Overview

• Karin Lesch, celebrated for her role as the Queen in the 1973 DEFA classic 'Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel,' died on March 12, 2025, at the age of 89 in Königs Wusterhausen, Brandenburg.
• Her daughter, Anja Mathilde Wallocha, confirmed her passing, correcting earlier reports that her marriage to DEFA director Hans-Dieter Mäde was childless.
• The Czech-East German Märchenfilm remains a beloved Christmas tradition, with Schloss Moritzburg, a key filming location, continuing to draw fans through special exhibitions.
• Lesch’s career spanned post-war emigration from Switzerland, studies at the Schauspielschule Berlin, and memorable roles in DEFA fairy-tale films such as 'Das Zaubermännchen.'
• Her death marks the passing of another star from the iconic film, following the earlier deaths of co-stars Rolf Hoppe and Libuše Šafránková.