On television they often play the role of lords of the castle, but in reality many actors are worried about pensions and insurance. Heinrich Schafmeister provides insights.
The call for donations for the seriously ill actor Heinz Hoenig (72, “Das Boot”) has highlighted the problem of a lack of insurance among German actors. “It’s a typical progression. Poverty in old age is unfortunately typical if you’re not very careful,” explained actor Heinrich Schafmeister (67, “Wilsberg”) in an interview with the German Press Agency.
Heinrich Schafmeister: “I know of colleagues who often feel ashamed”
As a representative of the Federal Acting Association BFFS, Schafmeister advocates for fair pay and insurance in the film and television industry. “I know of colleagues who often feel embarrassed. Then people approach them and say, ‘Yes, I saw you on TV yesterday. You played the castle owner.” And even as an actor you can’t show up at the bank in real life.”
There are also structural reasons why many people in the acting industry get into difficulties as they get older, says Schafmeister. In addition to difficult employment conditions, there are often gaps in insurance. This often has consequences, especially if there are no further big roles. It doesn’t just apply to actors: “Anyone who falls into poverty in old age may no longer be able to pay for private insurance.” This happens more often, says Schafmeister. “Poverty in old age occurs among very, very many actors, not only among the unknown ones, but also among many well-known ones. Many would be surprised if they knew who all this applies to,” explained the union representative.
Heinz Hoenig’s management describes a vicious circle
When asked by dpa this week, Heinz Hoenig’s management described a similar vicious circle: “Due to a lack of orders, Mr Hoenig was ultimately no longer able to pay the health insurance contributions. Since he was insured differently for different orders, it first had to be determined which ones Since Mr. Hoenig is over 55 years old, this also made the process of being reinstated to the health insurance company more difficult.” Hoenig’s family has launched an appeal for donations to cover the costs of the operation.