- Born
- Died
- Birth nameIngeborg Charlotte Hansen
- Nickname
- Mutter der Nation
- Height5′ 1½″ (1.56 m)
- Inge Meysel was born on May 30, 1910 in Berlin, Germany. She was an actress, known for Gertrud Stranitzki (1966), Die Unverbesserlichen (1965) and Ida Rogalski (1969). She was married to John Olden and Helmuth Rudolph. She died on July 10, 2004 in Bullenhausen, Lower Saxony, Germany.
- SpousesJohn Olden(1956 - September 12, 1965) (his death)Helmuth Rudolph(1945 - 195?) (divorced)
- Being interested in political and social issues during her whole life, she first appeared publicly in 1925, fighting against the death penalty.
- From the mid-1920s until shortly before her death, Meysel was outspoken on many - often controversial - social and political issues. Despite her decidedly leftist and feminist views, this did not harm her popularity as an actress.
- In 1981 she refused to accept the Bundesverdienstkreuz because "Einen Orden dafür, daß man anständig gelebt hat, brauche ich nicht" ("I don't need an order of merit just for having lived decently").
- As she was banned from performing because of her Jewish father from 1935 to 1945, she worked as a telephonist and engineering drawer.
- Sued (together with other feminist activists) "Stern" magazine because of sexist nudity on its cover (1978).
- On her friends: "Most of my friends are gay. Because they are more sensitive."
- On refusing to accept Germany's Cross of Merit: "I don't need an order of merit just for having lived decently."
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