Born in Germany, Maksymilian Hauschild was the founder of the first film studio in the Kuyavia and Pomerania region – Polonia-Film.
The Polonia-Film studio was established in 1921. Hauschild started the operation of the studio with great momentum, promising the press to create “Hollywood upon Brda”. The studio was located at 34/37 Dworcowa Street. Ultimately, he created the majority of his films in the vicinity of the premises – on location or in hotel interiors in Bydgoszcz. Thanks to his work, Bydgoszcz became an important spot on the map of Polish cinema.
The film studio produced three silent narrative films and several documentaries, and attempted to produce other pictures. The first narrative film was Car Dymitr Samozwaniec/Tsar False Dmitry, a loose interpretation of Borys Godunow/Boris Godunov. Several scenes were filmed on location in the city of Bydgoszcz, for instance in the squares near the mills or the area near the Bismarck Tower. The cast included actors from the Municipal Theatre and Józef Karbowski – the Director of the theatre at that time, who also served in the same capacity in the Elysium Theatre in Germany. The picture was also the debut of the future beau of Polish cinema – Franciszek Brodziewicz. The film was also shot in Włocławek and Kraków.
In 1922, the studio produced two low-budget films entitled Ostatni człowiek/The Last Man and Diabelski most/The Devilish Bridge. The Polonia-Film studio was planning to produce a farce entitled Picuś wygrał milionówkę/Picuś Won a State Loan in 1921, but the production never commenced.
In the Summer of 1922, the studio produced Złote łóżko Gabby/Gabby’s Golden Bed, in which the leading roles were played by Hauschild and his wife, Lia Fein. It was the last film made by the studio before it was officially closed in December 1923. As of today, there are no surviving copies of Hauschild’s films.
Selected filmography
- 1921 – „Car Dymitr Samozwaniec”/„Tsar False Dmitry”
- 1922 – „Złote łóżko Gabby”/„Gabby’s Golden Bed”
