Winfried Glatzeder turns 80: Film legend does not want a birthday party

Winfried Glatzeder is an overall German acting legend par excellence. In the 1970s, he climbed to Defa star early on with roles in love films such as “Zeit der Stork” (1971) or family comedies such as “The man who came after the grandma” (1972). However, the idiosyncratic character actor became a cult figure in 1973 through his embodiment of the charming lover Paul in the socialist flower power loved drama “The Legend of Paul and Paula” alongside Angelica Domröse (84). Not least because of its similarity to the French film star Jean-Paul Belmondo, he was given the title of the “Belmondo of the East”.

In 1981, the popular actor had enough of the repressive cultural policy of the GDR, submitted several requests for departure and was finally established in 1982 together with his family. In the west, Glatzeder was able to continue his acting career seamlessly and took over large roles in movies such as “Rosa Luxemburg” and in TV series such as “Rivals of the Racetrack” and “Our Charly”. Between 1996 and 1998 he even became a “crime scene” commissioner for a while, where he enlightened crimes in Berlin as chief criminal commissioner Ernst Roiter. To date, he can also be seen regularly on theater stages.

In all of these areas, he not only developed the reputation of a brilliant actor, but also that of a difficult eccentric who repeatedly merged with directors and colleagues because of his instant behavior. Most recently, it crashed between him and his colleague Henry Hübchen (78) – of all places on the set of the film “Scout of Peace”.

The actor also did not bend around the reality TV, but went into the Australian jungle twice in 2014 and 2024. There he also regularly caused conflicts with his explosive way and quickly gave the nickname “Wutfried”.

In interviews, Winfried Glatzeder likes to flirt with his nimbus of the unpredictable loner and notorious stinking boots. A few years ago, the father of two, who had been married since 1970, opened the “Berliner Kurier” that he had “no friends”. He stated: “I am not a club person and none who likes to sit in the restaurant with people. I’m distracted by myself. Because: With myself it is also difficult enough.”

Shortly before his 80th birthday, he told the “Welt” that of course he was not planning a party on this occasion.

“Do you know what I will do?” Said the actor. “I’m on the way to a reading in Brandenburg. On the return trip I will stop in Frankfurt to fish a little more. I unloaded everyone who had hoped that I would use and amuse them.” According to his many years of experience, a birthday party with him can only “end up in chaos, family noise and imposions”.