Biography

Rosenthal initially spent a carefree childhood. When the National Socialists came to power in January 1933, his Jewish family began a troubled life full of fear. During this time he was constantly on the run from the persecutors of the Nazi regime. In 1937, when he was twelve, Rosenthal lost his father, who died of kidney failure. Four years later, his mother died of colon cancer. From this time on, Rosenthal grew up in orphanages and had to do forced labor. From 1943 to 1945 he led a nerve-racking underground life until the Russians invaded Berlin. Rosenthal began his career in radio in the post-war period. For the former Berlin broadcaster RIAS, whose entertainment director he became, he moderated various programs, including the "Klingende Sonntagsrätsel", for which he was available over 1,000 times. Rosenthal then switched to television. He invented and wrote numerous quiz shows for this medium, most of which he himself appeared in front of the camera.

His most famous program in this genre was called "Dalli Dalli", a guessing game for quick thinkers, which made him Germany's best-known television quiz master - also thanks to his uncomplicated style. With "Dalli Dalli" Rosenthal made television history and literally sparked quiz fever. The show first aired on May 13, 1971, and the last edition was broadcast in 1986. But Rosenthal also moderated other major shows, for example "Cäpt'n, good bye" for ZDF, a program to say goodbye to Federal President Karl Carstens. In addition, Rosenthal accompanied other important events on television, such as the opening of the Federal Garden Show. In 1980 his autobiography "Two Lives in Germany" was published. In 1986, Rosenthal founded an international media agency with Paul Spiegel that promoted artists, actors and television presenters.

Hans Rosenthal died on February 10, 1987 in Berlin.

On the occasion of his death, the Hans Rosenthal Foundation was founded based on an idea from the quiz master. The foundation's idea is to "support people who are dependent on the help of others due to their physical, mental or emotional condition or who are in economic distress. The foundation continues what Hans Rosenthal did with his aid organization "Dalli Dalli Helps". as part of his well-known quiz show.