Acting star Jürgen Vogel "I've never received money from the state - I was very poor"
In the new political thriller series "Informant", Jürgen Vogel plays an investigator who is tasked with preventing a terrorist attack on the Elbphilharmonie concert hall. In this interview, he talks about fear in society, fitness in old age and his poverty.
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- In the series "Informant - Angst über der Stadt", Jürgen Vogel plays an undercover investigator who is tasked with preventing a terrorist attack and addresses social paranoia.
- In the interview, Vogel emphasizes that fear often causes irrational decisions and how it is intensified by isolation or collective panic.
- Vogel also reflects on the social shift towards more individualism, which weakens a sense of community and increases fear, as well as the influence of fear in politics.
Matthias Glasner's drama "Sterben" was recently awarded the German Film Prize in Gold. The same Matthias Glasner has now made a six-part political thriller series with his "regular actor" Jürgen Vogel, the likes of which you don't see every day on television.
"Informant - Angst über der Stadt" (on Arte from Friday, October 11, 8.15 p.m., or on Ersten from Wednesday, October 16, 8.15 p.m.) shows Vogel as an ageing LKA investigator who is tasked with preventing a terrorist attack on Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie concert hall.
The TV series is about undercover investigators, social paranoia and the price people pay in the game of terror and its defense. In this interview, the 56-year-old actor explains why fear is contagious, why we are more afraid today than we used to be and what can help against it.
Is the series "Informant - Angst über der Stadt" about the paranoia that the threat of terrorism can trigger?
Jürgen Vogel: Authorities fighting terror are dealing with a threat that they often don't know where it comes from and when it will strike. Terror is the worst kind of warfare because it does not take place in a specific country or region, but can strike anywhere and at any time. People who know nothing about a danger that is nevertheless present often develop paranoia. Of course, this also applies to the authorities, who are ultimately just people.
Terror is once again sadly topical in Germany. There are people who are therefore afraid to go to public places with lots of people. How do you feel?
I believe that people have different fears. You should take fears seriously and, above all, listen to your gut feeling. I'm not afraid of things that I can't influence. I can be injured or killed anywhere. Maybe something will fall on my head while I'm hiking or I'll be the victim of a traffic accident. But above all, we live in dangerous times - from environmental disasters to the threat of war. These are real dangers. We humans have brought most of them on ourselves. Through the way we live.
Vogel: "You used to feel safe in a family"
Security has once again become a highly politically charged issue that concerns many people. Can you understand that?
Fear is a strong emotion. We humans often try to appear rational, but we are actually often driven by fear, especially when it comes to threats. In politics, parties have repeatedly come to power whose greatest "strength" was playing on fear. When everyone is very afraid, the result is what we call mass hysteria. Fear can be contagious, as can the desire for simple solutions to eliminate this fear.
What can you do about it?
It is difficult to recommend a course of action because I believe that there are no simple solutions to most problems. Especially for issues that affect a lot of people. Whether you live in a large patchwork family or look at society as a whole: There are always different needs that need to be balanced. Making compromises doesn't usually sound particularly "sexy". That's why simple slogans that appeal to everyone are so successful. Especially at a time when we are used to leading an individual, self-determined life. Incidentally, it hasn't necessarily made our society any better.
What do you mean by that?
The fact that everyone wants to do their own thing today has made our society poorer. In the past, people felt that they were in good hands in a family, so they made compromises. Today, we live in a time when most people believe that the greatest good is to be self-fulfilled. But what does that mean? The feeling of self-fulfilment can also occur when you join a community or when you do something for others. Taking a step back can feel great. For most people, going down the selfish and narcissistic path is not good for them.
Vogel: "Where the fearful meet, there is only more fear"
Actors, especially the more well-known ones, are often seen as ego people. Are you one?
No, I don't think so. Let's take Christmas as an example: There are people who like to be given presents and those who prefer to give presents to others because they get more out of it. I clearly belong to the latter group.
We live more individually today than in the past, but do we also live with greater fear than the generations before us?
Yes, perhaps. Individual life means that we often feel less protected and more alone. We also know a lot more about the world than we used to. Anyone who develops fears that are becoming increasingly burdensome - be it specific fears, phobias, panic attacks or a growing, diffuse feeling of anxiety - should seek therapy. Anxiety is also an illness and many people are affected by it.
What does it do to us as a society when many people have anxiety?
Anxiety leads to isolation. Because people avoid topics, places and people that trigger anxiety. Or we only spend time in real or virtual groups that share the same fears. This is also not a solution and is very problematic for society as a whole. Where the fearful meet, only more fear is created. And above all, we lose our strength as a helping, supportive society. Fear is not a good companion. We often make the wrong decisions out of fear.
Jürgen Vogel: "I have never received any money from the state and have often been very, very poor"
So what can you do?
I can only recommend opening up to the community in a positive way. Work with others on things that bring you fun and fulfillment. For me, it was my family and my acting career. Overwork, stress and burnout are a big issue today. I've never had a burnout in my life, even though I do and work extremely hard. I've always longed to achieve goals, but also to be part of a working community, a family or a relationship. I have seven children and five grandchildren. And I've been working since I was 13. I moved out of home when I was 15. I never received any money from the state and was often very, very poor. My life was very stressful for long stretches. But I always got strength from giving.
Let's come back to the series "Informant". You've been making films and series with writer and director Matthias Glasner for 30 years. Why can't you let go of each other?
We are partners who know that we can totally rely on each other. But it's not so close that we hang out all the time and go on vacation together. His scripts create characters and worlds as soon as I read them, and I'm always in the mood for them. He is one of the best writers in Germany and we have a similar philosophy about people: We want to show how complicated and also cruel they are - and yet also lovable. We both believe that there is no point in criticizing people and always pointing the moral finger. We have to accept ourselves as we are. Where abysses open up, we simply have to offer help.
Is your common drive to tell stories about being human?
Yes, that's how it is. We are interested in our species with all its weaknesses and flaws. I think human weaknesses were the reason why I became interested in acting and this profession in the first place. That was even before I met Matthias. I then found a partner with similar interests in him.
"I have no problem at all with getting older"
You are still impressively well-trained. Nevertheless, your roles now often play a little with age and physical decline. How much does this topic concern you?
I train a lot, I admit that. Not so much out of vanity, but because training is part of my life. I need it as a mental balance because I'm a hyperactive person. I get a problem with my energy levels if I don't do endurance sports. I started at 14 and have disciplined myself throughout my life, almost treating myself.
To what extent was the training therapy, what did you suffer from?
Often hierarchies, which I usually found difficult to bear. I looked for ways to unburden myself without doing anything negative. I've also always been a fan of physical acting, which is where the training comes in handy. I have no problem at all with getting older. I even like being older. It's interesting to feel how things change, but on the other hand to take on the task of maintaining a certain level for as long as possible. Ultimately, it's a sporting challenge that doesn't mean you're fighting against age. You try to set yourself new goals in line with your age - and achieve them. Just because you're 56 doesn't mean you can't do 100 push-ups.
So you want to prove it to yourself?
Me, but also my children. My eldest son is 38, but I also have young children. Of course I want to show them that dad is still fit. But I've never been someone who wanted to be younger, because I've already experienced all these ages. I prefer to experience new things and look forward to what's yet to come. I get bored easily. That's why I find it very difficult to watch movies twice or three times. Instead, I'm always on the lookout for new things. In fact, I have the feeling that the older I get, the more curious I become and the more my view expands.
