Karol Juliusz "Igo" Sym /1896-1941/ was an Austrian-born Polish actor and collaborator with Nazi Germany. He was born in Innsbruck /Tirol, Austria/, the son of Anton Sym from Niepołomice in Galicia and his wife Julia née Sepp.
Before he devoted himself to the film business he served in the Austrian army during World War I. Between 1918 and 1921 he was an infantry officer /lieutenant/ in the Polish army. In 1925 he appeared for the first time in a movie from now on he acted mainly parts of elegant gentlemen, dressed in tailcoat and uniform, or played aristocrats. Till 1928 Sym shot exclusively for the "Sascha-Filmstudios", where he was elected for president in 1928.
In late 1920s Sym worked mainly in Austria and Germany, appearing with such actresses as Marlene Dietrich and Lilian Harvey in silent movies like "Die Pratermizzi" or "Café Elektric" directed by Gustav Ucicky, Gustav Klimt's illegitimate son. Other known for his silent movies are "Die Kaiserjäger", "Liebe im Mai". Sym gave Dietrich a musical saw, which later became one of her distinguishing marks (beside the the cylinder and bow tie).
Next Igo Sym concentrated almost exclusively on his stage career in Poland. In Warsaw, he was considered as the world-famous actor. When the Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Sym signed the "Reichliste" and took part as "Volksdeutscher" in re-structuring of the Polish theater life.
In 1940 he tried to win Polish actors to play in the baiting propaganda doing movie "Heimkehr", directed by Gustav Ucicky.
At the beginning of the war he denounced to the Gestapo Hanka Ordonówna, famous Polish actress and singer during the interwar period. Gestapo put her in prison in Pawiak.
Hanka Ordonówna "Ordonka"
The Polish underground government supplied evidence that Sym was in contact with the Gestapo. Sentenced to death by a Warsaw underground law court Sym was executed by members of the Polish resistance movement in his apartment on 7th March 1941.
The retaliatory measure of the German occupying forces which followed after that comprised a one-week closure of all Warsaw theaters and the arrest and deportation of Polish actors to Auschwitz.
Text source:
www.cyranos.ch, Wikipedia.
Foto source:
Wikipedia, www.dziennikwschodni.pl
Before he devoted himself to the film business he served in the Austrian army during World War I. Between 1918 and 1921 he was an infantry officer /lieutenant/ in the Polish army. In 1925 he appeared for the first time in a movie from now on he acted mainly parts of elegant gentlemen, dressed in tailcoat and uniform, or played aristocrats. Till 1928 Sym shot exclusively for the "Sascha-Filmstudios", where he was elected for president in 1928.
In late 1920s Sym worked mainly in Austria and Germany, appearing with such actresses as Marlene Dietrich and Lilian Harvey in silent movies like "Die Pratermizzi" or "Café Elektric" directed by Gustav Ucicky, Gustav Klimt's illegitimate son. Other known for his silent movies are "Die Kaiserjäger", "Liebe im Mai". Sym gave Dietrich a musical saw, which later became one of her distinguishing marks (beside the the cylinder and bow tie).
Next Igo Sym concentrated almost exclusively on his stage career in Poland. In Warsaw, he was considered as the world-famous actor. When the Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Sym signed the "Reichliste" and took part as "Volksdeutscher" in re-structuring of the Polish theater life.
In 1940 he tried to win Polish actors to play in the baiting propaganda doing movie "Heimkehr", directed by Gustav Ucicky.
At the beginning of the war he denounced to the Gestapo Hanka Ordonówna, famous Polish actress and singer during the interwar period. Gestapo put her in prison in Pawiak.
Hanka Ordonówna "Ordonka"
The Polish underground government supplied evidence that Sym was in contact with the Gestapo. Sentenced to death by a Warsaw underground law court Sym was executed by members of the Polish resistance movement in his apartment on 7th March 1941.
The retaliatory measure of the German occupying forces which followed after that comprised a one-week closure of all Warsaw theaters and the arrest and deportation of Polish actors to Auschwitz.
Text source:
www.cyranos.ch, Wikipedia.
Foto source:
Wikipedia, www.dziennikwschodni.pl
