Editing Lars von Trier (section)

== Personal life ==
=== Family ===
[[File:Fritz Michael Hartmann.gif|thumb|180px|Fritz Michael Hartmann ({{c.|1950}})]]
In 1989, von Trier's mother confessed to him on her deathbed that his biological father was not the man who raised him, but her former employer, {{ill|Fritz Michael Hartmann|da}} (1909–2000),<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f9kpAQAAIAAJ |title=Medien Wissenschaft |date=2004 |publisher=Niemeyer |page=112 |language=de |author1=Philipps-Universität Marburg |author2=Universität-Gesamthochschule-Siegen |access-date=11 October 2010 |archive-date=4 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604003753/http://books.google.com/books?id=f9kpAQAAIAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> who was descended from a long line of Danish classical musicians. Hartmann's grandfather was [[Emil Hartmann]], and his great-grandfather [[Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann|J. P. E. Hartmann]]. His uncles included [[Niels Gade]] and [[Johan Ernst Hartmann]], and [[Niels Viggo Bentzon]] was his cousin. She stated that she did this to give her son "artistic genes".<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qRpxLdn7C4EC&pg=PA124 |title=Visual authorship: creativity and intentionality in media |last2=Laursen |first2=Iben Thorving |publisher=Museum Tusculanum Press |year=2005 |isbn=978-87-635-0128-6 |page=124 |last1=Grodal |first1=Torben Kragh |access-date=11 October 2010 |archive-date=5 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605005625/http://books.google.com/books?id=qRpxLdn7C4EC&pg=PA124 |url-status=live }}</ref> Von Trier has jokingly said, by reference to the distant German origin of the Hartmann family, that while he believed he had a Jewish background, he is "really more of a Nazi."<ref name="Nicodemus">{{cite news |url=http://www.signandsight.com/features/465.html |title=Lars von Trier, Katja Nicodemus: 'I am an American woman' (17/11/2005) – signandsight |last=Nicodemus |first=Katja |date=10 November 2005 |work=[[Die Zeit]] |access-date=14 October 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910/http://www.signandsight.com/features/465.html |archive-date=10 September 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

During the [[German occupation of Denmark]], Hartmann in fact joined a [[Danish resistance movement|resistance group]], actively counteracting any pro-German and pro-Nazi colleagues in his civil service department.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://modstand.natmus.dk/Person.aspx?43138 |title=Entry on Fritz Michael Hartmann in the Database of the Danish Resistance Movement |language=da |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526/http://modstand.natmus.dk/Person.aspx?43138 |archive-date=26 May 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> Another member of this resistance group was Hartmann's colleague [[Viggo Kampmann]], who would later become prime minister of Denmark.<ref>{{cite journal |year=2004 |title=Viggo Kampmann under besættelsen |url=http://130.225.142.181/fileadmin/saxo-abstract-uploads/viggo_kampmann_under_besaettelsen_2004_4.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810135641/http://130.225.142.181/fileadmin/saxo-abstract-uploads/viggo_kampmann_under_besaettelsen_2004_4.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 August 2011 |journal=Siden Saxo |language=da |issue=4 |page=39 |last1=Skov |first1=Jesper |access-date=21 May 2011}}</ref> After von{{nbsp}}Trier had four awkward meetings with his biological father, Hartmann refused further contact.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/22/1071941658741.html |title=Stranger and fiction |date=22 December 2003 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/22/1071941658741.html |archive-date=12 September 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

From 1987 to 1995, von Trier was married to producer and actress {{ill|Cæcilia Holbek|da|Cæcilia Holbek Trier}}, with whom he has two daughters, Agnes and Selma (both producers like their parents), and from 1997 to 2015 to Bente Frøge, with whom he has two sons.

=== Family background and political and religious views ===
Von Trier's mother considered herself a [[Communism|communist]], while Ulf Trier was a [[Social democracy|social democrat]]. Both were committed [[Naturist|nudist]]s, and von{{nbsp}}Trier went on several childhood holidays to [[Nudist community|nudist camp]]s. They regarded the disciplining of children as reactionary. Von Trier has noted that he was brought up in an [[atheism|atheist]] family, and that although Ulf Trier was Jewish, he was not religious. His parents did not allow much room in their household for "feelings, religion, or enjoyment", and also refused to make any rules for their children.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://visit-copenhagen.com/about-copenhagen/lars-von-trier.htm |title=Copenhagen: Lars von Trier |publisher=Visit-copenhagen.com |access-date=15 July 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716/http://visit-copenhagen.com/about-copenhagen/lars-von-trier.htm |archive-date=16 July 2012 |url-status=dead  }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.signandsight.com/features/465.html |title=Lars von Trier, Katja Nicodemus: 'I am an American woman' (17/11/2005) – signandsight |last=Nicodemus |first=Katja |date=10 November 2005 |work=[[Die Zeit]] |quote=I come from a family of communist nudists. I was allowed to do or not do what I liked. My parents were not interested in whether I went to school or got drunk on white wine. After a childhood like that, you search for restrictions in your own life. |access-date=14 October 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910/http://www.signandsight.com/features/465.html |archive-date=10 September 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In a 2005 interview with ''[[Die Zeit]]'', von{{nbsp}}Trier said, "I don't know if I'm all that Catholic really. I'm probably not. Denmark is a very [[Protestant]] country. Perhaps I only turned [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] to piss off a few of my countrymen."<ref name="Nicodemus" /> In 2009, he said, "I'm a very bad Catholic. In fact I'm becoming more and more of an atheist."<ref>Fielder, Miles (4 August 2009). {{cite web |url=http://www.bigissuescotland.com/features/view/104 |title=Lars von Trier |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090818042256/http://www.bigissuescotland.com/features/view/104 |archive-date=18 August 2009 |url-status=dead |access-date=11 September 2011}}. ''The Big Issue Scotland''. Retrieved 11 September 2011.</ref>

=== Health ===
====Mental health====
Von Trier suffers from various fears and [[phobia]]s, including an intense [[fear of flying]]. This fear frequently places severe constraints on him and his crew, necessitating that virtually all of his films be shot in either Denmark or Sweden.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/may/13/film.filmnews |title=Guardian UK interview 2007 |last=Burke |first=Jason |date=13 May 2007 |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London, England |access-date=5 September 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120920/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/may/13/film.filmnews |archive-date=20 September 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

On numerous occasions, he has stated that he suffers from occasional [[major depressive disorder|depression]] which renders him incapable of doing his work and unable to fulfill social obligations.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lR6sIjOBE_AC&pg=PA118 |title=Global auteurs: politics in the films of Almodóvar, von Trier, and Winterbottom |last=Goss |first=Brian Michael |date=2009 |publisher=[[Peter Lang (publisher)|Peter Lang]] |location=Bern, Switzerland |isbn=978-1-4331-0134-2 |page=118 |access-date=11 October 2010 |archive-date=6 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606040813/http://books.google.com/books?id=lR6sIjOBE_AC&pg=PA118 |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Parkinson's disease====
On 8 August 2022, it was announced that von Trier had been diagnosed with [[Parkinson's disease]].<ref>{{cite news|url = https://deadline.com/2022/08/lars-von-trier-parkinsons-disease-1235087333/|title = Lars Von Trier Diagnosed With Parkinson's Disease, Work On 'The Kingdom Exodus' Continues|work = [[Deadline Hollywood]]|date = 8 August 2022|accessdate = 8 August 2022|last = Goodfellow|first = Melanie|archive-date = 8 August 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220808171204/https://deadline.com/2022/08/lars-von-trier-parkinsons-disease-1235087333/|url-status = live}}</ref> According to ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', von Trier plans to take a break from filmmaking to adjust to his new life with the disease, saying: "I will take a little break and find out what to do, but I certainly hope that my condition will be better. It's a disease you can't take away; you can work with the symptoms, though."<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Lars von Trier on Working With Parkinson's Disease: 'I Just Have to Get Used to That I Shake and Not Be Shameful in Front of People' |first=Naman |last=Ramachandran |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/global/lars-von-trier-parkinsons-disease-the-kingdom-exodus-1235356789/ |date=1 September 2022 |access-date=2022-11-25 |magazine=Variety}}</ref> On 12 February 2025, [[Zentropa]] producer [[Louise Vesth]] announced via [[Instagram]] that von Trier had been admitted to a care facility for the condition.<ref>{{Cite news |last=AFP |date=2025-02-12 |title=Lars von Trier admitted to a care centre following Parkinson’s diagnosis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/feb/12/lars-von-trier-admitted-to-a-care-centre-following-parkinsons-diagnosis |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB}}</ref>