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Karin Lesch, a Swiss-German stage, film, and television actress of Swiss-Austrian extraction has passed away on 12 April 2025.
Biography
Karin was born on 18 May 1935 born in Zürich, to Swiss director, dramatist, and author Walter Lesch and the Austrian actress Mathilde Danegger.
In 1933, her mother emigrated to Switzerland, where she worked at the Zurich Schauspielhaus and in cabaret. She and her mother initially relocated to West Germany in 1947, and in 1951, they migrated to the GDR.
Karin attended Berlin’s State Drama School during the time. She later performed at the Dresden State Theater and the Hans Otto Theater in Potsdam. She also obtained sporadic film assignments from DEFA and German Television in addition to her stage appearances in East Berlin.
However, she played the miller’s daughter in the fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin, which was adapted into a movie called The Magic Man, among other fairy tale movies.
Karin Lesch achieved enduring fame for her role as the Queen in the 1973 East German–Czechoslovak co-production Three Wishes for Cinderella (Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel / Tři oříšky pro Popelku).
A magical retelling of the Cinderella story based on the version by Božena Němcová, the film is distinct from the French-influenced Perrault adaptation, with added characters and Slavic folklore touches, such as the Queen, whom Lesch portrayed.
Initially scheduled to audition alongside other actresses, Lesch was offered the role directly after a read-through impressed director Václav Vorlíček. The recommendation came from her co-star Rolf Hoppe, who had been cast as the King and had previously worked with Lesch in the theater.
The film became an instant holiday classic. Much like Dinner for One, it is broadcast annually during the Christmas season across Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway.
Personal Life
Lesch married East German producer-director Hans Dieter Mäde from 1930–2009. They had a son, Michael Mäde, born in 1962. He is a screenwriter, author, and member of the German Writers Guild.
What was Karin Lesch’s Cause of Death?
Karin died on 12 April 2025, at the age of 89, in Königs Wusterhausen. However, her cause of death has not been revealed.
