Ksenia Desni German actress of Ukrainian origin, starred in silent films Date of Birth: 19.01.1894 Country: Germany

Biography of Kseniya Desni

Kseniya Desni, a German actress of Ukrainian origin, gained recognition for her work in silent films. She was born on January 19, 1894, in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Early Years and Passion for Dance

Desni's artistic abilities were evident from an early age and found expression in her passion for dance. Encouraged by her parents, she pursued her interest in dancing.
Moving to Germany and Debut in Film

In the early 1910s, Desni traveled to Germany, where she gave birth to her daughter Tamara Desni, who would also become an actress. During the revolution, Kseniya fled to Constantinople and danced in various variety shows before eventually moving to Berlin in the early 1920s.
In 1921, she made her film debut with a small role in the movie "Sappho," where she portrayed a Greek poetess played by Pola Negri. Her breakthrough came in 1922 when she landed her first leading role in Johannes Guter's film "The Call of Destiny." Desni worked with Guter in a total of eight films, including successful movies like "Princess Suvarin" (1923), "Leap into Life" (1924), where she played a circus acrobat, and "The Tower of Silence" (1925).
Other Notable Works and Career Peak

Desni's notable films of that era include "William Tell" (1923), "Another" (1924) by Gerhart Lamprecht, "The Acquired Bride" (1925), and "Dreams of Waltz" (1925) by Ludwig Berger. Her last film, and one of her most expressive works, was based on Oscar Strauss's operetta, which was quite daring for a silent film.
Her career peak came in the years 1926-1927 when she actively starred alongside popular actors such as Rudolf Klein-Rogge (who later appeared in Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" in 1927 and co-starred with Desni in the film "The Diamond Rose"), Olga Chekhova, Max Hansen ("The Shimek Family - Viennese Hearts"), Willy Fritsch ("The Boxer's Bride"), Harry Liedtke ("Soldier Mari" and "The Girl from the People"), and others.
Decline and Later Life

With the advent of sound cinema, Desni, like many other popular actresses, lost her demand and left the film industry in 1929. Unfortunately, little is known about her life afterward. She passed away in France in 1954, but the exact date, cause, and place of her death remain undocumented.