Aruth Wartan


Aruth Wartan was a German film actor of Armenian origin who appeared in around ninety films during his career, generally in supporting roles.

Life and career

Born Arutjun Wartanian in Nakhichevan in of the Russian Empire, he was of Armenian heritage. He graduated from high school in 1898 in Tbilisi, Georgia, and then briefly studied medicine in Kharkov. Around the turn of the century he briefly lived in Japan before relocating to St. Petersburg. During the Revolution of 1905 he moved to Saxony in Germany and studied at the Freiberg University of Mining and Technology. He also worked in Chile and Bolivia before returning to Germany and working as a mining engineer then moving into acting and performing on the stage and screen.
During the early years he often appeared in leading roles, but as time passed he increasing switched to character roles. In the Nazi era he played small roles, particularly Russians, in propaganda films such as Attack on Baku. He died of stroke in the last weeks of the Second World War.

Selected filmography