Farewell to a legend

Moving funeral service for Fritz Wepper in Munich

Fritz Wepper died at the end of March at the age of 82. A moving funeral service was held in Munich on Wednesday.

(Bild: APA/dpa/Tobias Hase)

Fritz Wepper passed away on March 25 at the age of 82. On Wednesday, relatives and companions of the actor bid farewell to the popular TV star at a moving funeral service in Munich.

As reported by the "Bild" newspaper, Wepper's widow Susanne Kellermann and their daughter Filippa (12) organized the moving farewell to Fritz Wepper. According to Bild, a friend of Kellermann's read out a very personal, loving letter at her request during the funeral ceremony.

"That was our eternal moment"
In it, the 49-year-old recalled, among other things, a beautiful moment just a few days before Wepper's death. "Three days before you left, the three of us sat in the hospice on the beautiful wooden balcony in front of your room with a view of the trees. Filippa, you and me. We had come to rest. After all the good times and the hard times."

On Wednesday, Fritz Wepper was bid farewell in an emotional funeral service in Munich.

(Bild: Wehnert, Matthias / Action Press / picturedesk.com)

They were "so full of love" at that moment, and Fritz said to her: "Today with you is one of the best days of my life." Now she knew: "That was our eternal moment."

Now she had to go on alone, Kellermann's letter continued, "with you in my heart and Filippa by the hand. Please give me another piece of your courage, bravery and cheerfulness to take with me on my way. I'll tell you what I wish for you in my thoughts. We love you." 

Companions also bid farewell
Many companions also came to pay their last respects to Fritz Wepper. "I will keep him in happy memory," Uschi Glas told the German newspaper. "We filmed a lot together when we were young. We were prepared to do all sorts of little outrages. It was a deep friendship - Fritz and Elmar were inseparable."

Uschi Glas bid farewell to Fritz Wepper.

(Bild: Wehnert, Matthias / Action Press / picturedesk.com)

Andrea Wildner and Janina Hartwig, who played with Wepper in "Um Himmels Willen", also bid farewell. It was "a great loss for all of us", said Hartwig. "I am grateful for the time I was able to spend with him." 

Buried in the family grave
After the funeral service, Fritz Wepper was buried at Winthir Cemetery in Munich - next to his brother Elmar, who died at the end of October at the age of 79, in the family grave.

Fritz Wepper died at the end of March at the age of 82 in a hospice in Upper Bavaria. He had fallen asleep peacefully. 

In December 2023, the popular actor was admitted to a hospital in Munich due to blood poisoning. Shortly afterwards, he was still on the road to recovery. Wepper had been fighting for his health for some time. He had already undergone heart surgery and had fought the cancer with all his might.

Mourning for popular TV star
Fritz Wepper had entertained German television audiences for decades and won them over with roles such as that of detective assistant Harry Klein in the cult ZDF series "Derrick" alongside Horst Tappert. He also played the role of Wolfgang Wöller, the mayor of Kaltenthal, for 20 years, who fought a constant petty war with the nuns of the small town in the ARD series "Um Himmels Willen".