Biography

20 October 1925

Born in Hechingen (Württemberg) as second son of physician and writer Friedrich Wolf and his wife Else

1927

The family moves to Stuttgart. Wolf attends the Schicker-Schule and becomes a member of the communist Young Pioneers.

1933

The family emigrates to Moscow via Switzerland and France. Together with his brother Markus, Wolf attends the Karl-Liebknecht-Schule for children of German and Austrian anti-fascists.

1936

The family obtains Soviet citizenship. Konrad Wolf joins the Soviet Pioneer Organisation and gets a minor supporting role in Gustav von Wangenheim′s Kämpfer.

1937 - 1941

The siblings attend the 110th Secondary School in Moscow.

October 1941

After the German Wehrmacht′s raid on Moscow, the family is evacuated to Alma-Ata.

1942

In December, 17-year-old Konrad Wolf volunteers for the Red Army. At the front, he is assigned to the Politabteilung of the 47th Army Division. This is where he gets to know his later friend Wladimir Gall.

1945

By the beginning of the year, the 47th Army Division is assigned to the 1st Byelorussian Front, commanded by Marshall Shukow. Wolf participates in the liberation of Warsaw and in the attack on Berlin.

The way to Berlin also leads him to Bernau. On 22 April, he is appointed Soviet Commandant of the City for a short time.

After the end of the war, Wolf works as correspondent of the "Berliner Zeitung". Besides various politico-cultural activities, he is involved in the establishment of DEFA.

1946

Cultural officer of the SMAD in Halle and Berlin, responsibilities: press, film and theatre

17 December 1946

Wolf is discharged from the Red Army as Lieutenant.

1948

Employee at the House of Soviet Culture in Berlin; Abitur at the evening academy of the SMAD in Berlin-Karlshorst

1949 - 1955

Directing studies at Staatliches Allunionsinstitut für Kinematographie (WGIK) in Moscow with the professors Grigori Alexandrow, Michail Romm, Sergej Gerassimow

1952

Wolf becomes citizen of the GDR and member of the SED.

1953

Assistant director at Kurt Maetzig′s film Ernst Thälmann – Sohn seiner Klasse

1955

Graduation with his diploma film Einmal ist keinmal, which is produced at the DEFA studios.

1955 - 1982

Director at the DEFA feature film studios.

1965

At the age of 39, Konrad Wolf becomes the president of the GDR Academy of Arts as successor of Willi Bredel. He holds the office until his death.

7 March 1982

He dies in Berlin before the completion of the documentary film project Busch singt.

1985

With Wolf′s long-term co-worker Wolfgang Kohlhaase as artistic director and Lew Hohmann as director, the documentary film Die Zeit die bleibt. Ein Film über Konrad Wolf is made.

18 October 1985

The GDR Film and Television College in Potsdam-Babelsberg is renamed as "Konrad Wolf" Film and Television College.

Filmography

1951

Freundschaft siegt, DIR: Iwan Pyrjew, Joris Ivens (Wolf: assistant director)

1953

Ernst Thälmann – Sohn seiner Klasse, DIR: Kurt Maetzig (Wolf: assistant director)

1955

Einmal ist keinmal, DIR: Konrad Wolf, SCR: Paul Wiens, CAM: Werner Bergmann

1956

Genesung, DIR: Konrad Wolf, SCR: Karl Georg Egel, Paul Wiens, after the two authors′ audio play of the same name, CAM: Werner Bergmann

1957

Lissy, DIR: Konrad Wolf, SCR: Alex Wedding, Konrad Wolf, after the novel of the same name by F. C. Weiskopf, CAM: Werner Bergmann

1958/72

Sonnensucher, DIR: Konrad Wolf, SCR: Karl Georg Egel, Paul Wiens, CAM: Werner Bergmann

1959

Sterne, DIR: Konrad Wolf, SCR: Angel Wagenstein, CAM: Werner Bergmann

1960

Leute mit Flügeln, DIR: Konrad Wolf, SCR: Karl Georg Egel, Paul Wiens, CAM: Werner Bergmann

1961

Professor Mamlock, DIR: Konrad Wolf, SCR: Karl Georg Egel, Konrad Wolf, after the novel of the same name by Friedrich Wolf, CAM: Werner Bergmann

1964

Der geteilte Himmel, DIR: Konrad Wolf, SCR: Christa and Gerhard Wolf, Konrad Wolf, Willi Brückner, Kurt Barthel, after the novel of the same name by Christa Wolf, CAM: Werner Bergmann

1966/72

Der kleine Prinz, DIR: Konrad Wolf, SCR: Angel Wagenstein, after the fairy tale of the same name by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, CAM: Günter Marczinkowsky

1968

Ich war neunzehn, DIR: Konrad Wolf, SCR: Wolfgang Kohlhaase, Konrad Wolf, CAM: Werner Bergmann

1971

Goya, DIR: Konrad Wolf, Spec SCR: Angel Wagenstein, Konrad Wolf, SCR: Angel Wagenstein, after the novel "Goya oder Der arge Weg der Erkenntnis" by Lion Feuchtwanger, CAM: Werner Bergmann, Konstantin Ryshow

1974

Der nackte Mann auf dem Sportplatz, DIR: Konrad Wolf, Spec SCR: Wolfgang Kohlhaase, SCR: Konrad Wolf, Wolfgang Kohlhaase, CAM: Werner Bergmann

1977

Mama, ich lebe, DIR: Konrad Wolf, Spec SCR: Wolfgang Kohlhaase, SCR: Konrad Wolf, CAM: Werner Bergmann

1980

Solo Sunny, DIR: Konrad Wolf, Co-DIR: Wolfgang Kohlhaase, Spec SCR: Wolfgang Kohlhaase, SCR: Konrad Wolf, Wolfgang Kohlhaase, CAM: Eberhard Geick

1982

Busch singt. Sechs Filme über die erste Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts, idea and artistic direction: Konrad Wolf, SCR, DRAM, MUS: Reiner Bredemeyer, Erwin Burkert, Ludwig Hoffmann, Peter Voigt, Konrad Wolf, CAM: Eberhard Geick, Lothar Keil, Ernst Oeltze