(For a larger view click on picture, please)

Costume Design –  Part 2

From: Berliner Zeitung, 18. Mai 1947

From: Nacht-Express,

Die illustrierte Abendzeitung, No. 163,

Mittwoch 16. Juli 1947

From: Nacht-Express, Die illustrierte Abendzeitung, Nr. 197, Sonnabend, 25. August 1951

Taken from: „Was wird aus Falstaffs Hose?“ („What becomes of Falstaff‘s trousers?“), Deutsche Woche, 1951, No. 5, p. 3

Costume designer Walter Schulze-Mittendorff sketching, see above

According to the Soviet-Russian director Lew Anstam, the film only superficially dealt with the rescue of the paintings of Old Masters by the Red Army in the destroyed, post-war Dresden. The meaning rather lay in the fact of showing the true humanism, the fight for the hearts and minds of the people. He emphasises the wonderful collaboration with the German colleagues of the DEFA, and from the staff members who are mentioned by name he also cites „…Mr. Schulze-Mittendorf, who was responsible for the costumes.“1  The film impresses especially with its music composed by Dimitri Shostakovich.

For Walter Schulze-Mittendorf, taking part in the film Fünf Tage – Fünf Nächte belongs to one of the special impressions in his involvement with film work. He is full of appreciation, even enthusiasm, when he speaks of Lew Arnstam, and in general of the ambitioned atmosphere during the film’s shooting. No one could have anticipated that this is to be one of the last films whose production and screening fall just within the period when freedom to travel is still possible. As it turns out later, the film’s good intention of demonstrating true humanism is betrayed by the reality of the building of the Berlin Wall.

1 Accompanying booklet of the  CD: Dimitri Shostakovich, Das Neue Babylon / Fünf Tage – Fünf Nächte, Hans Sikorski Verlag, Hamburg

Walter Schulze-Mittendorff on the right, in conversation with the film's director Wofgang Staudte,

at the shooting of the DEFA film ‚The Story Of Little Mook’.

With friendly permission by DEFA-Foundation

Walter Schulze-Mittendorff at the shooting of the DEFA film ,Fünf Tage – Fünf Nächte‘ (Five Days, Five Nights), 1961.

The film is a German-Soviet DEFA-Mosfilm co-production

under the main direction of Lew Arnstam.

Walter Schulze-Mittendorff as a film extra in the film ,Fünf Tage – Fünf Nächte‘

(Five Days, Five Nights).

Still with friendly permission by DEFA-Foundation

A 27: Das Eselchen / The Little Donkey,

Wozzek, 1947

„Knowing Schumi – wearing his costumes:

both a pleasure!

Yours,

Lotte Ledl

Berlin, 1966“

Lotte Ledl is an Austrian actress, she met Walter Schulze-Mittendorff during the shooting of the TV movie Anastasia.

Director: R. A. Stemmle, Production: Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen, 1967.

Lotte Ledl says the meeting with Walter Schulze-Mittendorff was one of the most amiable in her life. He had come to the set with 27 costumes, and all of them fit – something she had never experienced before. It was regrettably the only time they had been working together.

With sincere thanks to Lotte Ledl

Bertina Schulze-Mittendorff, August 2011

"Dear Schu-Mi,

I find all costumes enchanting,

and I look forward to wearing them!

kindest regards

Yours,

I.W."

This note on a big slip if paper is undated.

The Initials undoubtedly point to the actress Ilse Werner (1921 – 2005).

Her kind words are most probably referring to the cooperation in the film

Der Vogelhändler (The Bird Seller).

Direction: Arthur Maria Rabenalt, Production: Berolina-Film GmbH, 1953.

(Walter Schulze-Mittendorff's film collegues simply called him „Schumi / Schu-Mi“.)

Dedications

Ilse Werner

Lotte Ledl

On the Set

A 26: Tambour-Major, Richard Häußler, Wozzeck, Film, 1947

From a cinema flyer,

undated