Werner Textor: police officer with humour (S1E6)
I met Werner for the 1st time when I worked for BBC in 2009. They were covering the World Championships in Athletics and wanted me to find someone to interview who witnessed the Olympics in Berlin in 1936. After many calls around the city, I finally sat across Werner with a camera team. I was there to translate and not knowing yet what a great personality I had discovered. As a policeman in the 1960s and 70s, during the heavy student demonstrations he invented a new method of calming and entertaining protestors instead of hitting them with police clubs and water guns. When we met he lived in a nursing home in Rudow and had many stories to tell. I was intrigued by his 88 yrs of life experience, his charming and warmhearted character. We kept in touch and I visited him many times during the following years. He always saved a piece of cake for me and instead of water he drank champagne daily, which he kept cooled in his tiny fridge next to his window. I found out a couple weeks ago that he passed away this June. Today would have been his 95th birthday. Besides my grief I feel honoured to have known him. I wished we could have said goodbye. In the interview for his short film he told me he has seen enough now and it would be time for him to go. So he went. He has left great achievements and wise words behind.
Produced & Directed by: Carolin Kraft
DOP’s: George Steffens & Carolin Kraft
Edited by: Jon Kadocsa
Color Grader: Javier Keltai
Music by: Bela Brauckmann
Sound Editor: Jon Kadocsa
Subtitles by: Benjamin Blackbenz