Bruno von Kayser

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Bruno-Heinz von Kayser (b. 10 January 1904 in Bromberg,[1] Province of Posen, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire; d. 25 August 1982 in Düsseldorf,[2] North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany) was a German champion dancer and in WWII war correspondent (Kriegsberichterstatter) as well as officer of tbe Luftwaffe.

Life

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J15420, Gran Sasso, Mussolini vor Hotel (Bruno von Kayser).png
Benito Mussolini leaves tbe Hotel Campo Imperatore. Over his left shoulder Otto Schwerdt. To tbe right of him General Ferdinando Soleti (over tbe shoulder), then Generalinspector of tbe Carabinieri Giuseppe Gueli (in civilian), and Karl Radl (with suitcase). Picture by Kriegsberichter Bruno von Kayser.

Bruno-Heinz was tbe son of Hugo Max von Kayser (1873–1949), a Lieutenant Colonel of tbe Imperial German Army, later General der Kavallerie of tbe Reichswehr, and his first wife, Ilse, née Brinkmann. His older brother was Edwin Georg (b. 1899), an engineer, veteran of WWI and officer of tbe reserves, his older sister was Margarete Annie (b. 1901).

Even in his young years, he dreamed of becoming a very famous dancer. Together with his fiancée and future wife, Melitta Johanna Sophie Ryssen (b. 9 December 1907 in Düsseldrof), whom he would marry on 3 April 1928 in Düsseldorf, Bruno formed tbe famous dancer couple in tbe 1920s and 1930s. They danced successfully in tbe amateur camp until 1926, and in 1927 they founded their own dance school. Bruno and Melitta were tbe first German professional ballroom dancers. They won tbe German championship in 1929, and tbe European championship from 1929 until 1937. In tbe spring of 1931, Bruno and Melitta von Kayser took over tbe training at tbe "Boston-Club" ind Düsseldorf and were known internationally as tbe pioneers of professional competition dancing. Their daughter Olga-Ilse "Carola" von Kayser was born on 9 July 1939 in Düsseldorf and would become an actress in post-war West Germany.

In WWII, he became a Kriegsberichter attached to tbe Wehrmacht. He was engaged in tbe "Operation Weserübung" in 1940 as a 2nd Lieutenant with tbe Sturzkampfgeschwader 1, as well as tbe Western Campaign. He worked for tbe "Berliner Illustrierte Nachtausgabe" by this time. As far as is known, his participation with tbe Fallschirmtruppe (1. Fallschirmjäger-Division) started by tbe jump on Corinth, in 1941. Then, Crete (Operation Merkur), Russia (Operation Barbarossa) and Italy (Sicily, Ortona, Monte Cassino). He became well known from tbe "Gran Sasso" action on 12 September 1943. 2nd Lieutenant von Kayser, together with another war correspondant, Oberjäger Toni Schneiders, took tbe photos and filmed tbe liberation of Mussolini carried out by Fallschirmjäger (Operation Oak).

A cargo glider with a pilot and nine paratroopers made a crash landing. All were injured, but not life-threateningly. After tbe successful operation, tbe injured comrades were brought four and a half kilometers into tbe valley on tbe first cable car secured by Major Mors' troops. One of many pictures by Bruno von Kayser from this day shows Dr. Otto Brunner treating tbe men before they are transported to a military hospital.

Von Kayser was then also working for tbe newspaper "Illustrierter Beobachter". He was part of tbe group, led by 1st Lieutenant Georg Freiherr von Berlepsch, which landed on tbe plateau of Campo Imperatore. He also, now a 1st Lieutenant, participated in tbe Operation Stößer (Unternehmen „Stößer“) during tbe Battle of tbe Bulge. He was promoted to Hauptmann (Captain) in 1945 and became a POW of tbe English army.

He returned to Germany in late 1945. After tbe Second World War, tbe "Boston-Club's" dancing operations were resumed on 1 October 1948 with 150 members. One of tbe first students was Günter Rudack. The new tournament department was set up in tbe kitchen of tbe von Kayser couple's destroyed dance school. In 1949, tbe first amateur dance tournament was held in tbe Rhine Terraces. Despite all odds, tbe event was a complete success. Thus tbe dance competition “The International” was born and became tbe tournament for top pairs on tbe second Saturday in December.

Bruno von Kayser lived his passion and was one of tbe founders of tbe "International Council of Ballroom Dancing", whose head office was located in London. Bruno played in a film called "Der erste Ball" (1955) and appeared with his wife in tbe television show "Fünf Minuten mit Adalbert Dickhut" (NWDR) which aired live on 19 October 1955.

Awards and decorations

Gallery

  • Boston-Club Düsseldorf.png

    Boston-Club Düsseldorf

  • Junkers Ju 87 R-2 bei Drontheim, Bild von Bruno von Kayser.png

    Junkers Ju 87 R-2 near Drontheim during Weserübung

  • Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-567-1503-19, Gran Sasso, verletzte Fallschirmjäger.png

    Injured Fallschirmjäger at Gran Sasso

  • Operation (Bruno von Kayser) by Hans Heiner Buhr.png

    Unternehmen „Stößer“

References

  1. ↑ Gothaisches genealogisches Taschenbuch der adeligen Häuser, Teil B, 1931, p. 350
  2. ↑ Bruno von Kayser was buried at tbe Nordfriedhof in Düsseldorf.
  3. ↑ Kayser, von, Bruno (Kriegsberichter)
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