“Bergdoktor” Hans Sigl talks in the GALA interview about meditating in the water, his favorite hobby – and his real role on the set.
This time he honors us between the years: In eight new episodes of “Bergdoktor” (from December 29, Thursdays at 8:15 p.m. on ZDF), Hans Sigl, 53, aka Martin Gruber, is undeterred on the road for the benefit of his patients – even if it’s at home problems. Right at the beginning of season 16, the mountain doctor has to solve a tricky private situation. But such entanglements are one of the series’ secrets of success, says Sigl. Because in every family there is a crack in the woodwork, like on the Gruber farm – and in the end everything is fine again.
GALA: Do you sometimes dream of the Bergdoktor?
Hans Sigl: No, my mental hygiene is completely intact. I’ve never dreamed of being in Gruberisch. I leave the world of work behind me at the end of a day of shooting. Golf helps me with that. I’m almost a little crazy about this. After the second run at the latest, all stress has disappeared. Golfing is like acting: the more you want, the harder it gets. And the more you let go, the easier it becomes.
The Bergdoktor family: actors Heiko Ruprecht, Monika Baumgartner, Ronja Forcher, Hans Sigl, Siegfried Rauch, Anna Hippert
© Sven Simon / imago images
As a mountain doctor, you are constantly out in the fresh air, so it must be good, right?
Nature grounds me. And is my place of power! I highly recommend going into the forest and sharpening your senses. In any case, the silence in the middle of the trees does me a lot of good.
You can also go swimming outside – in the Hintersteiner See near Ellmau. At what temperature do you prefer to stay on the shore?
When shooting the first episode this year, it was 8 degrees outside and the water temperature was a maximum of 17 degrees. That was borderline. If I swim privately – around an hour – then it should be a little more comfortable. Once you get into the rhythm, there’s something very meditative about swimming.
And how do you feel after swimming in the cold lake?
Just happy. And humble and grateful because I’ve been able to shoot at the Wilder Kaiser for a long time. When I look at the mountain massif, I become aware of this once more.
Sounds like Elmau has become a kind of home for you by now.
My work home, yes. But at the weekend I always go home to the Ammersee. In summer I am immediately drawn to the water there. I grab the stand-up board, paddle from one village to the next, treat myself to an ice cream in between or just lounge around by the lake, wonderful!
Back to Elmau: how long does it take for you to transform into the mountain doctor?
I’m in the mask for maybe ten minutes. Then move quickly and in a good quarter of an hour the Gruber will be ready.
How much do you resemble Martin Gruber?
Not at all. He’s a movie character, clearly differentiated from me. I’m happily married, so far he hasn’t been able to do it. However, I have equipped it with some attributes that make sense to me. empathy for example. Although, of course, I’m also empathetic in my private life. (laughs)
The mountain doctor speeds up the mountains in his car pretty quickly. Aren’t you afraid of hitting a cow?
That only seems so, Frau Ochs, that only seems so. I drive very comfortably, the dynamics only come about through the cameras. When we shoot with a drone, the maximum speed is 40 kilometers per hour. But in the film it seems much faster.
Is everyone on the set now a small Gruber family?
Somehow. It’s nice to work with so many familiar people in our Gallic village. The good atmosphere certainly has something to do with the region. With the Wilder Kaiser in mind, you’re already in a good mood.
Who is the mother of the company?
The mother of all sons: Monika Baumgartner. She is very skilled with her hands. If a table wobbles, she straightens it. Or if the tractor needs to be moved, she sits on top of everyone else and does it quickly.
And what’s your part?
I would describe myself as a motivator, as a feel-good bear. I like keeping the team together. A ritual I have come to love is that I greet everyone in the morning. Previously with a handshake, now with a fist bump. Or I hand out letters and donate a round of ice cream.
What do you give the viewers with the Bergdoktor – a cozy feeling?
Rather the confidence that everything will be fine in the end. And that you can find a way together as a family if you want to. Martin shows how it’s done: He’s over 50 years old and lives on his brother’s farm – nothing unusual around here, by the way. He has to constantly pull himself together with everyone so that living together works.
Do you never get bored of the role?
No, I still like it because it is constantly evolving. So much can be revealed: This season something elementary happens in the family that gives the whole thing a new direction. The 17th season next year is already available. At some point, however, there will surely come a point when I realize that my part has been chosen. I will not retire with Martin.
You also have other projects, such as a quiz show that you moderated for RTL this year. And the big ARD New Year’s Eve show that’s coming up now.
A change that I really enjoy. What many do not know: Before my acting career, I was a moderator. It feels refreshing to speak your own words.
As a mountain doctor, do you have to follow the script exactly?
Even then I’m quite free now. Apart from the medical terminology, I only learn the text peripherally. I then adapt it in cooperation with my colleagues. Another point that makes my role so attractive.