Werner Herzog

German director, producer, screenwriter

Born: September 5, 1942

Famous Persons

Who is Werner Herzog?

Werner Herzog (German: [ˈvɛʁnɐ ˈhɛʁtsoːk]; né Stipetić; born 5 September 1942) is a German filmmaker, actor, opera director, author, and documentarian. He is known for his collaborations with the actor Klaus Kinski, whom he directed in the films Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972), Nosferatu the Vampyre, Woyzeck (both 1979), Fitzcarraldo (1982) and Cobra Verde (1987) and chronicled their tumultuous relationship in the documentary film My Best Fiend (1999). His film-making process involves avoiding storyboards, emphasizing improvisation, and placing his cast and crew into real situations mirroring those in the film on which they are working. Werner Herzog is a German filmmaker, actor, opera director, author and documentarian.

Historical significance

Regarded as a pioneer of New German Cinema, his films often feature ambitious protagonists with impossible dreams, people with unusual talents in obscure fields, or individuals in conflict with nature. He has received numerous accolades including a Silver Bear Award, four Awards at the Cannes Film Festival and the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival in addition to a nomination for an Academy Award. In 1961, when Herzog was 19, he started work on his first film, Herakles.

Herzog at the 1991 Venice International Film Festival

Sources and further reading

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MLA

“Werner Herzog.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/werner-herzog/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

APA

Werner Herzog. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/werner-herzog/

Chicago

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