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stein took over the prestigious Vossische Zeitung in 1913, Bernhard
became its editor-in-chief from 1914 to 1930 (until 1920
together with Hermann Bachmann). He was also appointed
lecturer at the Berlin Handelshochschule (1916–30, from 1928
as honorary professor). As one of the most influential journalists
of the German Empire and Weimar Republic, Bernhard
was deeply involved in communal and national politics.
After 1918, he strongly supported a reconciliation between
Germany and France, which, however, made him a public enemy
of the political right, including the NSDAP. Subsequently,
Bernhard was appointed to the National Economic Council
and, as a leading member of the DDP (from 1924), again to the
Reichstag (1928–30). Between 1913 and 1930, he was elected
council member of several press associations and was active
in German-Jewish communal organizations, e.g., as a council
member of the Central-Verein, ORT, and, though critical
of Zionism, the Pro-Palaestina-Komitee. At the end of 1930,
Bernhard resigned from all journalistic and political posts, engaging
in commerce instead. In February 1933, he managed to
flee via East Prussia and Denmark to Paris, where he founded
the influential emigrant paper Pariser Tageblatt (1933–36, continued
as Pariser Tageszeitung until 1940). At the end of 1937,
however, he had to resign as editor-in-chief, instead working
as a representative of the World Jewish Congress in Paris. In
addition, from 1933, he engaged in numerous emigrant organizations
(e.g., Volksfront, FEAF, ZVE, etc.), and served as an
adviser to the French government. In 1940, he was interned
at Bassens near Bordeaux but, after a dramatic flight to Spain,
succeeded in escaping to the United States in 1941. On his arrival
in New York, he was employed at the Institute of Jewish
Affairs of the American Jewish Congress, continuing his restless
activity for several German-American emigrant organizations.
Among Bernhard’s published works are numerous
studies on politics, economics, and finance (cf. ABJ II (1993),
274–279). He published Die Deutsche Tragoedie (1933); Meister
und Dilettanten am Kapitalismus (1936); Warum schweigt die
Welt? (ed. B. Jacob, 1936, in collaboration with others), etc.
Bibliography: R. Schay, Juden in der deutschen Politik
(1929), 267–72; “Un grand journaliste allemand,” in: Revue mondiale
(Jan. 1931), 198–202; Aufbau (Feb. 18, 1944); MB (Feb. 18, 1944); K.H.
Salzmann, in: Neue Deutsche Biographie, vol. II (1955), 117–18; W.
Roeder and H.A. Strauss (eds.), International Biographical Dictionary
of Central European Emigrés 1933–1945, vol. I (1980), 58; R. Heuer
(ed.), Archiv Bibliographia Judaica, vol. II (1993), 271–79, incl. bibl.; H.
Schmuck (ed.), Jewish Biographical Archive (1995), F. 138, 22–57; Series
II (2003), F. II/59, 419–28; J. Mikuteit, Georg Bernhard (1875–1944),
Ein deutscher Journalist in Presse und Politik vor, Diss. phil., Europa-
Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder), 1998 (Microfilm, 2002); M.
Klein, Georg Bernhard. Die politische Haltung des Chefredakteurs der
‘Vossischen Zeitung’ Frankfurt a. M. (1999).
[Johannes Valentin Schwarz (2nd ed.)]
BERNHARD, SANDRA (1955– ), U.S. actress, comedian,
vocalist, author. Born in the suburbs of Flint, Michigan, the
daughter of a proctologist and an artist, Bernhard’s first public
performance was singing “Hello Dolly” at a bar mitzvah.
bernhardt, sarah
She spent eight months working on a kibbutz in Israel. At 18
she moved to California, where she first worked as a manicurist
for clients such as Tina Louise. Her comedy career began
in the late 1970s in Los Angeles’ comedy clubs and led to
a spot as a regular on the short-lived Richard Pryor Show. Her
first major film role was opposite Robert DeNiro in Martin
Scorcese’s King of Comedy (1983). Her other major film credits
include Hudson Hawk, The Apocalypse, and Inside Monkey
Zetterland. Bernhard has received critical acclaim for
her distinctive one-woman shows, a format particularly well
suited to her wide-ranging caustic social commentary and
extremely personal performances. Her most notable onewoman
shows are “Without You I’m Nothing” (1988), which
was later adapted into film, and “I’m Still Here … Damn It!”
(1998). Throughout her career, Bernhard’s controversial personal
life has been deeply intertwined with her professional
success. Her highly publicized relationship with Madonna coincided
with her appearance in Madonna’s 1991 video Truth
or Dare, and she also received great attention for her regular
role on the television show Roseanne as the title character’s
lesbian friend. Bernhard has released seven albums, winning
high praise in particular for her 1985 debut album I’m Your
Woman. Bernhard is also the author of three books, including
her autobiography Confessions of a Pretty Lady (1988) as
well as Love, Love, and Love (1993) and May I Kiss you on the
Lips, Miss Sandra? (1998).
[Walter Driver (2nd ed.)]
BERNHARDT, SARAH (Rosine Bernard; 1844–1923),
French actress. Fathered by a Frenchman (Edouard Bernard),
she was the eldest of three illegitimate daughters born to Judith
Van Hard, a Dutch-Jewish music teacher. When Sarah
was ten years old she was sent to the convent of Versailles and
baptized. However, she remained proud of her Jewish heritage.
She made her debut at the Comédie Française in 1862 as Iphigénie
in Racine’s Iphigénie en Aulide. She acted at the Odéon
from 1866 to 1872, and achieved popular acclaim in Coppée’s
Le Passant as the page Zanetto, her first male role. Returning
to the Comédie Française, she became one of the greatest interpreters
of Racine, playing Andromaque in 1873 and Phèdre
in 1874. Temperament and impatience with authority ended
her career at the Comédie in 1879. She embarked on a series
of tours abroad and drew crowds wherever she appeared. She
acted in a London season almost annually until as late as 1922.
She visited the U.S. nine times, and acted in Germany, Russia,
Latin America, and Australia. Everywhere she conquered
her audience with La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas,
fils. Forming her own company, she appeared in both
classical and modern works, and excelled in Sardou’s Fédora
(1882), Théodora (1884), and La Tosca (1889), all of which he
wrote for her. Almost every role she acted became her personal
triumph. In Edmond Rostand’s L’Aiglon she played the
part of Napoleon’s 21-year-old son when she was herself 55.
In 1899 she took over a large Paris theater, renamed it Théâtre
Sarah Bernhardt, and directed it until her death. Here she pre-
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