Overview
- He died on Monday, December 22, 2025, in a Madrid hospital, according to his agency citing his wife, after initial reports by Junge Welt.
- Best known for portraying Guido Brunetti from 2003 to 2019, he also earned acclaim as Stasi officer Hans Kupfer in ARD's Weissensee.
- Broadcasters announced tributes, with Das Erste adding an unscheduled Donna Leon film (Reiches Erbe) to its December 25 lineup at 00:30.
- He was born in Cottbus in 1944, attempted to flee the GDR in 1961, served months in prison, trained at the Ernst Busch drama school, and later joined the Maxim-Gorki-Theater.
- He lived in Madrid with his wife Christine Gautier and is survived by two sons, with cultural figures and officials issuing public remembrances.