Jaecki Schwarz (born 26 February 1946) is a German actor.[1] With around 120 film and television roles throughout his career, he worked prolifically with DEFA, the East German state-owned film studio, as well as Deutscher Fernsehfunk (DFF), the state television broadcaster in the GDR. Since the reunification of Germany, he has been known for his roles in the long-running detective television series Polizeiruf 110 as well as the crime series Ein starkes Team.

Jaecki Schwarz
middle-aged white male wearing coat, scarf, and glasses, looking at camera
Schwarz in 2009
Born (1946-02-26) 26 February 1946 (age 78)
Berlin, Germany
NationalityGerman
OccupationActor
Years active1967–present
Known for
PartnerHagen Henning (1986–2006)

Life

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Schwarz was born in the Köpenick district of Berlin.[2] He owes his name to his grandmother, who was a fan of the silent film child star Jackie Coogan. Since the American spelling "Jackie" was not permitted at the registry office, his name was entered as "Jaecki".[2]

Schwarz played in school performances and was in the youth club of the German Theatre in Berlin. During his studies at the Alexander von Humboldt High School in Berlin, he completed an apprenticeship as a photochemical specialist. Subsequently, he applied twice at different acting schools, but was rejected both times. On his third attempt, he was accepted and studied at the German Academy of Film Art in Babelsberg from 1965 until 1969.[1][2]

Career

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Theatre

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In 1969, Schwarz made his acting debut in Magdeburg with the stage version of Hermann Kant's Die Aula. This was followed by numerous other roles, also in Magdeburg. From 1974 to 1997, he was a member of the Berliner Ensemble. Schwarz worked with various directors including Christoph Schroth, Fritz Marquardt, Manfred Wekwerth, and Peter Zadek. In 1996, he performed at the Maxim Gorki Theater in Carl Zuckmayer's The Captain of Koepenick.[1][2]

Film and television

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East Germany In 1968, Schwarz starred in Konrad Wolf's autobiographical film I Was Nineteen while still a student. Between 1969 and 1989, he appeared in numerous DEFA and DFF film and television productions, including several fantasy and fairy tale adaptations.[3] He also began appearing in television shows which would later define his career, such as the detective series Polizeiruf 110, where he would obtain a recurring role in 1996.

Post-unification

 
Jaecki Schwarz with Franziska Troegner, 2009

After German reunification in 1989, Schwarz was able to seamlessly build on his success in the GDR. In the 1990s, he was seen in several television shows, such as the family series Spreewaldfamilie. Between 1993 and 2000, he appeared in a total of 38 episodes alongside leading actress Thekla Carola Wied in the ARD crime series Auf eigene Gefahr [de]. He appeared in the hospital drama Für alle Fälle Stefanie between 1997 and 2003. Since 1994, he has played a supporting role in the ZDF crime series Ein starkes Team.[1][4]

From 1996 until 2012, Schwarz played alongside Wolfgang Winkler as the detective duo Schmücke and Schneider in the crime series Polizeiruf 110.[5]

He has also played major and minor roles in various television films, series, and on the big screen.

Personal life

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Schwarz's homosexuality and his relationship with acting colleague Hagen Henning, whom he met in 1986 at the Berlin Ensemble, became publicly known in August 2004.[6][7] The liaison ended in 2006 after twenty years.[8]

In October 2013, Schwarz suffered an anterior ischemic optic neuropathy in the right eye and has only had ten percent of his eyesight since then.[9]

Selected filmography

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Film

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List of film appearances, with year, title, and role shown
Year Title Role Notes
1968 I Was Nineteen Gregor Hecker
1969 Weite Straßen – stille Liebe Herb Schneider
1971 Rottenknechte Schwalenberg 5-part television film
1972 Her Third Young Man
1981 Bürgschaft für ein Jahr Peter Müller
1991 The Tango Player Harry

Television

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List of television appearances, with year, title, and role shown
Year Title Role Notes
1970 Jeder stirbt für sich allein
1973 Stülpner-Legende Soldier Hupfer 1 episode
1984 Front ohne Gnade Forensic technician
1987 Polizeiruf 110 Johannes Stephanie 1 episode
1988 Der Staatsanwalt hat das Wort
1989 Polizeiruf 110 Wirt Gerber 1 episode
1990 Spreewaldfamilie Günter
1993 Tatort 1 episode
1993–2000 At Your Own Risk [de] Boris Beckmann
1994–present Ein starkes Team Sputnik
1994 Liebling Kreuzberg 1 episode
1995 Polizeiruf 110 Customs officer Weißer 1 episode
1996–2013 Polizeiruf 110 Herbert Schmücke
1996 Rosa Roth
Alarm für Cobra 11 – Die Autobahnpolizei 1 episode
1998 Der letzte Zeuge 1 episode
Spuk aus der Gruft Coolberry
2001 Das Traumschiff
2006 Unter den Linden – Das Haus Gravenhorst Paul Gravenhorst
Schloss Einstein 3 episodes
2009 Leipzig Homicide 1 episode
Ein Fall für zwei 1 episode
2011 Cologne P.D. 1 episode
2012–14, 2017 In aller Freundschaft
2014 Stuttgart Homicide 1 episode
2017 SOKO München 1 episode

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Jaecki Schwarz". defa-stiftung.de (in German). Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Jaecki Schwarz". prisma.de (in German). Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  3. ^ "Die DEFA-Stars im Märchenfilm" [DEFA stars in fairy tale films]. mdr.de (in German). 29 July 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Konkurrenz, Frau Kommissar!" [Competition, Commissioner!]. spiegel.de (in German). 10 December 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Polizeiruf 110: Dreh des letzten Falls" [Police call 110: shooting the last case]. hna.de (in German). 11 September 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  6. ^ ""Polizeiruf"-Star Jaecki Schwarz liebt jungen Schauspieler" ["Polizeiruf" star Jaecki Schwarz loves young actors]. rp=online.de (in German). 8 August 2004. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Polizeiruf-Star ist schwul" [Polizeiruf star is gay]. queer.de (in German). 9 August 2004. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Jaecki Schwarz gibt das Ende seiner langjährigen Beziehung zu Freund Hagen Henning bekannt" [Jaecki Schwarz announces the end of his longstanding relationship with friend Hagen Henning]. bz-berlin.de (in German). 30 January 2006. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Ex TV Kommissar Jaecki Schwarz fast einseitig erblindet" [Ex TV Commissioner Jaecki Schwarz almost blinded in one eye]. morgenpost.de (in German). 7 October 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
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