1. Heinz Erhardt was born in Riga, the son of Baltic German Kapellmeister Gustav Erhardt.
10 Facts About Heinz Erhardt
1. 2.
Heinz Erhardt lived most of his childhood at his grandparents in Riga, where his grandfather, Paul Nelder, owned a music supply store at the current location of the Freedom Square.
3.
Heinz Erhardt's grandfather taught him how to play the piano.
4.
In 1935, Heinz Erhardt married Gilda Zanetti, daughter of the Italian consul in Saint Petersburg.
5.
Gero Heinz Erhardt became a film director and cinematographer, and his grandson, Marek Heinz Erhardt, became an actor.
6.
The next year, Heinz Erhardt moved to Berlin, where he performed on a Kabarett stage on Kurfurstendamm.
7.
The spectacle wearer and non-swimmer Heinz Erhardt was drafted into the German Kriegsmarine navy during World War II, but only on the third call-up; he served as a pianist in the Marine orchestra and only handled weapons during his basic training.
8.
Heinz Erhardt quickly became extremely popular and famous for his irresistible puns and countless nonsense poems.
9.
Heinz Erhardt suffered a stroke in December 1971, which left him unable to speak or write.
10.
Heinz Erhardt was limited to reading and understanding the speech of others; these limitations ended his long career as an actor.