Sybille Schmitz

Sybille Schmitz began acting at 18 in 1928 and remained in the profession for 27 years until her death. Born on December 2, 1909, in Germany, she rose to stardom early in her career. She was a German actress of Caucasian ethnicity, known for her slim build and enigmatic presence. Schmitz never fit in with her surroundings, a trait that followed her throughout her life.

Her appearance was described as too "alien looking" for Hollywood, so she did not migrate to America like some of her peers. This, combined with her vaguely Semitic looks and ties to the Jewish community, led to her losing roles in her native Germany. After the war, she was seen as a painful reminder of the past, much like many former UFA stars, and was displaced by the optimistic new actresses of the time. Her career decline took a toll on her wellbeing; she began drinking heavily and relying on drugs as her career sank lower and lower.

Schmitz was married to Harald G. Petersson from 1940 to 1945, and she was lesbian. She died on April 13, 1955, at age 45, by suicide, under disputed circumstances while being cared for by a doctor she was living with at the time of her death.