Friedl Czepa ~ Card #370 in the second Bunte Filmbilder omnibus card series from 1937. Card measures just over 1¼"x2¼" or about the same size as a traditional US/UK cigarette card. This vintage original is in very good condition, see my enlarged scan.

Friedl Czepa: Austrian actress born in 1898 and particularly popular in the Nazi era. Friedl took dance lessons at the Vienna Conservatory and drama lessons from Aurel Nowottny. From 1940 to 1945, she was director of the Vienna City theater. She was blacklisted from film after the war and performed entirely on the stage. Typically, this is an indication that a person was a Nazi or at least a supporter of the regime. Friedl returned to the screen in 1951, primarily in supporting roles. She retired from the screen about ten years before her death.

This lot consists of a genuine German cigarette premium issued between about 1930 and 1937. In general, German cigarette cards and premiums make an interesting and inexpensive addition to any collection. The Nazi government of Germany opposed smoking and eventually put an end to cigarette cards. As a result, the native German card collecting hobby never developed to the extent of that in Britain or the United States. As a result, most German premiums and cards cost only a fraction of what might be expected from their American and British cousins.

Large photos are shown smaller than actual size while small ones are generally enlarged to as much as twice their original size. Almost all photos and cards are scanned through protective sleeves or pages which tends to cut the clarity a bit. Enlarged defects tend to look worse than they actually are.