Erwin Anders ( September 8, 1908 - June 30, 1972 in Potsdam ) was a German cameraman. Anders trained as a precision mechanic from 1922 to 1926. He then began working as a photo laboratory technician at Zeiss-Ikon in Dresden. In Dresden he trained at the technical school from 1928 and finished his apprenticeship in 1930. From 1933 to 1945 he headed the film studio at Zeiss-Ikon and then worked as a cameraman at DEFA Production Saxony in Dresden from 1946 to 1951. From 1955 until his death in 1972 he worked as a cameraman in the DEFA studio for feature films in Potsdam-Babelsberg and for German television . His mentors included Karl Plintzner. Anders made numerous satirical short films in the series Das Stacheltier . Anders also directed one film: together with Christoph Engel, he made the children's film Das Zaubermännchen in 1960 .