Exactly 25 years ago – on February 20, 1995 – the first edition of the popular crime series "Wilsberg" flickered on the screens. In the opening sequence, actor Joachim Król (62) was seen as a Münster antiquarian and hobby detective Georg Wilsberg. Since the second episode, which was only broadcast three years later, Leonard Lansink (64) has taken on the title role.
Could the actor imagine at the beginning that the series would last so long? "No, it didn't look like it at all. Originally the format was a 'TV movie of the week' (…) with broadcasts on Monday evenings. But after a few episodes, 'Wilsberg' became the most prominent of all broadcasting stations Saturday at 8:15 p.m., promoted, "he recalls. Nobody could have foreseen this success and this great development.
The formula for success
On the one hand, success is relative. After all, there are 107 murder victims in front of the 21 previously prevented murders, including "60 men, 34 women, seven chickens and one breeding stallion", according to the broadcaster. But measured by the audience with an average of around seven million viewers, it is clear.
And what makes "Wilsberg" so popular and successful? It is easy for the leading actor: "Wilsberg is a normal person with all the quirks that everyone has or knows. And still manages to solve his cases and problems. In addition, the audience can identify with our family: Anna (Rita Russek , 67), Ekki (Oliver Korittke, 51), Alex (Ina Paule Klink, 40), actually Overbeck (Roland Jankowsky, 52), and I, "said Lansink to the broadcaster.
Another point is certainly that the thing with the "family team" also applies to behind the scenes. "Everyone is happy when we see each other again for the next shoot. It's like coming home. I don't remember any major arguments with each other," he enthuses. In addition, it is obviously important to the main cast that episode performers also feel comfortable: "We make every effort to ensure that colleagues who only come here occasionally or for an episode find a very pleasant family atmosphere," added Lansink.
The guest roles
The crime series "Wilsberg" is based on the novel by Jürgen Kehrer (64). The first book, "Wilsberg: And the Dead Are Left to Rest", was published in 1990. The author has had seven guest appearances in the films so far.
Another guest star was Die Ärzte-musician Bela B. (57). Actress Ina Paule Klink, who can be seen in the series as Wilsberg's legally talented goddaughter and niece Alex Holtkamp, was a keyboarder, background and duet singer in the band "Bela B. y Los Helmstedt". And so it happened that in the 15th episode "Wilsberg: Angel of Death" Bela B. played a gallery owner who meets Ina Paule Klink aka Alex Holtkamp …
The anniversary series
In the anniversary episode "Breakwater", which runs on Saturday (February 8th) at 8:15 p.m. on ZDF, Wilsberg is drawn to the island of Norderney. There he tries to settle a bitter inheritance dispute …
But why does the anniversary series take place on the East Frisian island of Norderney in the North Sea? Leonard Lansink has a simple explanation for this: "What many do not know: The island can be described as the northernmost district of Münster. It is really like this: the Hamburg man travels to Sylt, the Münster man travels to Norderney." The team also noticed this when shooting: "We were often approached by tourists from the Münsterland on the island."