Wissenswertes

A memoir titled "In Our Strange Gardens" is partly dedicated to Wicki, who was a German soldier guarding the author's father, a French Resistance fighter, during the German occupation of France. Wicki, who was clown before he became a soldier, stole food for and entertained his French prisoners while they waited to find out if they would be executed.

The German soldier/clown named Bernd in Jean Becker's French film Strange Gardens (2003) is based on Bernhard Wicki. The memoir entitled "In Our Strange Gardens", on which this film is based, is dedicated to him.

Studied at the Max Reinhardt Drama School in Vienna and (from 1938) at the Berlin State Drama School under Gustav Gruendgens. Imprisoned for ten months at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp because of his earlier affiliation with the communist party. Released after intervention by Gruendgens. Acted on stage in Munich, Salzburg, Zurich and Basel during the war years. Started directing films from 1958. Best known for his anti-war film Die Brücke (1959).

Member of the jury at the Venice Film Festival in 1986.