Collection: Rosa von Praunheim

Rosa von Praunheim, born Holger Mischwitzky in Riga in 1942, initially grew up in East Germany near Berlin and moved to Frankfurt am Main after his family fled. He developed an early interest in art and theater, temporarily studying free painting at the Academy of Fine Arts, but left the program without graduating.

In the late 1960s, he began making short films and quickly gained recognition. With works such as It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse, But the Society in Which He Lives (1971), he significantly shaped the new German gay movement and simultaneously caused public controversy. His film The Bed Sausage is still considered a cult classic today.

To date, von Praunheim has made over 150 films, which have been screened at international festivals and received numerous awards. His work includes feature films and documentaries on topics such as queer identity, AIDS, New York, as well as portraits of influential personalities. In addition to his cinematic work, he was particularly involved in education and social visibility during the AIDS crisis.

Personal themes also found their way into his work, for example, in the film My Mothers, in which he explores his own origins. Retrospectives worldwide honor his extensive oeuvre.