He then enrolled at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), where he studied chemistry, engineering and political and business economics.

[4] In the late 1920s, Maetzig worked at his father's factory during the holidays, gaining experience in all areas of film production.

[2][4] However, following the Nuremberg Laws of 1935, his work permit was revoked by the Film Chamber of the Reich in 1937 due to his mother's Jewish heritage.

[2] Maetzig then ran a small photochemical laboratory in Berlin and gave lectures on film technology.

[4] After the war, he moved back to Berlin, where he co-founded a group called "Filmaktiv" in 1945, whose aim was to organise a resumption of film production.

[7] From 1954 to 1964, Maetzig was the first president of the German University of Cinema in Potsdam-Babelsberg, where he also held the post of Professor of Stage Direction.

[4] He was also president of the Nationales Spielfilmfestival der DDR (English: GDR National Film Festival) on four separate occasions between 1980 and 1990, and he has been a member of the Academy of Arts, Berlin since 1950, where a considerable archive of his works is located.