself as a character actor with mostly grumpy and sometimes quirky, but hearty characters. He played in literary adaptations such as Alfred Döblin's Berlin Alexanderplatz, Gerhart Hauptmann's The Beaver Coat and Henrik Ibsen's Nora, in dramas such as Friedrich Schiller – The Triumph of a Genius, in comedies such as Die Feuerzangenbowle, but also in Nazi propaganda films such as Ich klage an, Junge Adler and even in Jud Süß.
After the war, he returned to challenging roles, including Love '47 and next to Curt Goetz in Doctor Praetorius and The House in Montevideo. He also took roles in the Heimatfilm genre such as Heartbroken on the Moselle and When the White Lilacs Bloom Again.
His last stage station eventually led him to Stuttgart. Florath lived in Schlechtbach, Gschwend, from 1938 until his death in 1957.

Selected filmography

Danton A Free People The Last Horse Carriage in Berlin as Wilhelm LemkeGehetzte Frauen Two Under the Stars as Maitre LatapieThe Prince of Rogues Napoleon at Saint Helena as Louis XVIIIDer lustige Witwer The Street Song Berlin – Alexanderplatz as PumsThe Captain from Köpenick as the keeperNo Money Needed as the director of the public bankRipening Youth as NehringThe Gentleman from Maxim's Das Meer ruft The Black Whale as the capitainLove, Death and the Devil as The NotaryHearts are Trumps as the helmsmanThe King's Prisoner as Von ArchenholtzFruit in the Neighbour's Garden as Anton HuberDonogoo Tonka as VoisinGuten Abend, gute Nacht, as Johannes BrahmsGlückskinder as JacksonA Woman of No Importance as Lord CaverstamThunder, Lightning and Sunshine as Paul HuberdingBack in the Country Die Austernlilli Capers Diamonds as the judgeThe Beaver Coat as Agust WulkowWomen for Golden Hill The Roundabouts of Handsome Karl Yvette Five Million Look for an Heir Hurrah! I'm a Father Fortsetzung folgt The Governor Who's Kissing Madeleine? In the Name of the People Alarm at Station III Wibbel the Tailor Bachelor's Paradise Mistake of the Heart A Woman Like You The Journey to Tilsit Angelika The Fox of Glenarvon as Baron O'ConnorDas Herz der Königin Friedrich Schiller – Triumph eines Genies as Pastor MoserThe Rothschilds as BaringBetween Hamburg and Haiti