Biography

Besides the film business Katta Sterna became a personality of the innovative dancing and filled the public with enthusiasm.

She was born into an artistic family, her sisters were also active in the entertainment business and her aunt was the famous artist Käthe Kollwitz.

Katta Sterna made her stage debut as an actress by Max Reinhardt at Ernst Matray's side in "Sommernachtstraum", it followed many other appearances together - often as dancing duo - in the next years.

When Katharina saw the famous Anna Pawlowa dance she made the decision to become a dancer too. She took lessons by Grete Wiesenthal and briefly afterwards she got first engagements at the German opera house where she adapted the pseudonym Katta Sterna.

She met the actor and dancer Ernst Matray in 1913 and they became a couple, professional as well as private. Matray who was married with the actress Greta Schröder at that time separated from his wife.