Johannes Riemann (1926) German Silent Film and 50 similar items

Vintage original 3.5 x 5.25 in. German postcard depicting the German silent film and sound era actor and director, JOHANNES RIEMANN. He is depicted in a medium publicity shot wearing a dark jacket over a vest and tie and he holds a serious pose in front of a dark backdrop. It was signed boldly in black ink by Johannes Riemann in, we believe, 1926 (see "Provenance" below), the year in which he appeared in five films. Printed by the renowned Ross-Verlag company of Berlin, this vintage original postcard was unused and is in very fine condition with a light diagonal mark (not a crease) on each corner from where it was inserted into one of the albums described below. There are no tears, stains, or other flaws. Provenance: Approximately 8 years ago, we purchased a collection of two albums of vintage original German postcards from a rare book dealer at an antiquarian book fair in Pasadena, California (see photos). Approximately half of the postcards were signed by the respective personalities and the ones that were dated by the actors are all dated "1926." We were informed by the dealer that these photographs came from a film collector in Germany who acquired the postcards at the time they were issued and then had them signed by the respective actors when he met them in person. We are now pleased to make these vintage original postcards available to other collectors. Johannes Riemann (May 31, 1888 in Berlin – September 30, 1959 in Konstanz) was a German actor and film director, who was also a member of the Nazi Party, and was best known for Liebe auf Befehl (1931), I Marry My Wife (1934), and Ave Maria (1936). He died on September 30, 1959 in Konstanz, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Leading German actor and occasional director of the 1920's and 1930's. Began as a romantic urbane lead of silent pictures, later graduating to character roles. After 1933, he became a member of the Nazi Party and was named a 'State Actor' (Staatsschauspieler) in 1939. In May 1944, he actually performed at a party for the staff at the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. Riemann's status and career diminished significantly after 1945. The actor Johannes Riemann began his successful film career already in the 1910's. The sound film offered him further interesting roles. In the mid-1930's, he also directed several films, including Ich sehne mich nach Dir (1934), Ich heirate meine Frau (1934), Eva (1935), and Gauner im Frack (1937). Ross-Verlag in Berlin was a German publishing house specialized in photographs and photo postcards of artists. The owner of the company was Heinrich Ross (b. 10 August 1870; d. after 1954 as emigrant in the USA).