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Sagittarius Lagna

Preiss Wolfgang

February 27, 1910 · Nuernberg, Bavaria
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Moon Sign
Virgo
Sun Sign
Aquarius
Ascendant
Sagittarius
Nakshatra
Hasta
Birth Star
ActorTranslatorEntertainmentHumanities+Social SciencesMilitaryLife Path 4Destiny Number 4Soul Number 5
Biography

Who is Preiss Wolfgang?

German theatre, film and television actor. The son of a teacher, in the early 1930s Preiss studied philosophy, German and drama. He also took private acting classes with Hans Schlenck, making his stage début in Munich in 1932. He went to appear in various theatre productions in Heidelberg, Königsberg, Bonn, Bremen, Stuttgart and Berlin. In 1942 he made his film début - he was exempted from military service specifically - in the UFA production Die grosse Liebe with Zarah Leander. After the end of the Second World War Preiss returned to the theatre, and from 1949 worked extensively dubbing films into German. In 1954 he returned to film acting, appearing in Alfred Weidenmanns Canaris. The following year Preiss played the lead role of Claus von Stauffenberg in Falk Harnacks film Der 20. Juli, which dramatised the 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler. This role brought Preiss to popular attention and also the 1956 Federal Film Award. From now on Preiss was largely typecast in the role of the upright and obligation-conscious German officer to the other A-list actor playing the Fanatic (I.E. Paul Scofeld in The Train) a part he played in many films, later reprising it in numerous international productions, predominantly in Italy and the USA, while occasionally playing a more typically cynical or brutal Nazi officer. Preiss appeared in such productions as The Longest Day (1962), Otto Premingers The Cardinal (1963), and with Jean-Paul Belmondo in Is Paris Burning? (1966). He starred alongside Burt Lancaster in John Frankenheimers The Train (1964), Frank Sinatra in Von Ryans Express (1965), Robert Mitchum in Anzio (1968), with Richard Burton, in the title role of Erwin Rommel in Raid on Rommel (1971), and The Boys From Brazil (1978) with Gregory Peck. He also appeared in several Italian language films, credited as "Luppo Prezzo", and played Field Marshal Von Rundstedt in Richard Attenboroughs all-star war epic A Bridge Too Far (1977). In addition, for the cinema-going public of West Germany he became the epitome of the evil genius in his role as Doctor Mabuse, a role he first played in 1960 (following Rudolf Klein-Rogge) in Fritz Langs The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse. He went on to play the role four more times. In the 1980s Preiss turned to television, notably playing General Walther von Brauchitsch in the American TV mini-series Winds of War and War and Remembrance, based on the books of Herman Wouk. In 1987 received a second Federal Film Award for his outstanding work in film. In film dubbing Preiss provided the voice for such actors as Lex Barker, Christopher Lee, Anthony Quinn, Claude Rains, Richard Widmark, as well as that of Conrad Veidt as "Major Strasser" in the remastered version of Casablanca. He died on 27 November 2002, at age 92. Link to Wikipedia biography
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Update at: Sep 26, 2025

Wolfgang Preiss (27 February 1910, Nuernberg/Nürnberg, Germany – 27 November 2002)

Wolfgang Preiss was a distinguished German stage and screen actor whose career spanned from the late 1930s into the 1990s. International audiences know him for his precise, restrained portrayals of high-ranking officers and masterminds, while German cinema enthusiasts often cite his definitive interpretation of the criminal mastermind Dr. Mabuse in the postwar revival of that franchise. He combined classical stage discipline with a cool, intellectual screen presence that made him a go-to figure for roles demanding authority, strategy, and moral ambiguity.

Career Highlights

  • Iconic as Dr. Mabuse in the 1960s cycle that began with Fritz Lang’s final feature The 1000 Eyes of Dr. Mabuse (1960), followed by several sequels in which Preiss anchored the series as its enigmatic villain.
  • Appeared in numerous international war dramas and thrillers throughout the 1960s and 1970s, bringing credibility and nuance to German command roles; these projects helped make him a familiar face to audiences beyond Germany.
  • Often cast as historical military figures; his gravitas and articulate delivery made him a preferred choice when productions sought authenticity without caricature.
  • Honored with the Filmband in Gold (German Film Award) for lifetime achievement, underscoring his long, steady contribution to German film and television.

Style and Reputation

Preiss was lauded for controlled intensity: he could project menace or moral resolve with minimal gesture, relying on vocal precision and sharp timing. Directors valued his reliability and command of complex exposition, especially in ensemble epics. While frequently typecast, he treated such roles as character studies, avoiding stereotypes and emphasizing intelligence, conflict, and inner tension.

Recent News and Visibility

Although Preiss passed away in 2002, his work remains visible through television reruns, repertory screenings, and periodic restorations of classic European thrillers. Film museums and festival retrospectives on postwar German cinema or the Dr. Mabuse legacy regularly reference his performances. Boutique home-video labels and streaming curation also keep his titles in circulation, sustaining interest among genre fans and scholars. Media coverage today tends to appear around anniversaries, new restorations, or program notes accompanying festival lineups.

Social Media Footprint

There are no official personal social media accounts for Wolfgang Preiss (he died before the social era). However, fan-run pages and classic film communities on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube share stills, clips, and posters featuring his roles, especially from the Dr. Mabuse series and international war films. Search terms like “Wolfgang Preiss,” “Dr. Mabuse,” and “German cinema legend” typically surface fan tributes, edited scenes, and production ephemera.

Recent Projects

As a deceased performer, Preiss has no new projects. Posthumous activity primarily involves preservation and access: restorations, high-definition transfers, newly subtitled editions, and documentary featurettes that contextualize his performances within European genre cinema. Occasional academic papers and interviews with collaborators further enrich the record of his craft.

Additional Facts

  • Birth: 27 February 1910, Nuernberg/Nürnberg, Germany.
  • Death: 27 November 2002, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany.
  • Active across stage, film, and television; frequently collaborated with major German directors and appeared in European-American co-productions.
  • Languages: German; performed in German productions and in internationally cast films, often delivering lines in English or via multilingual workflows typical of the era.

Explore More

For deeper research, consult film databases, national film archives, festival catalogs, and reputable encyclopedias of German cinema. Library authority files and curated streaming collections can help locate verified credits, restoration notes, and interviews. Fans and scholars alike continue to reassess Preiss’s legacy, especially his coolly incisive take on Dr. Mabuse and his enduring imprint on mid-century European thrillers.

Which Raj Yogas are in Preiss Wolfgang's birth chart?

2 FOUND

Preiss Wolfgang's chart shows 1 Raj Yoga and 1 challenging combination, including Gaja Kesari Yoga.

Planetary Combinations

What do Preiss Wolfgang's numerology numbers say?

Preiss Wolfgang's core numbers are Life Path 4, Destiny 4, Soul Urge 5, Personality 8, Kabbalah Number 9, Master Number 22, Birth 9.

Life Path
4

Chaldean Life Path 4 is Rahu-like in intensity—work, order, and practical building. It indicates results through discipline, structure, and steady effort.

Destiny
4

Chaldean Destiny 4 indicates practical building through discipline and systems. It supports operations, engineering, execution, and stable long-term progress.

Soul Urge
5

Chaldean Soul 5 desires freedom and variety. It seeks change, movement, experiences, and space to explore life.

Personality
8

Chaldean Personality 8 appears strong, ambitious, and authoritative. Others often see business sense, leadership, and control.

Kabbalah Number
9

Kabbalah Number 9 reflects an inner spiritual code of compassion and completion. It supports service, forgiveness, and closing karmic cycles.

Master Number
22

Master Number 22 in Chaldean numerology amplifies practical vision and large-scale building. It supports legacy creation through structure and responsibility.

Birth
9

Birth Number 9 in Vedic astrology: explore personality traits, life path insights, challenges, and compatibility tips to guide decisions with numerology wisdom.

Life Events & Planetary Transits

Key events mapped against the active Dasha and planetary transits at the time.

2002
Death
Death, Cause unspecified 27 November 2002 (Age 92)
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