Fred Lyssa

Fred Lyssa is a German film producer and production manager known for his extensive career in the German film industry, spanning from the silent era in the 1920s to the post-World War II period.^[1] Born on 26 August 1883 in Berlin, Germany, Lyssa worked continuously in film production until his death on 17 October 1950 in Grünwald, Bavaria.^[1] He primarily served in key behind-the-scenes roles, including production manager, line producer, and executive producer, with occasional credits as assistant director or even director on a few projects.^[1] His work appeared in a wide range of German films, among them Der Meister der Welt, Die Liebe der Jeanne Ney, Walzer aus Wien, D III 88, Ball im Metropol, Paracelsus, and Mister Grock.^[1] Lyssa's career reflected the evolution of German cinema through significant historical changes, contributing to productions during the Weimar Republic, the Nazi era, and the early postwar years.^[1]

Early life

Birth and background

Fred Lyssa was born on 26 August 1883 in Berlin, German Empire. ^{[1] [2]} Little documented information exists regarding his family origins, early education, or pre-professional life before his entry into the film industry, with available biographical sources offering scant details on his youth and pre-1920s years. ^[1] His birthplace in Berlin later aligned with the center of his career in German cinema. ^[1]

Career

Entry into the film industry (1920s)

Fred Lyssa began working in the German film industry in the early 1920s, initially in roles such as location manager and assistant director in Berlin. His early credits include location manager on films such as Der Halunkengeiger (1922) and Vineta. Die versunkene Stadt (1923).^[3] By the late 1920s, he transitioned to production management on silent films. One of his early credits in this capacity was on Der Meister der Welt (1927). He also worked as producer on G.W. Pabst's Abwege (1928), also known as The Devious Path, a psychological drama starring Brigitte Helm.^[1][3] Born in Berlin, Lyssa's local origins facilitated his access to the city's active film sector, where he gained experience amid the transitions from silent to sound cinema.

Tobis Film association and 1930s productions

Fred Lyssa became prominently associated with Tobis-Filmkunst GmbH in Berlin during the 1930s, with references to a production unit known as Herstellungsgruppe Fred Lyssa.^[3] In this period, he oversaw production operations for feature films at one of Germany's major studios, serving frequently as unit production manager, line producer, or executive producer. Tobis-Filmkunst was significant in German cinema, producing diverse sound films across genres.^[3] Among his key credits, Lyssa served as unit production manager on Stützen der Gesellschaft (1935), directed by Detlef Sierck (Douglas Sirk), and on the historical drama Stjenka Rasin (1936), directed by Alexandre Volkoff.^[3] In 1938, he acted as executive producer on Mordsache Holm and line producer on Waltz Melodies (also known as Walzer aus Wien).^[1] These contributions reflect his central involvement in Tobis productions throughout the decade.

Wartime and post-war work (1940s)

Fred Lyssa remained active as a production manager and producer in the German film industry throughout the 1940s, spanning the wartime and immediate post-war years.^[1][3] He served as unit production manager on Paracelsus (1943), directed by G. W. Pabst and made for Bavaria Filmkunst.^[4][5] In the post-war period, Lyssa worked as executive producer on Philine (1949), directed by Theo Lingen.^[6] He also held line producer and unit production manager roles on several other projects during the decade, including Ein Windstoß (1941/1942), Man rede mir nicht von Liebe (1943), Es lebe die Liebe (1943/1944), and Geld ins Haus (1944–1946).^[3] These credits reflect his sustained involvement in production as the industry navigated the end of the war and early reconstruction in Germany.^[1][3]

Personal life

Personal details and family

Little is known about Fred Lyssa's personal life and family, as available biographical sources focus almost exclusively on his professional contributions to German cinema and provide no details on private matters. Comprehensive film databases and lexicons contain no references to any marriage, spouse, children, or other family relationships.^[1][7]

Death

Later years and death

Fred Lyssa continued his work in the German film industry into the post-war period, remaining active as a production manager and producer. His final professional credit was as production manager on the 1950 release Farewell Mister Grock. ^[1] Lyssa died on 17 October 1950 in Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany, at the age of 67. ^[1][5]

Legacy

Contributions to German cinema

Fred Lyssa made contributions to German cinema as a producer and production manager, active across the Weimar Republic, Nazi era, and early post-war years. ^[1] He was associated with the Herstellungsgruppe Fred Lyssa at Tobis-Filmkunst GmbH in Berlin, credited as such in production for films such as Ein Windstoß (1942). ^[8] His behind-the-scenes role supported works by prominent directors, including G. W. Pabst, helping to realize films across different eras of German filmmaking. ^[9] Lyssa produced Pabst's Abwege (1928) and served as production manager on Pabst's Paracelsus (1943). ^[1] These collaborations reflect his involvement in diverse productions spanning silent and sound eras, as well as varying political and artistic contexts in German filmmaking. Despite his extensive credits on notable films, Lyssa remains an under-documented figure, with available information largely limited to professional credits in film databases and archival records rather than comprehensive biographies or personal accounts. ^{[1] [9]} No major awards or detailed personal narratives about his career are known, leaving assessments of his impact reliant on the scope and significance of the productions he enabled.