Remembering Peer Raben

Wilhelm Rabenbauer was born on July 3, 1940 in Viechtach, Bavaria. Under the name Peer Raben he became a successful film composer best known for his collaboration with director Rainer Werner Fassbinder. In 1966, along with several others, founded the Action Theatre in Munich, which led to the Anti Theatre in 1968, where Peer was active as a writer, composer and director. In 1969 and 1970 he produced Fassbinder's first films. After working on his own film “Die Ahnfrau”, he began concntrating on composing for his own films and plays.

He directed three films: “Die Ahnfrau – Oratorium nach (1971), “Adele Spitzeder” (1972), and “Heute spielen wir den Boß (1981), for which he also composed the scores.

Raben composed scores for two Euro-westerns: Fassbinder's “Whity” (1971) and “Chetan, Indian Boy” (1972) directed by Hark Bohm. Peer died of cancer on January 21, 2007 in Mitterfels, Bavaria, Germany. Today we remember Peer Raben on what would have been his 70th birthday.