1920s - 1950s

Klaus Kinski was born Nikolaus Günther Nakszynski on October 18, 1926 in Sopot, Poland. The youngest of four children, Kinski grew up in poverty. Forced into theft in order to feed himself and his family, Kinski was in constant trouble with the law.

World War II only brought more pain for the Kinski family with Klaus being forced into the Polish army and subsequently being captured and serving under the German army. Kinski spent his short term in the military flagging down American planes and begging them to shoot him. Losing a close friend, Klaus went AWOL. Dressed in children clothes, Kinski fed on rotten apples for days until his capture by the English army and a stint in POW camp.

With the war over, and his release from the POW camp, Kinski went in search of his family. However, soon enough he discovered that most of them had passed away during his time away. The biggest blow was the loss of his mother, whom Kinski loved dearly.

Kinski spent the following years with a traveling drama troupe. His fevered and emotional portrayals on the stage foreshadowed his success to come. However, his lack of understanding to authority created great tension with his bosses and Kinski constantly found himself without a job and homeless.

By the late forties, Kinski jumped into film. With 1948's "Morituri", Kinski's life as an established actor was about to begin.

1950's - 1970's Biography

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