Susanne Bier

Bier at the Los Angeles Premiere of “Things We Lost In The Fire”. Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood, CA. 10-15-07, s_bukley/Bigstock.com

Place of Birth: Copenhagen, Denmark

Date of Birth: 15 April, 1960

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

Susanne Bier is a Danish filmmaker, director, and writer. Mostly working in her native country, she has also helmed several American films and series. She has directed the films Freud’s Leaving Home, Family Matters (1993), Like It Never Was Before, Credo, The One and Only, Once in a Lifetime (2000), Open Hearts, Brothers (2004), After the Wedding (2006), Things We Lost in the Fire, In a Better World, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film; Love Is All You Need, A Second Chance, Serena (2014), and Bird Box; the series The Night Manager (season 1), The Undoing, The First Lady, and The Perfect Couple; the made-for-tv movie Luischen; and the music video for “Summer Rain.” She also co-wrote her Credo, Brothers, and In a Better World.

Susanne is the daughter of Heni and Rudolf Salomon Baer. Her father moved from Germany to Denmark as a child during the Nazi regime. Her mother’s family moved from Russia to Denmark at the turn of the 20th century. Her parents’ families left Denmark for Sweden in 1943, to escape the Nazis’ invasion of Denmark, as did most Danish Jews; and returned to Denmark after the war.

Susanne is married to singer and composer Jesper Winge Leisner. She has a son with her former husband, Danish-Icelandic film director Tómas Gislason; and a daughter, Danish-Swedish actress Alice Bier Zandén, with her former husband, Swedish actor and director Philip Zandén.

Susanne’s paternal grandfather was Erich/Eliezer Bier (the son of Guido Bier and Charlotte Hackenbroch). Erich was born in Berlin, Germany, to parents from Frankfurt, Hesse. Guido was the son of Maximillian Bier, who was from Cologne, and of Auguste Hess. Charlotte was the daughter of Maximillian Hackenbroch and Getta Neuburger.

Susanne’s paternal grandmother was Alice/Keyla Klara Issak (the daughter of Emil/Eliezer Isaak and Beti Jeidel). Alice was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Emil was born in Wallertheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, the son of Solomon Isaak. Beti was the daughter of Julius Israel Jeidel and Fanny Kaumheimer.

Susanne’s maternal grandfather was surnamed Jonas.

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