Otto Wallburg

Who was Otto Wallburg?

Otto Wallburg was a German actor and Kabarett performer. He was prolific film actor during the late silent and early sound era.

Wallburg was born Otto Wasserzug in Berlin, the son of a Jewish banker. He drifted into stage acting, but served in the German Army during the First World War and was wounded on the Eastern Front after winning an Iron Cross. From 1926 onwards he worked in the large German film industry, including many productions made by UFA.

When the Nazis came to power in 1933 he left Germany and moved to Austria where he continued to work in film. He later moved to France and then on to the Netherlands. He was arrested following the 1940 German invasion of the Netherlands. He was held for a while at Westerbork transit camp, and later moved to Auschwitz where he was killed.