Overview

• Karin Lesch, best known as the queen in the 1973 DEFA co-production 'Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel,' died at age 89 on March 12, 2025, in Brandenburg.
• Her family corrected earlier reports, confirming she is survived by her daughter Anja, while her son Michael passed away in 2023.
• The fairy-tale film, filmed partly at Schloss Moritzburg, remains a cultural staple, drawing annual exhibitions and widespread holiday viewership across Europe.
• Lesch's career spanned DEFA films, theater, and television, with notable roles in productions like 'Das Zaubermännchen' and 'KLK an PTX – Die Rote Kapelle.'
• She relocated to East Berlin from Switzerland in 1947, studied acting, and later married DEFA General Director Hans-Dieter Mäde.