Petra Schürmann

Petra Schürmann

Schürmann as an announcer for the Bayerischer Rundfunk, in the 1960s
Born Hildegard Petra Susanna Schürmann[1]/ Petra Hildegard Elisabeth Schürmann[2]
(1933-09-15)15 September 1933[3][4][5][6]
Mönchengladbach, Rhine Province, Germany
Died 14 January 2010(2010-01-14) (aged 76)
Starnberg,[7] Germany
Nationality German
Occupation Actress, model, presenter, beauty queen
Years active 1954–2004
Known for Miss World 1956
Religion Roman Catholic[8][9]
Spouse(s) Gerhard Freund (1973–2008)

Petra Schürmann-Freund (15 September 1933 – 14 January 2010) was a German actress, model, TV announcer and beauty queen who won Miss World 1956.[7]

Biography

Schürmann won the 1956 Miss World[10] contest, representing West Germany.[9][11][12] As of 2012 she is the only German to win this title,[9] with the exception of Gabriella Brum who won the title in 1980 but resigned one day later. The pageant was held in London, United Kingdom.[9] Interestingly, Petra Schürmann only came third in the Miss Germany pageant, but was chosen to represent her country in London because of her better knowledge of English.[13]

At that time she studied philosophy and history of the arts at the universities of Bonn and Cologne.[8][9] After winning her Miss World title she continued her studies in Munich.[13]

Beginning with the 1960s she entered an ongoing radio and television career, primarily with the Munich-based Bayerischer Rundfunk.[9] She also did some acting and wrote some books.[9]

Personal life

In 1973, she married the physician Dr. Gerhard Freund, who already back in 1967, under a veil of secrecy, had fathered their daughter Alexandra.[8] This was at a time when he was still wed to German actress Marianne Koch.[8] Alexandra Freund also had a successful career with the Munich broadcaster but died in 2001 aged 34 from an automobile accident when she collided with a wrong-way driver.[8] Petra Schürmann never really recovered from the loss of her daughter with whom she was very close.[7][8][9]

Death

Petra Schürmann retired with her husband to their house on the shores of Lake Starnberg south of Munich.[8] When he died in August 2008 they had been married for 35 years.[11][12][13] She died on 14 January 2010 in her home in Starnberg following a long illness.[7]

References

  1. "Petra Schürmann, Stationen eines Lebens" (in German). Mittelbayerische Zeitung. 14 January 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  2. Michael Graeter (17 January 2010). "Der Skandal in den 60ern: Petra Schürmann liebte den Mann einer anderen" (in German). Abendzeitung. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  3. "dpa-Newsticker – Petra Schürmann neben Tochter Alexandra beigesetzt" (in German). Zeit online. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  4. "schuermann-petra/2010-01-19/traueranzeige". Sterbebildchen of Petra Schürmann-Freund at bild.de. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  5. Uschi von Bayern (18 January 2010). "Meine beste Freundin" (in German). Abendzeitung. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  6. "Petra Schürmanns letzte Reise" (in German). Tz. 15 January 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "TV-Moderatorin Petra Schürmann ist tot: Sie wollte ihre Tochter im Himmel wiedersehen" (in German). Münchner Merkur. 14 January 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sudholt, Eva (14 January 2010). "Ein Leben zwischen Schönheit und Schmerz" (in German). Berliner Morgenpost. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Mutter, Moderatorin, Medienstar" (in German). Bayerischer Rundfunk. 14 January 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  10. http://www.missworld.com/1950-s/1956.html
  11. 1 2 "Von der Miss World zum Fernsehstar" (in German). Süddeutsche Zeitung. 14 January 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  12. 1 2 "Petra Schürmann ist tot" (in German). Der Spiegel. 14 January 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  13. 1 2 3 "Tragic star and media figure Petra Schürmann dies at 74". Young Germany, Societäts-Verlag. 14 January 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
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