The Rogge Sisters, c1939 - 1969
Dates
- Existence: c1939 - 1969
Biography
The Rogge Sisters were three circus performing sisters called Dora, Gerda and Vera.
The sisters come from a well established German circus family and started perfoming as an act from childhood. They famously developed the rolling globe act in which they ascended narrow inclined ramps to reach a set of elevated platform. This act gained them wide recognition and became one of Europe’s most celebrated numbers of the genre.
After creating a name for themselves in their native Germany, the sisters launched their international career touring around the UK and Europe with some of the most respected circuses of the time including Tom Arnold, Knie, Krone, Franz Althoff, Blackpool Tower Circus, Bertram Mills and Kelvin Hall.
In 1957, Dora started her own career as Rogana with the Bertram Mills Circus and married the circus ringmaster, Frank Foster. Her sister-in-law Juliette Foster took her place in the Rogge Sisters act and the new trio continued touring succesfully, appearing with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus during its European tour in the 1963-1964 season.
The Roge Sisters disolved the act after Vera died in a fire. The remaining sister, Gerda, developed a strongwoman act under the pseudonym Miss Atlas and continued having a succesful career until she retired. Gerda died in 1996 at sixty years of age.
Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:
Althoff Circus Programmes, 1953 - 1977
Althoff Circus programmes for Franz Althoff, Carl Althoff, Adolf Althoff and Rudi Althoff Circus, containing colour illustrations on the front covers, inside black and white and colour photographs of perfomers and acts with text, introduction, programme and commercial advertising, featuring Koringa, Buffalo Bill impresonators, Rogge Sisters, Rogana, Arthur Robin aka The Black Hercules and The Rivels.
Circus Friends Association Collection
This collection consists of a large library of books and journals, as well as archival material including posters, programmes, photographs, films, handbills, research material, scrapbooks, original artwork and many other items of ephemera relating to British, Irish and European circuses
Programmes, c1800 - 2019
A collection of mainly British and international circus programmes and some variety and music hall programmes containing circus acts.