2024-04-13 13:41:20
Actor Fritz Wepper was to be laid to rest on Wednesday. But the day was overshadowed by angry companions.
Fritz Wepper was buried in Munich on Wednesday. The funeral service for the 82-year-old took place as planned in a small circle. The actor had entertained German television audiences for decades – for example as detective assistant Harry Klein in the cult series “Derrick”. Wepper also starred in the popular ARD series “Um Himmels Willen” and lived out his comedic side as the scheming mayor Wolfgang Wöller.
“With Fritz Wepper, Bavaria is losing a great actor and an important personality,” emphasized Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder, who was invited to the small memorial service. “Instead of a great career in Hollywood, he chose his family and his homeland.” Mischievous, cheerful, sometimes Bavarian-coarse and always lovable, Wepper put his own stamp on every role, said film fan Söder. “His death leaves a big gap.”
“I just had to say that”
Almost everything went according to plan at the funeral service. But as the “Bild” newspaper reports, there was a scandal at the service. Lilly Berger, a 68-year-old film producer, ignored the program, stormed to the altar and spoke. The reason: She seems to have been dissatisfied with the content of the speeches. “Angela was the man of life for Fritz. She was hardly mentioned at all,” said Lilly Berger to the mourners. Angela von Morgen was Fritz Wepper’s first wife. The couple married at the end of the 1970s.
“Just like his daughters. We shared many beautiful memories. Our daughters took riding lessons together. Unfortunately, we were not able to support him in Fritz’s last months when he was unwell.” His new wife decided who was allowed to see him and who wasn’t.
In 2009, the actor fell in love with Susanne Kellermann, who was 33 years his junior. He left his wife for her. Susanne Kellermann, Fritz Wepper’s widow, is said to have been the reason for this misery for Lilly Berger. According to the “Bild” newspaper, she isolated Fritz Wepper from his old companions after his tumor operation. The film producer explained to the paper after her speech: “It all made me so sad: Fritz and I had such good times together. We couldn’t contact him anymore. I just had to say that. On behalf of all his friends who didn’t were invited or disinvited.”
This also included Barbara Engel. The designer was not allowed to say goodbye. She and the deceased have a moving past. In 1979, Fritz Wepper and his close friend Bernd Herzsprung married their friends Angela von Morgen and Barbara Engel in a double wedding. Before the funeral service, she showed her ID and said that she wanted to see Bernd Herzsprung and her daughters, who were also present. “And then they said: ‘You’re not on the list’ and ‘You’re not invited’,” reports the reality TV celebrity in an interview with RTL. “I’m not wanted.”