Famous people from Munich, Germany

Not only a painter, but also an undogmatic teacher and an invigorating author on art, Klee wrote two important books, an account of his wartime memories titled "Diaries: 1898-1918" and "Pedagogical Sketchbook" (1925). As a painter, he was most closely associated with "The Blue Rider" group. Artists who belonged to this group, such as Franz Marc, Vassily Kandinsky, August Macke and Alexei Jawlensky, held that they had an obligation to "heal the gaping wound that separates man from his environment." Klee's noteworthy exhibitions took place at the Societe Anonyme in New York in 1924, at the Galerie Vavin-Raspail in Paris in 1925 and at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1930.

Between art and beer, Munich is like a village located between hills.
He was a German romantic poet, whose verses have been a source of inspiration for composers of the likes of Schubert, Schumann and Mendelssohn. Perhaps Heine's most famous poem is "Lorelei." Put to music by Silcher in 1837, it has become an extremely recognizable German song. With the appearence of his first complete collection of verse, "Book of Songs" (1927; "Buch der Lieder"), Heine was bestowed the epithet of "the German Byron." He later published four-volume "Reisebilder" ("Pictures of Trvael"; 1826-31), a compound of autobiography, literary debate and social criticism; a lengthy verse satire, "Germany: A Winter's Tale" (1844; "Deutschland: ein Wintermarchen"); and "Romanzero" (1851), an exquisite tome of poems, published at a time when the poet was severely ailing.

"This is where I lived for many years, this is where I created my first abstract painting."
A Moscow-born Kandinsky pursued his interest in art as both a vigorous painter and a theorist. Although at first profoundly influenced by the Impressionists, he later turned to pure abstraction and was actually one of the first painters to incorporate this form in his artwork. Kandinsky loved intense colors - butter yellows, clear sky blues and cherry reds, and included basic geometric concepts in his pieces, such as ovals, circles, boxes. Together with Franz Marc, he established "The Blue Rider" group in 1911. Amongst Kandisnky's well-known paintings are "Russian Scene" (1904), "The Park at Saint-Cloud" (1906), "First Abstract Watercolor" (1910), "Composition X" (1939), "Sky Blue" (1940) as well as "White Form" (1943). Looking for more concepts of creative expression, he involved himself artistically in theatre doing prop design, costume design and the scenery for a local play.

Marc left a legacy of some of the most impressive paintings of the Expressionist movement, including "Dog Lying in the Snow" (1910-11), "The Yellow Cow" (1911), "Deer in the Woods II" (1912), "Tiger" (1912), "The Fate of the Animals" (1913) and "Foxes" (1913). Well nigh all of his works depict bright-colored animals painted in a simple, almost cubist style. Marc pioneered abstract art at the rise of the 20th century. Together with Wassily Kandinsky, he was a co-founder of "The Blue Rider" group - an association of painters who based their art upon profuse color as well as on deeply felt emotional experiences. The artist was killed in action in World War I at the sadly early age of 36.

Born in Poland, Kinski was a German stage and film actor who had an impressive career lasting more than 40 years. He appeared in such films as "Jack the Ripper" (1976), "Crawlspace" (1986), "Timestalkers" (1987) "Nosferatu in Venice" (1988) and "Kinski Paganini" (1989). However, it was his acting in five of Wernerg Herzog's movies, namely "Aguirre: The Wrath of God" (1972), "Nosferatu the Vampyre" (1979), "Woyzeck" (1979), "Fitzcarraldo" (1982) and "Cobra Verde" (1987), that earned Kinski the status of one of Europe's most illustrious and favorable actors. His voice and physical appearance shaped the image of Nosferatu in the minds of film viewers around the globe, and he seemed born to potray mad scientists, monsters and crazed conquistadors.