Overview
- The WDR announced on Sunday, October 25, 2026, that Gisbert Baltes died at age 75 after a long, serious illness, citing a statement from his family.
- Baltes became a familiar TV and radio voice for the Kölner Karneval and coined the signature ARD reporter line “Hier ist Köln, hier ist der Alter Markt!” that opened annual street-carnival live reports.
- For decades he served as moderator and responsible editor for major events such as the Proklamation des Dreigestirns in the Festhalle Gürzenich and as a regular reporter at the Rosenmontagszug.
- WDR entertainment chief Karin Kuhn and Festkomitee president Lutz Schade issued formal tributes praising his role in bringing Cologne’s carnival traditions to audiences across Germany.
- Baltes retired from active WDR editorial work in January 2016, is survived by his wife and two children, and the broadcaster planned on-air remembrances following the announcement.