Scandal around Rolf Schimpf: Friends excluded at a secret funeral!

Scandal around Rolf Schimpf: Friends excluded at a secret funeral!

München, Deutschland - Rolf Schimpf, the popular TV star and legendary actor, died in a nursing home in Bavaria at the age of 100. Known for his role as chief commissioner Leo Kress in the ZDF series "Der Alte", Schimpf, who recently suffered from dementia, succumbed to a serious health crisis after a fall three weeks ago. The TV star not only leaves his striking role, but also a great wave of mourning among his former colleagues and friends. In particular, the anonymously planned funeral causes unrest and disappointment, since many of Schimpf's friends and companions were not invited to say goodbye.

as oe24.at should be buried anonymously. This is viewed critically by Jutta Kammann, a friend and colleague. She describes the secret funeral as a scandal and misses a worthy ceremony for such a deserved artist. Evelyn Opela Ringelmann, widow of the producer of "The Alte", is also outraged. She calls for a reasonable celebration with music, flowers and speeches to appreciate Schimpf's life.

silent grief among friends

The confusion about the funeral date and the lack of invitations have triggered concern with friends and colleagues from Schimpf. "Many who have worked with him for a long time are speechless and do not know when and where the funeral will take place," explains Opela-Ringelmann. Jutta Kammann is sad about the planned anonymized farewell and sees a lack of respect for Schimpf's decades of contribution to the television landscape.

The organization of the funeral not only seems to be opaque, but also gives the impression that Schimpf's close relatives, especially his son Daniel Sigurdsson, are not involved in the preparations. Although Sigurdsson wants to arrive at the funeral, he was not involved in the planning, while the actor's family doctor should take responsibility.

memories of a great actor

Rolf Schimpf, who was born in Berlin on November 14, 1924, can look back on an impressive life's work. After a serious head injury in World War II, he initially started a commercial career before realizing his dream of acting. He played in numerous productions, including "Soko 5113" and "Mensch Bachmann". With the role in "The Old" he became one of the most famous faces on German television.

ZDF recognized its contribution to television culture in Germany, and program director Nadine Bilke expressed gratitude for his many years of work. Schimpf was active in 222 episodes for over 21 years and shaped the series, which achieved great success.

Also in old age, Schimpf was a person full of humor and charm. Nevertheless, after the death of his wife Ilse in 2015 and the loss of many friends and relatives, he had become lonely. This loneliness also seemed to be burdened while he lived in his last phase of life.

The entire environment of Rolf Schimpf mourns the loss of an outstanding actor, whose heir will continue to be anchored in German television history, while the debate about the appropriate way of saying is continuing.