Trivia

Played the piano and was a lover of classical music.

Character actor, on stage from 1930. Became an ensemble member of the Deutschen Theater in East Berlin in 1950 and subsequently worked with Berthold Brecht (apparently, the only person able to curb Schelcher's growing alcohol problem) and the Berlin Ensemble. Noted for his portrayals of idealised proletarian heroes in East German Defa productions of the 1950's. Best known for his role as "Krumme Anton" in Castles and Cottages (1957).

Most of his career was severely affected by alcoholism.

Was arrested by the Gestapo in 1939 and conscripted into a 'probation battalion'. Was wounded several times in action, captured and spent several years as a Soviet prisoner-of-war until his release in 1949.