Ulrich Matthes (born 9 May 1959) is a German actor. He is best known for having played

Joseph Goebbels Paul Joseph Goebbels (; 29 October 1897 – 1 May 1945) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician and philologist who was the ''Gauleiter'' (district leader) of Berlin, chief Propaganda in Nazi Germany, propagandist for the Nazi Party, and ...

in the 2004 film '' Downfall''.

Life and work

Matthes was born in

West Berlin West Berlin ( or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin from 1948 until 1990, during the Cold War. Although West Berlin lacked any sovereignty and was under military occupation until German reunification in 1 ...

and educated at the

Evangelisches Gymnasium zum Grauen Kloster The Evangelisches Gymnasium zum Grauen Kloster, located in suburban Schmargendorf, Berlin, is an independent school with a humanistic profile, known as one of the most prestigious schools in Germany. Founded by the Evangelical Church in West Berl ...

. He studied acting in the early 1980s in Berlin under Else Bongers. In the 2004 movie '' Downfall'' he plays

. In the 2004 movie ''

The Ninth Day ''The Ninth Day'' is a 2004 German historical drama film directed by Volker Schlöndorff and starring Ulrich Matthes and August Diehl. It was released by Kino International. The film is about a Catholic priest from Luxembourg who is imprison ...

'', he plays Fr. Henri Kremer, a Catholic priest imprisoned at

Dachau Dachau (, ; , ; ) was one of the first concentration camps built by Nazi Germany and the longest-running one, opening on 22 March 1933. The camp was initially intended to intern Hitler's political opponents, which consisted of communists, s ...

. He is also the standard German voice for

Kenneth Branagh Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh ( ; born 10 December 1960) is a British actor and filmmaker. Born in Belfast and raised primarily in Reading, Berkshire, Branagh trained at RADA in London and served as its president from 2015 to 2024. List of award ...

along with Martin Umbach. In 2019, Matthes served on the jury that chose Pauline Curnier Jardin as winner of the Preis der Nationalgalerie.

Awards

* 1985:

Förderpreis für Literatur der Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf The Förderpreis für Literatur der Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf is a German literary award donated by the City of Düsseldorf in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Prize for Literature in support of the City of Düsseldorf has been awarded since 1972 by ...

Northrhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia, commonly shortened to NRW, is a state () in Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the most populous state in Germany. Apart from the city-states (Berlin, Hamburg and Br ...

* 1999:

Bavarian Film Award The Bavarian Film Awards () are film awards given to German films in the state of Bavaria, awarded by the state government. Background and description The Bavarian Film Awards have been awarded annually since 1979 by the state government of Bav ...

– Best Actor for performance in ''Rider of the Flames'' * 2003:

Deutscher Hörbuchpreis Deutscher Hörbuchpreis (German Audiobook Prize) is a literary prize of Germany. Best of all * 2003: Isaak Babel: ''Die Reiterarmee.'' '' Red Cavalry'' * 2004: Flann O'Brien: ''Auf Schwimmen-zwei-Vögel.'' ''At Swim-Two-Birds'' Kein & Aber Rec ...

* 2007: Theaterpreis Berlin * 2008: Deutscher Theaterpreis Der Faust * 2015:

Goldene Kamera The Goldene Kamera ("Golden Camera") is an annual German film and television award, awarded by the Funke Mediengruppe. The award show was usually held in early February in Hamburg, but also took place in Berlin on occasion. It has been paused ...

– Best German Actor for performances in the ''

Tatort ("Crime Scene") is a German-language police procedural television series that has been running continuously since 1970 with 30 feature-length episodes per year, making it the longest-running German TV drama. Developed by the German public-se ...

'' episode ''Im Schmerz geboren'' (“Born in pain”) and in ''Bornholmer Straße'' (“Bornholm street”) * 2015:

Grimme-Preis The Grimme-Preis (Grimme Award), formerly known as the Adolf-Grimme-Preis, is one of the most prestigious German television awards. It is named after the first general director of Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk, Adolf Grimme. The Grimme Institute ...

– Best Actor for performance in ''Tatort: Im Schmerz geboren'' * 2015: German Television Academy Award – Best Actor for performance in ''Bornholmer Straße'' * 2016:

Lielais Kristaps ''Lielais Kristaps'' is the highest award given in Latvian cinema. Established in 1977, it is given out at the ''Latvian National Film Festival''. Due to different reasons, the festival has not been held in 1992, 1994 to 1995, 1997 and 1999 ...

– Best Actor for performance in ''Pelnu Sanitorija'' ''(Exiled)'' * 2022 Officer's Cross of the

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (, or , BVO) is the highest state decoration, federal decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It may be awarded for any field of endeavor. It was created by the first List of president ...

Film

*1969: ''An einem Tag im September'' (Short) – Max *1970: ''Die Wesenacks'' (TV film) – Fränzchen *1973: ''Artur, Peter und der Eskimo'' (TV film) – Peter *1989: ''

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (1216–1281 ...

'' –

(German version) *1992: ''Herr Ober!'' – TV game show host *1994: '' Mary Shelley's Frankenstein'' –

Victor Frankenstein Victor Frankenstein is a fictional character who first appeared as the titular main protagonist of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel '' Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus''. He is an Italian-born Swiss scientist who, after studying chemical proces ...

(German version) *1995: ''Ein falscher Schritt'' (TV film) – Georg Klein *1995: ''Der Mörder und sein Kind'' (TV film) – Rainer Dreyer *1995: ''

Nikolaikirche The following cathedrals, churches and chapels are dedicated to Saint Nicholas: Austria * Church of St. Nikolaus, Lockenhaus * St. Nicholas Church, Inzersdorf, Vienna Albania * St. Nicholas Church, Moscopole * St. Nicholas Church, Perondi * Chu ...

'' (TV film) – Alexander ‘Sascha’ Bacher *1995: ''

Othello ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'', often shortened to ''Othello'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulat ...

'' –

Iago Iago () is a fictional character in Shakespeare's '' Othello'' (c. 1601–1604). Iago is the play's main antagonist and Othello's standard-bearer. He is the husband of Emilia who is in turn the attendant of Othello's wife Desdemona. Iago ha ...

(German version) *1996: ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

'' –

Prince Hamlet Prince Hamlet is the title character and protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Hamlet'' (1599–1601). He is the Prince of Denmark, nephew of the usurping King Claudius, Claudius, and son of King Hamlet, the previous King of Denmark. At ...

(German version) *1997: ' (TV film) –

Jan-Carl Raspe Jan-Carl Raspe (24 July 1944 – 18 October 1977) was a member of the German far-left terrorist group the Red Army Faction (RAF). He was involved in five bomb attacks with four fatalities, was arrested in 1972 and committed suicide in custody ...

*1997: ''

Winter Sleepers ''Winter Sleepers'' ( meaning "hibernators") is a 1997 German film directed by Tom Tykwer. It premiered at the Locarno International Film Festival. Plot The film is set in the snowy alpine resort of Berchtesgaden in Bavaria. The story begins sho ...

'' – Rene *1998: '' Abgehauen'' (TV film) – Eberhard E. *1998: ''

Rider of the Flames Rider or Riders may refer to: People and characters * Horserider (equestrianism) * Snowboarder also called rider Persons * Daniel Rider (1938–2008), American mathematician * Fremont Rider (1885–1962), American writer and librarian * George ...

'' – Baron Isaac von Sinclair *1999: ''

Aimée & Jaguar ''Aimée & Jaguar'' is a 1999 German drama film set in Berlin during World War II. It was written and directed by Max Färberböck and based on Erica Fischer's book chronicling the actual lives of Lilly Wust and Felice Schragenheim during tha ...

'' – Eckert (SS) *1999: ''Framed'' (Short) – Beck *2000: ''The Coq Is Dead'' (TV film) – Kommissar Steiner *2002: ''Mörderherz'' (TV film) – Dr. Graf *2004: ' – Peter *2004: ''

'' – Abbé Henri Kremer *2004: '' Downfall'' –

*2006: ''Wer war Kafka?'' (Documentary) (voice) *2006: ' – Dr. Leonhard *2008: ' – Robert von der Mühlen *2010: ' (TV film) – Hauptmann *2011: '' Cracks in the Shell'' – Ben Kästner *2011: ''

Calm at Sea ''Calm at Sea'' () is a 2011 German / French drama film directed by Volker Schlöndorff. The film depicts the events leading to the 1941 execution of a group of French communists, including the 17-year-old Guy Môquet, as retaliation for the assa ...

'' (TV film) –

Ernst Jünger Ernst Jünger (; 29 March 1895 – 17 February 1998) was a German author, highly decorated soldier, philosopher, and entomology, entomologist who became publicly known for his World War I memoir ''Storm of Steel''. The son of a successful busin ...

*2012: ''A Little Suicide'' (Short) – The Cockroach (voice) *2012: ''Kunduz: The Incident at Hadji Ghafur'' – Grewe *2013: ''

The Notebook ''The Notebook'' is a 2004 American romantic drama film directed by Nick Cassavetes, from a screenplay by Jeremy Leven and Jan Sardi, and based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. The film stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel Mc ...

'' – Apa *2014: ' (TV film) – Hartmut Kummer *2016: ''Pelnu Sanitorija'' (''Exiled'') (

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

n film) – Ulrihs *2016: ''Geschichte einer Liebe – Freya'' –

Helmuth James von Moltke Helmuth James Graf von Moltke (11 March 1907 – 23 January 1945) was a German jurist who, as a draftee in the German Abwehr, acted to subvert German human-rights abuses of people in territories occupied by Germany during World War II. He w ...

*2016: ''Die Vierte Gewalt'' (TV film) – Publisher *2017: ' (TV film) – Matteo Kälin *2017: ''Krieg'' (TV film) – Arnold *2017: ''Die Puppenspieler'' (TV film) –

Rodrigo Borgia Pope Alexander VI (, , ; born Roderic Llançol i de Borja; epithet: ''Valentinus'' ("The Kingdom of Valencia, Valencian"); – 18 August 1503) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 August 1492 until his death ...

*2019: '' A Hidden Life'' – Lorenz Schwaninger *2021: '' The Story of My Wife'' – the psychiatrist *2022: ''

Munich - The Edge of War Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

'' –

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...

Television

*1995: ''

Wolffs Revier is a German crime drama television series broadcast from 1992 to 2006, about chief inspector of police Andreas Wolff, who works in Berlin's homicide department. The series, which won a Grimme-Preis award, consists of 173 episodes in 13 season ...

: Sommersprossen'' – Danzer *1987–1997: ''

Derrick A derrick is a lifting device composed at minimum of one guyed mast, as in a gin pole, which may be articulated over a load by adjusting its Guy-wire, guys. Most derricks have at least two components, either a guyed mast or self-supporting tower ...

'' (4 episodes) – Harald Breuer / Robert Lohmann / Holger Küster / Ulrich Huberti *1997: ''

The Old Fox ''Der Alte'' ("The Old One" or "The Old Fox") is a German crime drama series created by Helmut Ringelmann. It premiered on 11 April 1977 on ZDF. Since 1978 the series is part of the Friday Crime Night of the network. It depicts the crime-solvi ...

: Der Tod der Eltern'' – Andreas Gobel *1997–1999: ''

Polizeiruf 110 ''Polizeiruf 110'' ("Police call 110") is a long-running German-language detective television series. The name refers to the emergency telephone number of the ''Volkspolizei''. The first episode was broadcast 27 June 1971 in the German Democratic ...

'' (2 episodes) – Psychologe / Tanjas Partner *2000: ''

Ein Fall für zwei ''A case for two'' (German: ''Ein Fall für zwei'') is a German television series, which premiered on 11 September 1981 on ZDF. The series, set in Frankfurt, features two main characters who solve crimes: a defense attorney and a private investi ...

: Blutiges Pfand'' – Michael Strobel *2008: '' The Bill: Proof of Life'' – Victor Hauptmann (crossover story with ''

Leipzig Homicide ''Leipzig Homicide (SOKO Leipzig)'' is a German crime drama television series first broadcast on 31 January 2001 on ZDF. More than 400 episodes have been screened since. On 12 November 2008, the first of a two-part crossover between ''SOKO Leipz ...

'') *2011: ''

: '' – Günther Kremer *2014: ''

: '' – Richard Harloff *2019: ''Sarah Kohr: Das verschwundene Mädchen'' – Artem Lasarew *2020: ''Das Boot''

Personal life

In February 2021, Matthes came out as gay. In April 2023, Matthes was one of the 22 guests at the ceremony in which former

Chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

Angela Merkel Angela Dorothea Merkel (; ; born 17 July 1954) is a German retired politician who served as Chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021. She is the only woman to have held the office. She was Leader of the Opposition from 2002 to 2005 and Leade ...

was decorated with the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit for special achievement by

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Frank-Walter Steinmeier Frank-Walter Steinmeier (; born 5 January 1956) is a German politician who has served as President of Germany since 2017. He was previously Minister for Foreign Affairs (Germany), federal minister for foreign affairs from 2005 to 2009 and again f ...

at Schloss Bellevue in Berlin..Miriam Rathje (17 April 2023)
Ohne Merz, aber mit Klinsmann: Das ist die Gästeliste für Angela Merkels Ordensverleihung
''

Der Tagesspiegel (meaning ''The Daily Mirror'') is a German daily newspaper. It has regional correspondent offices in Washington, D.C., and Potsdam. It is the only major newspaper in the capital to have increased its circulation, now 148,000, since reunificati ...

''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Matthes, Ulrich 1959 births Living people 20th-century German male actors 21st-century German male actors Crystal Simorgh recipients German gay actors German male film actors German male television actors Lielais Kristaps Award winners Male actors from Berlin Members of the Academy of Arts, Berlin 20th-century German LGBTQ people 21st-century German LGBTQ people