Ulrike Krumbiegel


Ulrike Krumbiegel is a German actress.

Life

Origin and Training

Ulrike Krumbiegel was born in Berlin, then still part of East Germany, as one of two daughters of an international trader and a nurse. She grew up in Mitte. In 1976, she heard on the DDR-Radio that they are looking for an actor. At 15 years old, she applied as a student to the amateur playing group of the Berliner Volksbühne, where she was accepted and starred in Die Nacht nach der Abschlussfeier by Soviet writer Vladimir Tendryakov.
After her school training, she completed her acting studies at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin until 1983.

Theatre

She got her first stage engagement at the Mecklenburg State Theatre, where she was on stage as Iphigenie and Minna von Barnhelm, among others. In 1986, she moved to the Deutsches Theater, where she was a longtime member for 15 years altogether until 2001 and worked with directors like Frank Castorf, :de:Jürgen Gosch|Jürgen Gosch, and many times with :de:Thomas Langhoff|Thomas Langhoff. Krumbiegel played many roles in the classical theatre repertoires. In the 1989-90 season, she starred as Natascha in Nachtasyl. In the 1990-91 season, she was the Eve in The Broken Jug. In the 1991-92 season, she took over the title role in a new production of the Kleist play Das Käthchen von Heilbronn.
Further stations were the Berliner Ensemble, the Munich Kammerspiele, the Maxim Gorki Theatre, and the Residenz Theatre of the :de:Bayerisches Staatsschauspiel|Bayerisches Staatsschauspiel. At the Maxim Gorki Theatre, she again starred in the 2001-02 season in Goethe’s Iphigenie, in a production by Thomas Langhoff, with :de:Klaus Manchen|Klaus Manchen, Joachim Meyerhoff, :de:Tilo Nest|Tilo Nest, and :de:Siegfried Terpoorten|Siegfried Terpoorten as partners. In the 2003-04 season at the Munich Residenztheater, she was the whore Yvette in the Brecht play Mother Courage and Her Children, her lager whore was a "broken, tragicomic number between brokenness, lust, love and business ability". In the 2003-04 season, she starred along with the Berliner Ensemble as Gina Ekdal in the Henrik Ibsen play The Wild Duck. In 2005, she starred in Munich Kammerspielen as Queen Gertrude in Hamlet.

East German Film and TV

In the late phase of East Germany, Krumbiegel worked in many TV films and DEFA productions. The director :de:Bodo Fürneisen|Bodo Fürneisen discovered her while in her studies and gave her a female lead role in the 1981 TV film :de:Komm mit mir nach Chicago|Komm mit mir nach Chicago; Krumbiegel played the role of 17-year-old waiter apprentice Anja, who "goes from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan". More film and TV tasks for DEFA and the Deutscher Fernsehfunk followed.
In the youth film :de:Schwierig sich zu verloben|Schwierig sich zu verloben by :de:Karl-Heinz Heymann|Karl-Heinz Heymann, she took the role of the young saleswoman Barbara, whose love for the locksmith Wolle breaks down when she tells him of her pregnancy. In the DEFA film :de:Junge Leute in der Stadt|Junge Leute in der Stadt, Ulrike Krumbiegel, under the directing of :de:Karl Heinz Lotz|Karl-Heinz Lotz, the saleswoman Frieda, who, in order to not lose her place, had to be sexually blackmailed by her boss Richard.

After the Peaceful Revolution

After East Germany ended, she kept getting roles in demanding cinema and TV productions, such as :de:Dietmar Klein|Dietmar Klein's 1992 comedy :de:Der Erdnussmann|Der Erdnussmann or :de:Im Namen der Unschuld|Im Namen der Unschuld. She also worked together with directors Margarethe von Trotta and :de:Andreas Kleinert|Andreas Kleinert. From 2000, Krumbiegel accepted more film and TV deals, but continued to appear, albeit to a reduced extent, in selected productions. In the meantime, Krumbiegel has participated in more than 100 film and television productions.
In the drama film :de:Heidi M.|Heidi M. by :de:Michael Klier|Michael Klier she played, alongside Katrin Sass, her girlfriend. In the 2004 war film Downfall, she played the fictional role of Dorothee Kranz, who was the mother of Hitler Youth soldier Peter Kranz. In the 2005 thriller Antibodies by Christian Alvart, she played Rosa Martens, the wife of a village policeman who witnessed her husband being manipulated by a jailed serial killer. In the 2007 teen film :de:Meer is nich|Meer is nich, she was the mother Karla, whose 17-year-old daughter is in a deep phase of self-discovery and indecision shortly before graduating from high school.

Crime Series Work

She starred many times in the crime series Tatort.
In the Swedish thriller series Greyzone, she took a supporting role as German weapons designer Renate Gleisner. While shooting, Krumbiegel said her lines in English with a German accent. In the ZDF series The Old Fox, she took the role of Chairwoman Judge Emma Horvath, who is grieving for her child, one of the leading episodes in the new season, which will air from April 2019. In the ZDF series SOKO München, she played, alongside :de:Nils Hohenhövel|Nils Hohenhövel, the mother of a suspect who becomes a murderer.

Private

Krumbiegel is the mother of a grown-up daughter, whom she raised alone. Her hobbies are skiing and sailing and she lives in Mitte.

Role Profile and Awards

Ulrike Krumbiegel is deemed as one of the most convincing character actresses in Germany. Determined on any particular type, she played little girls several times at the beginning of her career; later, she was often the silent woman in the background. She was often naïve or needy, proving her flexibility at many times. Her roles are characterised by a "wide range". In critics, her "physical weakness", her "sense", and the "brittleness" were emphasized in her presentation.
For her performance in the TV film Geschlecht: weiblich by Dirk Kummer, she earned in 2003 the German TV Awards in the category "Best Actress – Lead Role". In 2008, Krumbiegel won the Golden Camera as best actress. She was honoured for her role in :de:Polizeiruf 110: Jenseits|Polizeiruf 110: Jenseits. She was shortlisted for the 2009 German Film Award in the category "Best Performance - Female Supporting Role" for A Woman in Berlin. For the 2010 German Television Award she was nominated for "Best Actress" for her role in Der verlorene Vater.

Filmography (Selected)


  • 1982: :de:Komm mit mir nach Chicago|Komm mit mir nach Chicago
  • 1983: :de:Schwierig sich zu verloben|Schwierig sich zu verloben
  • 1983: :de:Der Staatsanwalt hat das Wort: Ein gefährlicher Fund|Der Staatsanwalt hat das Wort: Ein gefährlicher Fund
  • 1984: :de:Iphigenie in Aulis |Iphigenie in Aulis
  • 1984: :de:Polizeiruf 110: Freunde|Polizeiruf 110: Freunde
  • 1985: :de:Junge Leute in der Stadt|Junge Leute in der Stadt
  • 1986: Jungfer Miras Mirakel
  • 1986: :de:Der Hut des Brigadiers|Der Hut des Brigadiers
  • 1987: :de:Polizeiruf 110: Explosion|Polizeiruf 110: Explosion
  • 1988: :de:Felix und der Wolf|Felix and the Wolf
  • 1988:
  • 1988: Der Aufstand der Fischer von St. Barbara
  • 1989: :de:Der Bruch|Der Bruch
  • 1990: :de:Sehnsucht |Sehnsucht
  • 1990: Heute sterben immer nur die anderen
  • 1991: The Broken Jug
  • 1991: :de:Der Verdacht |Der Verdacht
  • 1991: Schlaflose Tage
  • 1992: Der Erdnußmann
  • 1992: :de:Miraculi|Miraculi
  • 1992: Ärzte – Die Narbe des Himmels
  • 1994: :de:Polizeiruf 110: Totes Gleis|Polizeiruf 110: Totes Gleis
  • 1995: The Promise
  • 1995: Der Kontrolleur
  • 1996: :de:Tatort: Buntes Wasser|Tatort: Buntes Wasser
  • 1997: :de:Polizeiruf 110: Der Tausch|Polizeiruf 110: Der Tausch
  • 1997: Im Namen der Unschuld
  • 2001: :de:Heidi M.|Heidi M.
  • 2001: Paulas Schuld
  • 2001: :de:Schimanski: Kinder der Hölle|Schimanski: Kinder der Hölle
  • 2002: :de:Tatort: Zahltag |Tatort: Zahltag
  • 2002: In einer Nacht wie dieser
  • 2002: Mein Vater
  • 2003: Geschlecht: weiblich
  • 2003–2013: Bloch
  • 2004: :de:Der Stich des Skorpion|Der Stich des Skorpion
  • 2004: Downfall
  • 2004: Das Schwalbennest
  • 2004: :de:Tatort: Sechs zum Essen|Tatort: Sechs zum Essen
  • 2005: :de:Mord am Meer|Mord am Meer
  • 2005: Antibodies
  • 2005: :de:Bella Block: Die Frau des Teppichlegers|Bella Block: Die Frau des Teppichlegers
  • 2006: Väter – denn sie wissen nicht, was sich tut
  • 2006: :de:Tatort: Außer Gefecht|Tatort: Außer Gefecht
  • 2006: Mord auf Rezept
  • 2006: :de:Das Duo: Der Sumpf|Das Duo – Der Sumpf
  • 2007: Jagdhunde
  • 2007: :de:Tatort: Das namenlose Mädchen|Tatort: Das namenlose Mädchen
  • 2007: :de:Polizeiruf 110: Jenseits|Polizeiruf 110: Jenseits
  • 2007: :de:Meer is nich|Meer is nich
  • 2007: :de:Tatort: Unter uns|Tatort: Unter uns
  • 2007: :de:Solo für Schwarz|Solo für Schwarz – Tödliche Blicke
  • 2008: A Woman in Berlin
  • 2008: Hurenkinder
  • 2008: :de:Die Weisheit der Wolken|Die Weisheit der Wolken
  • 2008: :de:Nachtschicht – Ich habe Angst|Nachtschicht – Ich habe Angst
  • 2008: Stolberg – Gespenster
  • 2009: :de:Mensch Kotschie|Mensch Kotschie
  • 2009: :de:Jenseits der Mauer|Jenseits der Mauer
  • 2010: Der verlorene Vater
  • 2010: Auftrag in Afrika
  • 2010: Vater Morgana
  • 2011: :de:Stilles Tal |Stilles Tal
  • 2012: Die Jagd nach dem weißen Gold
  • 2012: :de:Spreewaldkrimi: Eine tödliche Legende|Spreewaldkrimi: Eine tödliche Legende
  • 2013: :de:Tatort: Summ, Summ, Summ|Tatort: Summ, Summ, Summ
  • 2013: :de:Im Netz |Im Netz
  • 2013: :de:Die goldene Gans |Die goldene Gans
  • 2013: :de:Großstadtklein|Großstadtklein
  • 2013: Danni Lowinski – Der letzte Tanz
  • 2013: :de:Ein starkes Team: Die Frau des Freundes|Ein starkes Team: Die Frau des Freundes
  • 2014: :de:Elly Beinhorn – Alleinflug|Elly Beinhorn – Alleinflug
  • 2014: :de:Alles Verbrecher – Eiskalte Liebe|Alles Verbrecher – Eiskalte Liebe
  • 2014: :de:Zu mir oder zu dir?|Zu mir oder zu dir?
  • 2014: :de:Sein gutes Recht|Sein gutes Recht
  • 2014: Der Kriminalist – Die barfüßige Prinzessin
  • 2014: Unter der Haut
  • 2015: Der Blindgänger
  • 2015: :de:Alles Verbrecher – Leiche im Keller|Alles Verbrecher – Leiche im Keller
  • 2016: :de:Mutter reicht’s jetzt|Mutter reicht’s jetzt
  • 2017: :de:Matula |Matula
  • 2017: :de:Happy Burnout|Happy Burnout
  • 2017: :de:Letzte Spur Berlin|Letzte Spur Berlin
  • 2017: :de:Polizeiruf 110: Muttertag|Polizeiruf 110: Muttertag
  • 2017: :de:In Wahrheit: Mord am Engelsgraben|In Wahrheit: Mord am Engelsgraben
  • 2017: :de:Die Anfängerin|Die Anfängerin
  • 2017: :de:Stralsund: Kein Weg zurück|Stralsund: Kein Weg zurück
  • 2017: :de:Spreewaldkrimi|Spreewaldkrimi: Zwischen Tod und Leben
  • 2018: :de:Back for Good |Back for Good
  • 2018: :de:Tatort: Tollwut|Tatort: Tollwut
  • 2018: Greyzone
  • 2019: The Old Fox – Schuld und Sühne
  • 2019: Inga Lindström: Familienfest in Sommerby
  • 2019: Irgendwas bleibt immer
  • 2020: SOKO München – Affenliebe
  • 2020: :de:Der Kroatien-Krimi|Der Kroatien-Krimi: Tränenhochzeit

Theatre