Harald Juhnke: Honors on the 20th anniversary of death

For many decades, the actor, singer and TV entertainer Harald Juhnke (1929-2005) was one of the big names of the German entertainment industry. With his death on April 1, 2005, a unique glamor supplier was not only lost to his beloved hometown Berlin. However, the honors around his 20th anniversary of death are a little bumpy.

Already in advance the attempt to honor the culture of the iconic Spree Sinatra with a TV biopic was regrettable in the sand. In 2021 it was announced that a project of a two-person through the RBB, among other things, would not come about for cost reasons. As the broadcaster of the “Bild am Sonntag” confirmed, the cinematic project was “postponed” for an indefinite period, as it “exceeded the financial framework far” despite a wonderful script.

Just a few weeks before Harald Juhnkes 20th anniversary, the Berlin district parliament in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf still hastily introduced an urgency application to the district assembly, with the demand to name a representative street corner on the sunting Kurfürstendamm after the famous son of the city. However, the hope that this application could still be put into practice on time for the milestone should be put into practice in the mills of bureaucracy.

As the “Tagesspiegel” reports, the responsible district office expressed the following words about the state of things: “Since it is a partial removal of the Kurfürstendamm, the exact area must first be determined to be assigned to the Harald Juhnke-Platz.” In addition, further districts of such a renaming would have to be agreed and the project in the Official Journal would then have to be announced for three months. It is therefore realistically only to be expected to be an official inauguration of the Harald Juhnke Square in around five months.

The Berlin cultural scene, on the other hand, proves a much better timing in its festivities on the 20th anniversary of the Entertain’s death. On the evening of April 1st, Stars and celebrities like Ben Becker, Daniela Ziegler, Dieter Hallervorden and the former ruling mayor Klaus Wowereit celebrate a glamorous gala homage to Harald Juhnke in the legendary variety theater “Wintergarten”. The show is moderated by the actor and singer Felix Martin, a glowing fan of the late entertainer.

Certainly the reigning Mayor of Berlin Kai Wegner, who commented on the 20th anniversary of his death: “Harald Juhnke was one of the greatest entertainer in Germany and is unforgettable as an actor, singer and showmaster in Berlin. With his joke and nonchalance, he played into the hearts of millions of people.”