“The Schimanski Files”
How the cult commissioner changed the “crime scene” cosmos
In “The Schimanski Files”, the scriptwriters, directors, cameramen and producers who played a key role in the invention and creation of the character Horst Schimanski (Götz Geoge) let us participate in the development.
© WDR / Rolf von der Heydt
In the documentary “The Schimanski Files”, the inventors of the cult commissioner tell of the beginnings – and how he changed the “Tatort” cosmos.
Schnauzer, beige-gray M-65 field jacket and “Fuck the service regulations” – the cult figure Horst Schimanski was born 40 years ago. The Berlin main actor Götz George (1938-2016) slipped into the role for the first time in “Tatort: Duisburg-Ruhrort” by director Hajo Gies (76). The thriller was broadcast on June 28, 1981 in the first.
For the 40th anniversary of the broadcast, WDR is showing four digitally restored “Tatort” episodes with the cult figure from Duisburg. The new HD editions will run from December 7th on four Tuesdays at 10:15 p.m. Following the first crime thriller, the new 30-minute documentary “The Schimanski Files” will run from 11:45 pm. In this film, the inventors give exciting insights into the history of this very special “crime scene” commissioner.
Farewell to Schlips commissioner Haferkamp
The farewell to Inspector Haferkamp, who is wearing a tie, marks the start of the new inspector type Schimanski in every respect. Before that, the Berlin actor Hansjörg Felmy (1931-2007) played inspector Heinz Haferkamp in the crime series “Tatort” for WDR from 1974 to 1980. But the audience, the broadcaster and even the main actor himself had enough of this investigator and the similar scripts towards the end. “The ‘Tatort’ was in crisis”, summarizes Bernd Schwamm (born 1943), screenwriter and producer of the first Schimanski crime novel, in the documentary.
“These figures that we had so far in the ‘Tatort’, that is, the man in a suit who tries to find out who the perpetrator was with intelligent moves. They didn’t want that anymore,” adds producer Günter Rohrbach (93).
At that time, however, Felmy still had Schwamm under contract for two films, as he continues. But the actor had heard that the new material the author was writing was “a bit strange”. “Then Felmy said: If the fabric is to be turned, he gets out.” According to Spamm, there were three options in this phase: “Either withdraw the material or let it depend on whether he really gets out. Or a third option, which we then took: namely, that he does not play along. We then have him sent on vacation. ” And Götz George took over …
Schimanski’s surprise success
Commissioner Schimanski was extremely popular with the audience. “That Schimanski became so popular surprised me the most,” admits Schwamm in the documentary. “I think the audience felt that there was finally not a clean-shaven, tie-wearing inspector, but one who is more emotional,” says screenwriter Horst Vocks. “Until now, ‘Tatort’ inspectors had always worked in the office,” adds director Dominik Graf (69).
The handling of the assistants was also new. “I always found it horrific how they were treated,” says Schwamm, “they were always the idiots who had to ask stupid questions so that the commissioner could shine.” Instead, there was now a team that works together. And so Schimanski had a partner, Eberhard Feik (1943-1994) played this chief detective Christian Thanner from 1981 to 1991. “Everyone is always talking about Schimanski, but for me it was actually the combination of these two characters,” says director Ilse Hofmann (72), making the new meaning of the co-investigators clear.
The concept of the “bully figure” (quote from Ilse Hofmann) also includes a dark side in the biography. “He is said to have stolen cars,” says Schwamm. “There was also the consideration that Schimanski could have ended up on the other side instead of on the police side. And that he was actually saved by the later boss in Königsberg,” said the co-inventor. Kriminaloberrat Karl Königsberg was the superior of Schimanski and Thanner from 1981 to 1988. It was played by Ulrich Matschoss (1917-2013).
In the documentary it is also surprising how Götz George got the role in the first place, because actually a completely different one was intended for it …
Short reunion with Jan Fedder
Jan Fedder fans shouldn’t miss the documentary either, because the Hamburg “Großstadtrevier” star, who died in 2019, can be seen in a small role – he can hardly be seen optically, but when the suspect, Schimanski and Teasing Thanner, starting to speak, there is no longer any doubt …