Fritz Alfred Albert was born on February 17, 1922 in Mylau, Germany, to Martha and Paul Alfred Albert. He attended Bayerische Staatslehranstalt für Lichtbildwesen (Bavarian State School of Photography) from 1938-1940 and from 1946-1947; and during World War II he served as an aerial photographer in the Luftwaffe, the German Air Force.
In 1950, Albert studied at the University of Wisconsin (UW) through a U.S. State Department Program. He went back to Germany in 1951, where he worked as a visual-communications specialist for the West German government's Agricultural Information Service.
In 1954, Albert returned to Madison to join the UW-Madison Department of Agricultural Journalism (now Life Sciences Communication). He went on to work for the university for 35 years. During those 35 years he taught courses on filmmaking and photography. He also produced film projects for the Department of Agricultural Journalism, the UW Land Tenure Center, and for the collaboration between the UW Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In his more than 100 films, Albert explored issues of land reform, land use policy and development (both rural and urban), natural resources, the environment, and agriculture and farming in Wisconsin.
In 1966-1967, Albert studied at the Institut für Kommunikationsforschung und Beratungsmethodik at the University Stuttgart-Hohenheim under Hans Rheinwald through a Fulbright research grant. He also spent one year in Budapest, through additional Fulbright support in 1986-1987, and produced a film about Hungary's agriculture.
In the 1970s, Albert served in the Governor's Task Force on Cable Communications and in 1983 he was appointed to serve in the Educational Communications Board by Governor Earl.
Albert won several awards and recognitions including:
- His first Council on International Non-theatrical Events (CINE) Golden Eagle Award in 1962
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Superior Service Award in 1970
- The Cross of Merit in 1984, awarded to him by the Federal Republic of Germany for his efforts to promote understanding between Germany and the United States
- Professor Emeritus status from the Regents of the University of Wisconsin in 1989
In his personal life, Fritz and his wife Ingebor had six children including: sons Carl (who preceded him in death), Heinrich and Loon; and daughters Johanna, Elisabeth, and Christine.
Albert continued to be involved with the College of Agriculture after his retirement and in 1991 he again taught an “Agricultural Journalism” course (a course he had helped develop). In the early 1990s, he also consulted with CINE to select films for recognition and entry to overseas contests. In addition, he occasionally gave talks on documentary film/filmmaking, photography, and Germany.
Fritz Albert died at the age of 90 on September 16, 2012.
