Anne Buydens

Birth Name: Hannelore Marx

Date of Birth: April 23, 1919

Place of Birth: Hanover, Weimar Republic/German Reich

Date of Death: April 29, 2021

Place of Death: Beverly Hills, California, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*father – Ashkenazi Jewish
*mother – likely German

Anne Buydens was an American philanthropist and film producer.

Anne was born in Hanover, the daughter of Paula (Michel) and Siegfried Marx, a textile merchant, who imported silk for making parachutes. Her father was born in Haina, Hessen, to a Jewish family. She attended boarding school in Switzerland, and then other school in Brussels, Belgium; as well as spent time in Paris, France, during WWII. She learned English, French, and Italian at school. Her surname was from her first husband, Belgian, Albert Buydens.

Anne was married to actor Kirk Douglas, until his death. The couple had two children, television and film producer Peter Douglas and actor and stand-up comedian Eric Douglas. She formally converted to Judaism, Kirk’s religion, in 2004. She was also known as Anne Douglas.

Anne’s paternal grandfather was Jakob Marx (the son of Herz Naftali Marx and Jette Giedel Katz-Stiefel). Jakob was born in Grüsen, Kassel, Hessen, Germany. Herz was the son of Jakob Marx and Jette Stern. Anne’s great-grandmother Jette was the daughter of Selig Katz-Stiefel and Fradchen Lilienstein.

Anne’s paternal grandmother was Betti Katz (the daughter of Feist Katz and Brendel Katz). Betti was born in Jesberg, Schwalm-Eder-Kreis, Hessen, Germany. Feist was the son of Bonum Pinchas Katz and Zerline Sarchen/Sara Nussbaum/Nußbaum. Brendel was the daughter of Ruben Katz and Sarah Levi.

Source: Genealogy of Anne Buydens (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.geni.com