DThe actress and singer Lotti Krekel is dead. She died on Tuesday in the early hours of the morning, as the German Press Agency confirmed from family circles. West German Broadcasting had previously reported. The sister of actress Hildegard Krekel, who died in 2013, was 81 years old.
With a leading role in the comedy “The Spanish Fly” at the Millowitsch Theater in 1958, the Cologne native laid the foundation for a successful stage career. Through the numerous TV recordings from the Millowitsch Theater, she gained prominence nationwide. The television broadcasts of these Rhenish farces reached ratings of up to 85 percent in the post-war period. Krekel later played in many TV productions, such as the WDR series “Die Anrheiner”, the RTL series “Sylter Stories” or the ARD “Tatort”.
In Cologne, Krekel was one of the most successful singers in Rhenish dialect, her popular hits such as “Ne Visit the Zoo” and “Mir schenke der Ahl e Paar Blömcher” became carnival classics.
Krekel was also very present as a radio play speaker for years, including in the well-known “Paul Temple” crime series. The 81-year-old also lived in Cologne and was the wife of actor Ernst Hilbich.