Curt Lowens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Curt Lowens
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Born |
Curt Löwenstein
17 November 1925 |
Died | 8 May 2017 (aged 91) Beverly Hills, California, United States
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Other names | Kurt Lowens |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1959–2017 |
Curt Lowens (born Curt Löwenstein, 1925–2017) was a German actor. He appeared in many films and TV shows. But he was also a brave person who survived the Holocaust. During this terrible time, he helped save about 150 Jewish children.
Contents
Curt's Early Life and Challenges
Curt was born in a town called Allenstein in East Prussia. This area is now part of Poland. His father was a respected lawyer. His mother was very active in their local Jewish community.
When the Nazis took power in Germany, life changed. His father's law career suffered. So, his family moved to Berlin. They hoped the city's large Jewish community would offer more safety.
Curt continued his education in Berlin. He also prepared for his bar mitzvah. This is an important Jewish coming-of-age ceremony. His rabbi, Manfred Swarsensky, guided him.
In November 1938, a terrible event happened. It was called Kristallnacht, or the "Night of Broken Glass." During this time, Nazis attacked Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues. After this, Curt's school was closed. In early 1939, he had his bar mitzvah in a school hall with 34 other young people.
Escaping Danger and Helping Others
Curt's older brother, Heinz, moved to Britain before World War II began. Curt and his parents planned to go to the United States. They would travel through the neutral Netherlands. But on the day they planned to leave from Rotterdam, Germany invaded the Netherlands.
For two years, Curt's father worked for the Jewish Council in Amsterdam. This job helped protect the family from being sent away. However, Curt and his mother were still taken to Westerbork transit camp in June 1943. Luckily, they were released thanks to his father's connections.
After this, the family went into hiding separately. It was easier to find hiding places for one person at a time. Curt used a false name, "Ben Joosten." He even visited his mother when she was in a hospital, also using a false name. She sadly passed away in January 1944.
While in hiding, Curt became part of a group of Dutch rescuers. They included people like Hanna Van de Voort and Nico Dohmen. This brave group helped Jewish children hide from the Nazis. By the end of the war, they had saved about 150 Jewish children.
Curt also helped two American pilots whose planes had been shot down. For this, he later received an award from General Dwight D. Eisenhower. After the war ended, Curt worked as an interpreter for the British army. He helped them with the Nazi leaders who were under house arrest.
Life in America and Acting Career
In 1947, Curt, his father, and his step-mother moved to the United States. Curt decided to become an actor. He studied at the Herbert Berghof Studio in New York.
Using the name Curt Lowens, he began his acting career. He appeared in over 100 films and TV shows. His career lasted from 1959 until his death. Curt Lowens passed away on May 8, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 91.
Selected Films and TV Shows
- 1960 Two Women
- 1961 Francis of Assisi
- 1961 Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory
- 1961 Barabbas
- 1962 The Reluctant Saint
- 1962 The Four Days of Naples
- 1962 Imperial Venus
- 1963 Il processo di Verona
- 1966 Combat! (Episode: "Ask Me No Questions")
- 1966 Blue Light (Episode: "Invasion by the Stars")
- 1966 Torn Curtain
- 1967 Hogan's Heroes (Episode: "Hogan and the Lady Doctor")
- 1967 Tobruk
- 1968 Counterpoint
- 1968 Garrison's Gorillas (TV Series)
- 1969 The Secret of Santa Vittoria
- 1971 The Mephisto Waltz
- 1973 Trader Horn
- 1974 M*A*S*H (TV Series)
- 1975 The Hindenburg
- 1976 The Swiss Conspiracy
- 1977 The Other Side of Midnight
- 1979 Missile X – Geheimauftrag Neutronenbombe
- 1979 Battlestar Galactica (TV series) "Greetings from Earth" episodes 19/20
- 1980 The Secret War of Jackie's Girls (TV Movie)
- 1982 Firefox
- 1982 The Entity
- 1983 To Be or Not To Be
- 1983-1987 The A-Team (TV Series)
- 1985 Knight Rider
- 1988 Private War
- 1989 Night Children
- 1991 Paid To Kill
- 1992 A Midnight Clear
- 1993 Mandroid
- 1993 Necronomicon
- 1993 Invisible: The Chronicles of Benjamin Knight
- 1994 Babylon 5 (TV Series)
- 1995 Aurora: Operation Intercept
- 1997 The Emissary: A Biblical Epic
- 1997 A River Made to Drown In
- 2005 The Cutter
- 2006 Ray of Sunshine
- 2007 Hellsing Ultimate (voice)
- 2008 Miracle at St. Anna
- 2009 Angels & Demons
- 2011 Supah Ninjas
- 2012 She Wants Me