Biography
Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known as Bertolt Brecht and Bert Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a playwright in Munich and moved to Berlin in 1924, where he wrote The Threepenny Opera with Elisabeth Hauptmann and Kurt Weill and began a lifelong collaboration with the composer Hanns Eisler. Immersed in Marxist thought during this period, Brecht wrote didactic Lehrstücke and became a leading theoretician of epic theatre (which he later preferred to call "dialectical theatre") and the Verfremdungseffekt. When the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, Brecht fled his home country, initially to Scandinavia. During World War II he moved to Southern California, where he established himself as a screenwriter while being surveilled by the FBI. In 1947, he was part of the first group of Hollywood film artists to be subpoenaed by the House Un-American Activities Committee for alleged Communist Party affiliations. The day after testifying, he returned to Europe, eventually settling in East Berlin, where he co-founded the theatre company Berliner Ensemble with his wife and long-time collaborator, actress Helene Weigel. Description above from the Wikipedia article Bertolt Brecht, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Wrote 67
2020s
- 2025
The Good Person of Szechwan
Writer
Die Gewehre der Frau Carrar / Würgendes Blei
Theatre Play
- 2024
A Santa Joana dos Matadouros
Writer
The Change of the Wheel
Novel
- 2021
The Seven Deadly Sins / Mahagonny Song Play - Teatro Alla Scala
Writer
- 2020
The Good Man from Szechuan
Writer
Rules of the Assembly Line, at High Speed
Story
2010s
- 2019
Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny
Writer
- 2018
Trommeln in der Nacht
Theatre Play
- 2016
National Theatre Live: The Threepenny Opera
Musical, Lyricist
- 2011
The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny
Lyricist, Writer
2000s
- 2009
Corneille-Brecht ou Rome l'unique objet de mon ressentiment
Novel
- 2007
Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny
Book
Canção de Baal
Lyricist, Theatre Play
- 2004
Baal
Novel
- 2002
Le cercle de craie caucasien
Author
1990s
- 1998
The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny
Writer, Lyricist
- 1996
The Career of Arturo Ui
Theatre Play
- 1993
The Seven Deadly Sins
Writer
- 1992
Antigone
Theatre Play
1980s
- 1989
Mack the Knife
Original Story
Der Mantel des Ketzers
Story
- 1988
Die Bestie
Story
- 1985
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Writer
Anna Firling's Roads
Theatre Play
- 1984
Sade Vatandaş Şvayk Hitler'e Karşı
Screenplay
- 1982
Baal
Writer, Theatre Play
- 1981
Fear and Misery of the Third Reich
Writer, Theatre Play
1970s
- 1979
Die Rache des Kapitäns Mitchell
Story
Herr Puntila And His Servant Matti
Theatre Play
Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny
Writer
Brecht and Co
Writer
- 1978
The Life Story of Baal
Theatre Play
Låt er inte förföras
Writer
Das Leben des Galileo Galilei
Writer
- 1975
Death of the Flea Circus Director
Theatre Play
Galileo
Theatre Play
- 1974
Mahagonny
Writer, Lyricist
Mr. Puntilla and His Man Matti
Author
Der aufhaltsame Aufstieg des Arturo Ui
Writer
- 1973
The Good Person of Szechwan
Theatre Play
- 1972
The Gangster Show: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
Adaptation
History Lessons
Novel
Trummor i natten
Theatre Play
- 1971
- 1970
Baal
Story
1960s
- 1969
Schweik in World War II
Original Story
- 1968
Regeln och undantaget
Writer
- 1966
Der gute Mensch von Sezuan
Writer
- 1965
The Shameless Old Lady
Novel
Life of Galileo
Theatre Play
- 1963
The Threepenny Opera
Lyricist, Writer
- 1961
Mother Courage and Her Children
Story
- 1960
Herr Puntila and His Servant Matti
Theatre Play
1950s
- 1958
Der kaukasische Kreidekreis
Author
- 1954
Song of the Rivers
Writer
- 1952
Wilhelm Pieck - Das Leben unseres Präsidenten
Lyricist
1940s
- 1947
Leben des Galilei
Theatre Play
- 1943
- 1942
The Murderers Are Coming
Short Story
Schweik is Preparing For Battle
Lyricist
1930s
- 1932
- 1931
A Man's a Man
Writer
The Threepenny Opera
Lyricist, Writer
1920s
- 1923
The Mysteries of a Hairdresser's Shop
Writer
Other crew 4
2000s
- 2000
The Seduction of Angels
Poem
1980s
- 1980
Germany Pale Mother
Poem
The Tailor of Ulm
Poem
1970s
- 1974
I Was, I Am, I Will Be
Poem
Directed 2
1930s
- 1931
A Man's a Man
Director
1920s
- 1923
The Mysteries of a Hairdresser's Shop
Director
Acted in 1
2020s
- 2022
Bertolt Brecht - Flüchtlingsgespräche
Lui-même
Appearances6
2010s
- 2019
Brecht und das Berliner Ensemble
Himself (archive footage)
2000s
- 2008
Theater of War
Self (archive footage)
- 2006
Brecht - Die Kunst zu leben
Self (archive footage)
- 2002
Das Jahrhundert des Theaters
Self (archive footage) · 2 episodes
1970s
- 1975
Film Emigration from Nazi Germany
Self (archive footage) · 5 episodes