– in Switzerland – destined to be Lost… Forever!
Ensuring a Cultural Legacy.
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A long list of celebrities, VIP’s, artists, authors, intellectuals and scientists moved to the Alps in the past century to enjoy the majestic landscapes of Switzerland, in a place that would shield them from the rest of the World’s turmoil.
During WWII many who fled Nazi Germany had no other choice than to seek refuge in this neutral country wedged between Hitler and Mussolini.
Among them, was the World’s most famous anti-war novelist Erich Maria Remarque, who fled his homeland in the early 1930′s to avoid certain persecution by the Nazi regime, who was after him because of “…literary Treason against the German Soldier” after penning his best-selling “All Quiet on the Western Front“.
Remarque found refuge in Porto Ronco on the shores of Lago Maggiore, in Switzerland’s southernmost “Three-Lakes Region” shared with Italy, until his death in 1970. He rests in peace at the Ronco sopra Ascona cemetery, alongside his famous wife Paulette, and mother-in law Alta-Mae Goddard.
“All Quiet on the Western Front
(1930)” received the third-ever
Academy Award for Best Film, and was re-made into a 1979 made for TV movie starring “The Waltons’” Richard
Thomas and the recently deceased Ernest
Borgnine who considered “All Quiet…” to be “..the greatest thing that was
ever made!” (YouTube).
Al Pacino‘s “Bobby
Deerfield (Heaven has no Favorites)” is one of 20+ “Remarqueable” feature
film productions based on Erich’s catalog of 13 novels, and is only one example
of how Remarque’s influence in the American film scene went well beyond his
death.
To this day, Remarque’s work is considered an important milepost in
German-American Literary and Film History: his 1940′s novel “Spark of
Life” is being developed into a feature by John Culton – and a 21st Century version of
“All Quiet on the Western Front (2012)” is in
pre-production, produced by Leslie Paterson and Ian Stokell, co-produced by Mary Richards (“Alice in Wonderland“) and directed by Mimi Leder (“Pay it Forward“).
Turner Classic Movies and
Universal Studios recognized the importance of Remarque’s “All Quiet…” and
presented the motion picture at the 2012 Hollywood Classic Film Festival, in a
digitally remastered version released in Blue-Ray – to celebrate Universal’s
100th Anniversary.
Remarque, considered to be “The First Playboy” and the “Last Romantic” of the 20th Century, had many illustrious lovers – Natasha Paley-Romanov, Marlene Dietrich, Hedy Lamarr, Dorothy Lamour, Greta Garbo – and more – but no woman made him happier than Hollywood Star of the 30′s and 40′s, the unimitable Paulette Goddard – known in film history for acting alongside then-husband Charlie Chaplin’s last silent movie “Modern Times” and his first “talkie” “The Great Dictator“.
Paulette starred alongside Hollywood Legends Henry Fonda,
Bob Hope, Fred Astaire (YouTube) James
Stewart, John Wayne, ex-husband #2 Burgess
Meredith and many others, in a long list of 44 feature films including Hollywood classics like “The Women“, “Pot o’Gold” (YouTube) and “Second Chorus“.
Her best friend, writer Anita Loos, was
inspired by Paulette when she wrote Marilyn Monroe’s role of the gold-digging
blonde, Loreley Lee, in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes“. Not
only was Paulette the original, REAL LIFE “Diamonds are a Girl’s best Friend”
Bombshell Girl – but she was also the original “Ghostbuster” along Bob Hope in
“The Ghost Breakers (1940)” – a film made famous once again with the 1984
remake versions starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Sigourney
Weaver.
Paulette’s portrayal of a World War II nurse
in “So Proudly We Hail“ earned her the Best
Supporting Actress nomination by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences.
Paulette was a trendsetter in so many ways, influencing fashion, jewelry design and the fine arts – from the 30′s
until today.
She was George
Cukor‘s #1 choice to become Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone
with the Wind” – only to lose the role to Vivien Leigh, and given a consolation
prize instead, being offered a leading role in “Reap the Wild Wind” starring
alongside a young John Wayne – in a film where none other than a giant
mechanical octopus outdid Paulette’s acting by getting an Oscar for special
effects.
The love story of Paulette Goddard and Erich Maria Remarque begins in the early 50′s and has endured until her passing in 1990.
Paulette donated her Estate to New York University / Tisch School of the
Arts, which to this day represents the ideals of Remarque and Paulette’s
philantropic support benefiting Performing Arts
Students. Scholarships in Paulette’s name are made available to NYU’s BFA/BA & MA students and faculty
alike.
Professor Marion Nestle is one
of a select group of faculty members who have been named “Paulette Goddard
Professor”. The endowed professorship is also part of the Goddard Estate’s major
bequest.
Notable NYU/Tisch graduates include Academy Award winners Marc
Forster, Woody Allen, Whoopi Goldberg, Martin Scorsese & Angelina Jolie –
Grammy Award winner Stefani Germanotta (aka Lady Gaga), and dozens more. Tisch freshmen have the
option to reside at Paulette Goddard Hall and
Residential College – a student’s daily reminder of Paulette’s
generosity.
Paulette and Erich’s lakeside home, Casa Monte Tabor, was part of the Estate,
but a tax dispute with the Canton of Ticino caused the property to be sold at auction in
the early 90′s.The Villa changed hands twice since Remarque, and its current owner has now decided to sell the property. There is exceptionally strong interest in this piece of Real Estate, as it’s one of the very few Villas on the market – set on one of the largest pieces of lakefront land available in the area. There are plans by a developer to demolish the Villa and replace it with two smaller beach homes.
We would like to prevent that from happening, and instead fulfill Paulette’s wish to make her Home available to the Arts.
The “Erich Maria Remarque and Paulette Goddard Foundation”, created with support and guidance from Remarque-related entities worldwide, has closely followed the effort to save Remarques’ home from possible destruction.
A concept proposal (PDF) for an Artist Residence and “Epicenter of Peace” honoring Remarque and Goddard has been elaborated in cooperation with the “Remarque Gesellschaft” and the Remarque Peace Center at the University of Osnabrück.
Saving Casa Monte Tabor, one of a handful of Swiss Hollywood landmarks, means we will forever sear Paulette’s and Remarque’s legacy into Swiss and Hollywood History – which was Paulette’s original intent by donating her beloved home and her $20M fortune to the Arts upon her death in 1990.
The proposal reminds some of
a similar Artist Residence concept, the “Villa Aurora” in Los Angeles – the last
home of another great German Writer-in-Exile and Remarque friend, Lion
Feuchtwanger.
Erich Maria Remarque and Paulette Goddard deserve to be brought back into the
spotlight to ensure a new generation learns of their past.
To support this key project and other related initiatives to ensure the visibility of our two fascinating 20th Century luminaries, the Foundation is seeking financial and in-kind assistance from interested Entities in Switzerland, Germany and the United States.
On behalf of dozens of volunteers, supporters and donors who have already dedicated their time and effort to this cause, I would like to Thank You for your time and attention.
Michael H. Gaedeke-Sartori
Paulette Goddard was one of Maybelline's most popular models in the 1940's and a personal favorite of Maybelline founder Tom Lyle Williams. She is also the # 1 all-time most popular post on the Maybelline Blog. I'm delighted to feature Michael H. Gaedeke-Sartori and the EMRPG Foundation today as my guest Blogger and hope you enjoy this priceless piece of Hollywood history, few people know anything about.
Would you like to learn more? We invite you to continue visiting our site, watch our YouTube Channel, Posterous, tumblr and Pinterest boards. Don’t hesitate contacting us at EMRPGfoundation@gmail.com.
Related articles
Paulette Goddard’s Enviable Accessories (stylelist.com)
- The Black Obelisk (theluria.wordpress.com)
- Hollywood Dreams Of Wealth, Youth And Beauty (npr.org)
- Film Review ALL Quiet on THE Western Front 1930 (socyberty.com
- A virtually forgotten piece of Hollywood History – in Switzerland – destined to be Lost… Forever!Ensuring a Cultural Legacy
- Introduction (en)
- The Protagonists
- Erich Maria Remarque
- Remarque’s mini-biography and timeline
- Paulette Goddard
- The Vision
- Casa Monte Tabor Intro (video)
And for the first time in Academy Awards history, a French actor (Jean Dujardin) and a French filmmaker (Michel Hazanavicius) took the academy’s top acting and directing awards.
