Simon, Günter

Born May 11, 1925, in Berlin; died there June 25, 1972. German stage and screen actor (German Democratic Republic).

Simon graduated in 1947 from a studio affiliated with the Hebbel Theater in Berlin and from 1948 to 1950 worked in the State Theater in Schwerin. He made his film debut in 1951 and concurrently performed in theaters in Dresden, Leipzig, and Berlin. On the stage he played the classical roles of Valentin and Beaumarchais in Faust and Clavigo by Goethe, Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare, and labov in Eg or Bulychov and the Others by Gorky. He performed as well in plays by contemporary German dramatists, playing Stonawski, Wan, and Jupp in The Sailors of Cattaro, Tai-Yang Awakens, and Bürgermeister Anna by F. Wolf, and in plays by Soviet dramatists, performing the role of Rybakov in The Kremlin Chimes by Pogodin.

In his first film role Simon played Weimann in The Condemned Village (1951; Soviet version, The Uninvited Guests). He was famous for his portrayal of Thälmann in the films Ernst Thälmann—Son of His Class (1954) and Ernst Thälmann—Leader of His Class (1955) and received the prize at the Ninth International Film Festival in Karlovy-Vary for the best male performance. He also appeared in the films At That Time in Paris (1955), My Wife Makes Music (1956; Soviet version, My Wife Wants to Sing), Sailors’ Song (1958), Lot’s Wife (1965), Heroin (1968), and The Red Choir (1971). Simon was awarded the National Prize of the German Democratic Republic in 1954 and in 1969.