Friedrich Gnaß (1892-1958) was a German stage and film actor, known for his work in the political theatre of the Weimar Republic. He collaborated closely with directors such as Erwin Piscator and Bertolt Brecht, establishing himself as a representative face of the proletariat thanks to his stage presence and deep voice. His film career took off in the late 1920s, with significant roles in major films such as Georg Wilhelm Pabst's *Westfront 1918* (1930) and *Kameradschaft* (1931), and in the communist-themed film *Kuhle Wampe* (1932). During the Nazi regime, his work was restricted due to his political convictions. After the war, he moved to East Germany, where he became a prominent figure with the state-owned film studio DEFA and the Berliner Ensemble. For his artistic contributions, particularly for his performance in the satirical film *Der Untertan* (1951), he received the National Prize of the GDR in 1951, consolidating his status as a leading actor in East German cinema.