Helle Virkner

Helle Genie Lotinga, known professionally as Helle Virkner, was born in Aarhus, Denmark, into a Jewish family. Her father, Moritz Lotinga, was a rentier, while her mother, Ellen Larsine (née Rasmussen), raised Helle after their divorce when she was just five years old. Following the separation, they relocated from Old Rye to Copenhagen. During World War II, Helle's paternal relatives sought refuge in Sweden due to the German occupation of Denmark in 1943. In 1944, she adopted the surname Virkner.

Virkner enjoyed a successful career in acting, becoming one of Denmark's most celebrated performers. Her personal life included three marriages: first to actor William Rosenberg from 1944 to 1949, then to actor Ebbe Rode from 1949 until 1958. Her third husband was Jens Otto Krag (1914–1978), who served as Denmark's Foreign Minister and later as Prime Minister. Together, they welcomed a daughter, Astrid Helene "Søsser" Krag, who pursued a career in journalism and modeling. Jens Otto Krag also had a son, Jens Christian Stephan Krag, from a previous relationship.

In her later years, Helle and her daughter Søsser shared a home in sheltered accommodation in Charlottenlund, where they lived together until Helle's passing. Throughout her life, Helle Virkner left a lasting mark on Danish cinema and theater, celebrated for her talent and resilience.