Manfred Krug

Manfred Krug was one of the most influential actors, singers, and authors of the post-war period in Germany. His work spanned four decades and combined artistic versatility with political awareness. Born in Duisburg, Krug moved to the GDR with his father in 1949. After training as a steelworker and graduating from high school at night school, he began studying acting in East Berlin, but dropped out due to disciplinary problems. In 1955, he became a student at the Berliner Ensemble, where he worked under Bertolt Brecht. He had his first major film role in 1960 in “Fünf Patronenhülsen” (Five Cartridge Cases) by Frank Beyer. With the film “Auf der Sonnenseite” (1961), Krug became a favorite with audiences in the GDR. However, his portrayal of construction foreman Hannes Balla in “Spur der Steine” (1966) led to the film being banned by the GDR censors. In 1976, Krug applied for an exit visa and moved to West Germany in 1977. In the West, he enjoyed success in series such as “Auf Achse” (from 1978), ‘Tatort’ (1984–2001) as Chief Inspector Paul Stoever, and “Liebling Kreuzberg” (1986–1998) as lawyer Robert Liebling. At the same time, Krug was a successful jazz and chanson singer, released numerous albums, and also appeared as an author. Manfred Krug died on October 21, 2016, in Berlin. His work remains an important part of German cultural history.