Cornelia Herstatt (1917-1989)
Cornelia Herstatt, daughter of Johann David (1887-1955) and Clara Herstatt (1883-1981) was a journalist, columnist, writer. In the 1950s she wrote for the Bild newspaper in the column “Hallo Cornelia” and thus became Germany’s best-known “gossip columnist”. Later she moved to the magazine Constanze, where she wrote more extensive articles about internationally known film actors and actresses. There was virtually no major star she had not interviewed. Her guest books include pictures and dedications from German artists such as Hans Albers, Carl Raddatz, Romy Schneider, Sonja Ziemann, Hildegard Knef, Heinz Drache, Joachim Fuchsberger, Liselotte Pulver, Georg Thomalla, as well as international stars such as Gregory Peck, Gina Lollobrigida , Charlton Heston, Jane Mansfield, Billy Wilder, Ingrid Bergmann and many more.
Her recipe for success was that she kept the secrets of stars entrusted to her and only published things that she had previously agreed with the stars. This led to close and long-lasting friendships in some cases. After Constanze was discontinued, Cornelia Herstatt moved to the magazine Jasmin and finally to the TV magazine Gong. She continued to work as a society journalist until shortly before her death, but the time of the big stars was over, television had long since overtaken cinema and her claim to moral principles was unfortunately no longer in such demand in fast-moving journalism.