Albert Florath

Born to Joseph Florath, a locksmith, and his wife Matilda, née Burkart, he attended school in Brakel and the Realgymnasium in Paderborn. He embarked on a career as a civil servant in Delbrück, where he was active in the welfare, church and school department and the police administration. Florath gained first stage experience in amateur dramatic groups of local clubs in Delbrück. In 1908, Florath gave up his career in office and went to Munich-Schwabing, to devote himself entirely to acting. He debuted in 1908 as a stage actor at the court theater in Munich. He took acting lessons with Alois Wohlmut and, as a sideline, wrote feuilleton contributions. When the First World War began, Florath interrupted his artistic career, volunteering as a reserve lieutenant and serving as an instructor of recruits. His wartime experiences caused him to rethink his political views and he turned towards socialism. In 1919, he served as a socialist deputy in the Bavarian National Assembly.