- Known For
- Directing
- Born
- November 25, 1942
- Place of Birth
- Riga, Latvia
- Died
- December 17, 2025
Rosa von Praunheim
Rosa von Praunheim, born Holger Bernhard Bruno Waldemar Mischwitzky, was a German film director, author, painter and the most famous gay rights activist in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. A prolific director, he has made over seventy feature films. He began his career associated to the New German Cinema as a senior member of the Berlin school of underground filmmaking. He took the artistic female name Rosa von Praunheim to remind people of the pink triangle that homosexuals had to wear in Nazi concentration camps.
Filmography
Mein liebster Dokumentarfilm
tvMein liebster Dokumentarfilm
2026 · Self
movieSatanic Sow
2025 · Director, Writer, Editor
movieLast Exit Gran Canaria
2025 · Self
movieRosa <3
2025 · Self (archive footage)
movieHape Kerkeling – Total Normal
2024 · Self
movieThirty Years with the Whip
2024 · Director, Author
movieGlückskind: Der schwule Filmemacher Rosa von Praunheim ist 80
2022
movieCome With Me to the Cinema – The Gregors
2022 · Self
movieRex Gildo: The Last Dance
2022 · Erzähler, Writer, Director, Producer
movieDie Nachtigall – Der grausame Sohn
2021 · Director, Producer
movieIsolation
2021 · Self
tvLegendär!
2021 · Self
movieQueer Cinema
2021 · Himself
movieMeine Väter
2021 · Self
Smart Berlin – Der „Stutti“
movieSmart Berlin – Der „Stutti“
2020
movieOperndiven - Operntunten
2020 · Director
tvChez Krömer
2019 · Self
movieDarkroom
2019 · , Director, Producer, Screenplay
movieFriendship of Men
2018 · Himself, Director, Producer, Writer
movieSurvival in Berlin-Neukölln
2017 · Director, Writer, Editor
Abendshow
tvAbendshow
2017 · Self
movieACT! Wer bin ich?
2017 · Director
movieMy Wonderful West Berlin
2017
movieDesire Will Set You Free
2015 · Ezra's Agent
movieTough Love
2015 · Director, Producer, Writer
moviePraunheim Memoires
2015 · Self, Producer, Writer, Director
Vater
movieVater
2015 · Man in Berlin
movieHow I Learned to Love the Numbers
2014 · Self
Hitler und Jesus – eine Liebesgeschichte
movieHitler und Jesus – eine Liebesgeschichte
2014 · Director
movieAuf der Suche nach Heilern
2014 · Writer, Director
movieMario Wirz
2014 · Self, Director
movieLaura – Das Juwel von Stuttgart
2014 · Director
movieI Feel Like Disco
2013 · Rosa von Praunheim
Pantoffelkino
tvPantoffelkino
2013 · Self - Guest
movieRosas Welt – 70 neue Filme von Rosa von Praunheim
2012 · , Editor, Producer, Writer, Director
movieI am a Poem
2012 · Self, Producer, Editor
movieRosakinder
2012 · Self
Germans Taste the Best
movieGermans Taste the Best
2012 · Director
movieKing of Comics
2012 · , Director, Producer, Writer, Editor
movieRent Boys
2011 · Self, Director, Writer, Producer
movieMondo Lux: The Visual Worlds of Werner Schroeter
2011 · Self
movie20 × Brandenburg
2010 · Director
movieNew York Memories
2010 · Director, Writer
History of Hell
movieHistory of Hell
2009 · Director
movieOn the Other Side of the Screen: 100 Years of Moviemento Cinema
2009
movie24 Hours Berlin
2009 · Director
movieCan I Be Your Bratwurst, Please?
2008 · Director, Editor, Screenplay
tvMarkus Lanz
2008 · Self
movieDead Gay Men and Living Lesbians
2008 · Director
Paris-Berlin, le débat
tvParis-Berlin, le débat
2008 · Self
Der Rosa Riese
movieDer Rosa Riese
2008 · Director
Six Dead Students
movieSix Dead Students
2007 · Director, Screenplay
movieTwo Mothers
2007 · , Director, Writer
Mit Olga auf der Wolga
movieMit Olga auf der Wolga
2007 · Director
tvANNE WILL
2007
0511 TV Lokal
tv0511 TV Lokal
2007 · Self
movieHere’s Looking at You, Boy
2007 · Self
tvDas perfekte Promi-Dinner
2006 · Self
movieYour Heart in My Head
2005 · Director, Screenplay, Producer
movieMen, Heroes and Gay Nazis
2005 · Self, Director, Writer, Producer
Who is Helene Schwarz?
movieWho is Helene Schwarz?
2005 · Writer, Director
Schwein gehabt – Joe Luga
movieSchwein gehabt – Joe Luga
2005 · Writer, Director
Liebe und Leid – Albrecht Becker
movieLiebe und Leid – Albrecht Becker
2005 · Director, Writer
movieUmsonst Gelebt: Walter Schwarze
2005 · Director, Writer
Ein bisschen Luft unter die Flügel
movieEin bisschen Luft unter die Flügel
2004 · Self
Im Palais
tvIm Palais
2004 · Self
ZIBB
tvZIBB
2003 · Self
Menschen bei Maischberger
tvMenschen bei Maischberger
2003 · Self
Charlotte in Sweden
movieCharlotte in Sweden
2003 · Self, Director
Ratten 07 – Im Berliner Dschungel
movieRatten 07 – Im Berliner Dschungel
2003 · Director
Pfui, Rosa!
moviePfui, Rosa!
2002 · Self, Director
movieCows Knocked Up by Fog
2002 · Director, Screenplay
tvThrough the Night with...
2002 · Self
movieQueens Don’t Cry
2002 · Screenplay, Producer, Director
movieFassbinder's Women
2000 · Director
Wonderful Wrodow
movieWonderful Wrodow
2000 · Director
movieThe Einstein of Sex: Life and Work of Dr. M. Hirschfeld
2000 · Director, Producer
movieGay Courage: 100 Years of the Gay Movement
1998 · Director
Nachtstudio
tvNachtstudio
1997 · Self
movieBirth of a Nation
1997 · Self
Tietjen und Bommes
tvTietjen und Bommes
1997 · Self
movieI Was a Jewish Sex Worker
1996 · Self
tvZimmer frei!
1996 · Self
movieTransexual Menace
1996 · Self - Interviewer, Director, Writer
tvDie Harald Schmidt Show
1995 · Self
movieNeurosia: Fifty Years of Perversity
1995 · Director, Writer, Producer
Meine Oma hatte einen Nazipuff
movieMeine Oma hatte einen Nazipuff
1994 · Director, Writer
movieI Am My Own Woman
1992 · Screenplay, Director, Producer
Proud and Gay
movieProud and Gay
1991 · Director
Ein Mann namens Pis
movieEin Mann namens Pis
1991 · Producer, Director
tvDAS!
1991 · , Self
movieLife Is Like a Cucumber
1990 · Director, Writer, Producer
movieFire Under Your Ass
1990 · , Director, Writer, Producer
moviePositive
1990 · Self, Director, Writer, Editor, Producer
movieSilence = Death
1990 · Self, Director, Writer, Editor
Die Weisheit
movieDie Weisheit
1990 · Director
movieSurvival in New York
1989 · , Writer, Director
movieAnita – Dances of Vice
1988 · , Director, Writer, Editor, Producer
live - die ZDF-talkshow
tvlive - die ZDF-talkshow
1987 · Self
movieDolly, Lotte and Maria
1987 · Interviewer, Director, Writer, Producer
movieA Virus Knows No Morals
1986 · Rüdiger Kackinski, Producer, Writer, Director
movieSeptember September
1986 · Self (archive footage)
movieHorror Vacui
1984 · Director, Writer
movieThe Bite
1984
movieRed Love
1983 · Writer, Director, Director of Photography
movieCity of Lost Souls
1983 · Director, Writer
movieOur Corpses Are Still Alive
1981 · Director
movieDeath Magazine: or How to Be a Flowerpot
1979 · Camera Operator, Director, Producer, Writer, Editor
Der 24. Stock
movieDer 24. Stock
1979 · Director
movieTally Brown, New York
1979 · , Producer, Writer, Editor, Director of Photography
movieArmy of Lovers or Revolt of the Perverts
1979 · Editor, Producer, Cinematography, Writer, Director
tvNDR Talk Show
1979 · Self
Bio’s Bahnhof
tvBio’s Bahnhof
1978 · Self
George and Mike Kuchar
movieGeorge and Mike Kuchar
1977 · Self, Director
Sigrid Gräfin von Richthofen
movieSigrid Gräfin von Richthofen
1977 · Director
movieI’m an Antistar
1976 · Director
movieUnderground and Emigrants
1976 · Self, Writer, Director of Photography, Producer
tvKölner Treff
1976 · Self
movieMarianne Rosenberg
1976 · Director
movieBerliner Bettwurst
1975 · Writer, Producer, Director, Director of Photography
movieThe Enchantment of the Blue Sailors
1975 · Matrose
3 nach 9
tv3 nach 9
1974 · Self
Axel von Auersperg
movieAxel von Auersperg
1974 · Director, Editor, Producer, Writer
Monolog eines Stars
movieMonolog eines Stars
1974 · , Director, Writer, Director of Photography, Editor
Rosa von Praunheim zeigt
movieRosa von Praunheim zeigt
1974 · Director
Je später der Abend
tvJe später der Abend
1973 · Self
Was die Rechte nicht sieht, kommt erst recht aus dem Ohr heraus
movieWas die Rechte nicht sieht, kommt erst recht aus dem Ohr heraus
1972 · Editor, Writer, Director, Producer
Grotesk – Burlesk – Pittoresk
movieGrotesk – Burlesk – Pittoresk
1972 · , Director of Photography, Writer
Passions
moviePassions
1972 · Director
Footage from Q&As with Rosa von Praunheim, including MoMA’s Cineprobe Screening, 1972
movieFootage from Q&As with Rosa von Praunheim, including MoMA’s Cineprobe Screening, 1972
1972
movieDie Bettwurst
1971 · Director, Editor, Director of Photography, Writer, Producer, Art Direction, Unit Manager
movieIt Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse, But the Society in Which He Lives
1971 · Director, Director of Photography, Writer
Homosexuelle in New York
movieHomosexuelle in New York
1971 · Director
Macbeth Oper von Rosa von Praunheim
movieMacbeth Oper von Rosa von Praunheim
1971 · Director, Writer
Sisters of Revolution
movieSisters of Revolution
1969 · Director
Rosa Arbeiter auf goldener Straße – 2. Teil
movieRosa Arbeiter auf goldener Straße – 2. Teil
1969 · Director
movieNeurasia
1969 · Assistant Director
movieBeckett in Berlin
1969 · Director
movieCarla
1968
(A)lter (A)ction
movie(A)lter (A)ction
1968 · Assistant Director
Rosa Arbeiter auf goldener Straße – 1. Teil
movieRosa Arbeiter auf goldener Straße – 1. Teil
1968 · Director
movieVon Rosa von Praunheim
1968 · , Director
movieSilvo
1967 · Self
Grimme Award
tvGrimme Award
1964 · Self
Sex und Tod
movieSex und Tod
— · Writer, Director