Helga Hahnemann
Helga "Big Helga" Hahnemann (8 September 1937 - 20 November 1991) was an East German multi-faceted stage performer and entertainer. She came to wider prominence through her television and radio appearances after 1962. By the time reunification arrived in 1990 she had become a leading star of the small screen in East Germany. She fell terminally ill and then died shortly afterwards, possibly because of the extent of her addiction to cigarettes: she was 54. Her death left unanswered the question of how successfully her performances might have captivated pan-German television audiences post unification.
Helga Hahnemann | |
|---|---|
1988 | |
| Born | September 8, 1937 Berlin-Pankow (Wilhelmsruh), Germany |
| Died | November 20, 1991 (aged 54) Berlin-Pankow, Germany |
| Alma mater | Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts, Berlin-Niederschöneweide |
| Occupation(s) | Cabaret artiste Stage performer Actress Singer Voice-over artiste Television/radio presenter/moderator |
| Spouse | Maria Johanna Caroline Bladt |
The annual "Goldene Henne" (literally "Golden Hen") prize was inaugurated in 1995 to celebrate and commemorate her. (One of Helga Hahnemann's informal soubriquets among fans was "Henne".)