New-York tribune., 1912-03-03
ON THE GERMAN STAGE
Emil Lind Tells Of HaTdships Of
German Actors.

Emil Lind who Is giving forceful ana
dramatic Interpretation of the role Of the
Hunchback ~ "SumurGn NJ tho Casino. ia
m actor who is familiar with tho stage .,
this country as wcll as in Germany. Three
years aco he was leading man of the New
German Theatre. on Madison avenue, late-
krown as the Plaza. under the direction O,
Dr. Moritz Baumfeld and Eugcn Burg. Mr.
Ind played tho leading character roles
With the company. Upon lis return to
Germany lie became meplAe- Of the ,om-
rsny at the Ncres sch3I~' lolha IS. He Is
at present on leavc OF absence from that
theatre, ard accepted tie roe Of the
Hunchback for the American enzasemen.
at the request OF Professor Max Reinhardt
with whom Mr Lind once attended dra.
matte school in Vienna.
Before coming 70 New York three year,
ago Mr.. Lind had dcnc most Of his acting
in Vienna Cpcn his return to Germany he
l,lyed Cor time in Munich and then
went to the LOSING Tneator in Berlin,
where he appeared under the management,
OF the celebrated B,aim. one OF the leading
figures in tho Cctm3n theatrical wcrid to-
jay. Later he becsrlc q mornher 'of the
Ne1Ics schauspieihars aud then stage nan
acer Early in his stage career he played
chiefly character roles in tho classical AMI
modern dramas, and also character comedy
roles His recent appearances in Berlin
we're in crotcSquc roles. I'm which ne won
his greatest success Among the parts
which he has played gre Richard III, in
! Shakespeare historical play; Franz Moor.
in The Robbers" of S.hille-; Mephisto, in
| Faust; Kapan. in Youth; Herod. In
"Salome": Bernauer. in Agnes Bernauer'.
the drunken father in Hauptmann's Han
nele." and the title role IN Bernsteins
! Samson"
Mr.. Lind, who, as can he surmised from
his experience both abroad and here. ia
competent 10 make comparisons. thinks
that the theatrical profession IN America
has many advantages over that OF his
native country. IN Germany theatrical
managers are banded together in a trust
and dictate their own terms to the actors,
the musicians and the chorus people.
This theatrical trust in Germany said
Mr.. Lind. when seen in his dressing roorn
at the Casino. lis known as the Deutscher
Ruhnenvcrein. IN order 10 protect them
selves the actors. the musicians and the
chorus singers Of Germany and Austri,
were forced to band together. The four big
organizations OF people employed in the
theatres. the Genossenschaft Deutscher
| Ruhnena nangehJrige. the Oesterre'cAiseher
Buhnenvereln. the Chorsangeryerbaud and
the Musikerverband, Joined together in one
big union To obtain their rights.
"Of the actors on the German stage 81
per cent get 800 marks a year tabout $50,
20 TO 25 per cent receive 1859 marks about
$500. 10 per cent got as high AS 3'W or i"9
marks 800 to $1,000. while ony to per
cent get the high salaries. the highest De-
ing about 1880 marks. or a'out $1,000"
year. This organization of actors is SEEK
ling 10 have the Reichstag pass A law nXns
the minimum salary which the manager
must pay an actor. and TO make the sum
sufficiently large so that the actor can i've
in fair comfort on what he makes.
"The matter Of contracts In GermapY'
continued Mr. Lind. lis entirely one-sided.
The manager can discharge an actor, after
giving notice a long enough time ahead 70
give the actor opportunity of seeking new
employment. But the actor cannot give
notice 10 the manager The actor can be
held 10 his contract where the manager can
not II an actor does break his contract
and refuses to appear in the part assigned
~ him by his manager he must pay heavy
peualty. and is not allowed to appear there
after in any theatre the manager OF winch
is a member Of the managers association
In other words. he Is on a permanent black
list. for there are hut very few theatres IN
Germany. and they are i'm the smaller cites
and of little consequence that do not oe-
long To this union.
ut is a more difficult matter to become
2 theatrical manager i'm Germany than IN
the United states for in my country inc
license To conduct a theatre must b@ 90
itained from the government through tne
Police Department. and before such
license is issued the financial standing OF
the applicant and his moral and artisuc
fitness FOR running theatre must hrst w
ipassed upon by the theatrical managers
fassOciatior and also by the actors union
THE German actors association IS also
seeking to force tho manacers to pay tof
tho costumes Of the actresses. particularly
for those whose salaries arc low The man
layers must furnish the tights boots. Mss
etc. Tor tho ,ueu. hat The women are COM
polled TO furnish all of their costumes Tnis
works great hardship on the women OF
the stage. for their pat is smaller and Their
costumes more expensive than those of the
men.
''rhe actors assocaj'on has done mpc4