Volker Schlöndorff Biography: Age, Career, Net Worth, Spouse, Children, Parents, Siblings, Movies

Volker Schlöndorff is a German film director, screenwriter and producer, an Academy Award-winning director whose incisive adaptations and political dramas shaped post-war European film.

He claimed global acclaim with The Tin Drum (1979), sharing the Palme d’Or and winning the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

Schlöndorff collaborated closely with Margarethe von Trotta, directed literary masterpieces like Young Törless (1966) and The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum (1975), and later helmed international projects including Death of a Salesman (1985) and The Handmaid’s Tale (1990), blending intellectual rigor with cinematic elegance.

Profile

• Full Name: Volker Schlöndorff
• Stage Name: Volker Schlöndorff
• Born: March 31, 1939
• Age: 86 years old
• Birthplace: Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany
• Nationality: German
• Occupation: Film Director, Screenwriter, Producer
• Height: Unknown
• Parents: Dr. Georg Schlöndorff and Mrs. Schlöndorff
• Siblings: Detlef Schlöndorff
• Spouse: Margarethe von Trotta (m. 1971–1991), Angelika Gruber (m. 1992)
• Children: 1
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $8 million

Early Life and Education

Volker Schlöndorff was born on March 31, 1939, in Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany, to Dr. Georg Schlöndorff, who practiced medicine, and Mrs. Schlöndorff.

He grew up with half-brother Detlef and at least one other brother.

The family relocated to the French zone after the war, and Schlöndorff attended the prestigious Lycée Henri-IV in Paris as an exchange student.

He studied political science and economics at the Sorbonne before enrolling at the Institut des Hautes Études Cinématographiques (IDHEC), graduating in 1960.

He is of German ethnicity and while his religion is unknown.

Career

Volker Schlöndorff began his career assisting French New Wave directors like Louis Malle, Alain Resnais, and Jean-Pierre Melville in the early 1960s.

He returned to Germany and debuted with Young Törless (1966), an adaptation of Robert Musil’s novel about fascism’s roots that won the FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes.

Schlöndorff co-directed The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum (1975) with Margarethe von Trotta, a sharp critique of tabloid sensationalism.

He founded Bioskop Film in 1972, enabling independent production.

Schlöndorff achieved international triumph with The Tin Drum (1979), Günter Grass’s surreal allegory of Nazi-era Germany that shared the Palme d’Or and secured the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

He directed the Emmy-winning Death of a Salesman (1985) with Dustin Hoffman and adapted Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale (1990).

Later works include The Legend of Rita (2000), The Ninth Day (2004), and the Holocaust drama Diplomacy (2014), showcasing his mastery of historical tension.

Volker Schlöndorff directed Return to Montauk (2017), a reflective romance, and the documentary The Forest Maker (2022) on African reforestation.

He taught at the European Graduate School, published memoirs, and restored classic films through his foundation.

Schlöndorff’s legacy endures in his precise adaptations and unwavering commitment to moral inquiry.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: Unknown
• Facebook Handle: Unknown
• Twitter Handle: Unknown

Personal Life

Volker Schlöndorff married filmmaker Margarethe von Trotta in 1971; they collaborated extensively before divorcing in 1991.

He wed script supervisor Angelika Gruber in 1992, and they share one daughter.

Schlöndorff divides time between Berlin and Potsdam, cherishes literature, and supports cultural preservation.

Filmography

• Young Törless (1966)
• The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum (1975)
• The Tin Drum (1979)
• Death of a Salesman (1985)
• The Handmaid’s Tale (1990)
• The Legend of Rita (2000)
• The Ninth Day (2004)
• Diplomacy (2014)
• Return to Montauk (2017)

Net Worth

Volker Schlöndorff has an estimated net worth of $8 million. He earns primarily through directing acclaimed literary adaptations, international co-productions, and television specials. Income from festival honors, restored film royalties, and his production company Bioskop Film sustains his finances.