Friday, December 26, 2008

Ursula Bottcher #4


Ursula Bottcher.12, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.


The last date I was able to find for a performance by Ms. Bottcher and her bears was 1995 for Circus Berolina.

Ms. Bottcher wrote and published a book about her performing career in 1999. The book titled "Kleine Frau, Barenstark" which translates into "Small Woman, Bear Strong" was written in German. It is currently out of print.

After her retirement from performing Ms. Bottcher returned to her hometown of Dresden and currently resides there.

In reading the computer generated translations of the articles that I found about Ms. Bottcher, I got the impression that she was not happy with the way her career ended nor how the government unceremonious! ly sent her Polar Bears away to different zoos. She always regarded her Polar Bears as her children.

If anyone has any additional information, pictures or personal memories to ad about Ms. Bottcher, I would enjoy hearing and seeing them.

Henry

Posted by Buckles at 12/26/2008 06:02:00 AM

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Henry.

Adaline

26 December, 2008 17:09
Anonymous said...

I was only 6 when I met Ursula on the 1980-81 Blue Show tour. My mom recalls her as being very quiet & kept to herself, although someone you would not want to anger. Given my age, I had none of these presumptions- I just thought she was a nice lady. She used to have these little dogs (terriers, I think) & I used to go take the dogs for walks with her. I thought a lot of Ursula & wish I had been able to spend more time with her.

27 December, 2008 16:59
Mark Lavender said...

Henry, write me at mark0254@netscape.net . I've got a polar bear story you may or may not have heard from Venice Winter Qtrs before starting the 1976 season.

Thanks for the terrific pics of Ms. Boettcher and her bears.

27 December, 2008 22:40
Mark Lavender said...

Henry, I’d thought I’d posted my polar bear story somewhere before and wanted to avoid repetition, but I have been prompted to share it here, so here goes.
In 1975’s winter quarters in Venice, I'd heard that Ms. Boettcher and her bears were being brought into the arena for the first time to see how they would respond to the ring-curb based wire mesh cage. It was my understanding it was used in cat acts but never before with polar bears.
Inside, in the bleachers, I chatted with a couple other clowns and a couple members of the King Charles Troupe who'd come to watch, too.
Shortly after, we noted at least two large, serious looking men carrying high powered rifles taking positions up in the seats, one near us, the other sited at a wide angle to the first man, both of them with their eyes centered on the cage.
Nervously, one of us asked the obvious question of the marksman closest to us. He patiently and matter of factly explained that these bears hadn’t been in this type of cage before and that nobody yet knew how they might react or "try" the cage. He said could it could go well or not and that they (the marksmen) were there “just in case”.
We implicitly understood, and the several of us laughed nervously, quietly joking about our favourite girders and roof trusses to escape to... 'just in case".
The marksman then dryly added, "By the way, bears are climbers."
We looked at him, then at each other, and with an "in for a penny, in for a pound” attitude sat down and watched the proceedings quietly, verrrrry attentively.
The bears came in from the chute, slow and deliberate to their seats. I'd never seen a polar bear live before let alone several all at once... such powerful looking creatures.
They looked at the cage, sniffed it, and one gingerly touched it with its paw, then, apparently satisfied, turned around and took seat. After that, none of them seemed to give the cage much thought.
They were such large and beautiful animals. I was told back then that bears can be inscrutable and treacherous for most people to predict. Not being an animal person, I took this as fact.
I appreciated watching Ms. Boettcher work with these bears throughout the 1976 RBBB Blue unit season; it was, for me, a fascinating lesson in focus in performance and careful respect for animals.
Thanks again, Henry for all those pictures. They brought back some good memories.

28 December, 2008 15:05
Anonymous said...

Mark,
That is amazing. Everyone was unsure of what the new ringcurb cage would be like or how the bears would react.
Showgirls were choreographed to dance on the bear tubs prior to them coming into the ring. Needless to say...we hustled out of there and were appreciative that Charly was calling the timing of their entrance.
Ursula did get a swipe every now and then. Once in MSG, down the arm. Then she wore her other costumes. Not, out of shoddy showmanship, as has been asserted.

29 December, 2008 20:13

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