Siegfried Breuer

Siegfried Breuer (24 June 1906 – 1 February 1954) was a prolific Austrian stage and film actor whose career spanned three decades, marked by a vigorous dedication to both theatre and cinema. Born in Vienna to the opera singer‑actor Hans Breuer, artistic talent ran in his veins and he honed his craft at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna before making his stage debut at the Volkstheater in 1924. Over the next fifteen years he established himself as a versatile presence on the Austrian stage, mastering a range of roles from classic dramas to contemporary comedies, and earning a reputation for a charismatic, commanding performance style. In 1939 he transitioned to the silver screen with his first film Eins zu Eins, launching a prolific film career in which he appeared in more than fifty productions, including notable titles such as Der Postmeister (1940) and The Third Man (1949). His screen persona often combined rugged masculinity with a subtle comedic touch, allowing him to embody characters ranging from aristocratic nobles to determined officers. In 1950 he expanded his artistic repertoire by writing, directing, and starring in Der Schuß durchs Fenster, collaborating with esteemed actor Curd Jürgens and demonstrating his capability behind the camera.

Beyond his professional achievements, Breuer’s personal life was marked by intense passions and turbulence; he was married six times, with documented unions to Maria Andergast (from 1941) and Eva Maria Meineke, and fathered at least one son, Siegfried Breuer Jr., who continued the family’s entertainment legacy along with grandchildren Jacques Breuer and Pascal Breuer. A heavy smoker, his health deteriorated, leading to his premature death at the age of 47 in Weende, Göttingen, West Germany, on 1 February 1954. Despite his relatively short life, his contributions to Austrian theatre and post‑war cinema remain influential, and his extensive filmography continues to be celebrated by scholars and cinephiles alike.