Horst Ebersberg

Horst Ebersberg born May 8 1935 in Kitzbühel Tyrol Austria died April 18 2023 was an Austrianborn character actor who is mainly remembered for playing German soldiers in American films and television shows of the 1960s including three episodes of the 1960s sitcom Hogans Heroes Austrianborn actor photographer and champion Alpine skier Horst Ebersberg was born in Kitzbühel to physician Dr Lothar Ebersberg and his wife Annette Both parents were skilled alpinists Annette was also a close acquaintance of film maker Leni Riefenstahl It had been intended that their son would follow his father into the medical profession However Horst a close friend of the legendary Toni Sailer excelled in sports at the Stella Matutina Jesuit School in Feldkirch twice becoming Alpine Ski Master in 1955 With some assistance from the renowned Austrian mountaineer and explorer Heinrich Harrer Horst was able to obtain a sports scholarship from the University of Denver in Colorado As a sideline he worked as a journalist and photographer for the Denver Post Between 1963 and 1969 he featured as a supporting actor in many American films and TV series often typecast as German soldiers He made recurring appearances as different characters in 12 OClock High 1964 The Man from UNCLE 1964 Combat 1962 Hogans Heroes 1965 and Mission Impossible 1966 Upon his return to Europe Horst did further journalistic work for the illustrated magazines Quick and Bunte He retired to his home town Kitzbühel in 1990 From 2007 to 2011 he published his own paper the Kitzbüheler Beobachter Horst was twice married He had two daughters Hannah and Miriam Ebersberg with his second wife Sabine née Opperer