Conrad Veidt
A German silent film star whose haunting eyes and principled stand against the Nazis made him the definitive tragic villain of early cinema.
1893–1943 (age 50)·German and British actor·Birthday: January 22·The Lost Generation
Biography
Conrad Veidt's face was a canvas for the extremes of the human condition—ecstasy, torment, and cruel intelligence. He emerged from the shadowy world of German Expressionism, his lanky frame and intense gaze perfect for films like 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,' where he moved with a somnambulist's menace. His performance in 'The Man Who Laughs' was so powerfully grotesque it reportedly inspired the creation of Batman's Joker. But Veidt's most significant role was off-screen. In 1933, he fled Germany with his Jewish wife, loudly declaring his opposition to the Nazi regime. He became a British citizen and dedicated his career to playing Nazis in Allied propaganda films, most famously the cunning Major Strasser in 'Casablanca.' His death at 50 cut short a life defined by artistic daring and profound moral courage.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Conrad was born in 1893, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Conrad Was Born
The biggest hits of 1893
Conrad's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1893Born
World's Columbian Exposition dazzles Chicago
President: Grover Cleveland
1898Started school
Spanish-American War; US emerges as a world power
President: William McKinley
1906Became a teenager
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1909Could drive
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1911Could vote
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1914Turned 21
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Turned 30
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1933Turned 40
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1943Turned 50
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
Key Achievements
- His role as Cesare in 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' became an enduring icon of German Expressionist cinema.
- Starred in 'The Man Who Laughs,' a performance that directly influenced the look of comic book villains.
- Took a firm and public anti-Nazi stance, leaving a lucrative career in Germany to protest the regime.
- Played the villainous Major Strasser in the classic film 'Casablanca.'
Did You Know?
He was a skilled fencer and performed many of his own sword-fighting stunts in films like 'The Thief of Bagdad.'
He signed his studio contracts with the phrase 'I am a Jew' in solidarity with his wife after leaving Germany.
He served in the German army during World War I and was wounded in action.
His role as the sleepwalker Cesare required him to move in a rigid, trance-like state for the entire film.
“I am a Jew.”
