Klausjürgen Wussow, who became a household name across German television as Professor Klaus Brinkmann in Die Schwarzwaldklinik, originally wanted to study medicine before political pressure forced him to abandon his secondary education. The actor refused to join the Freie Deutsche Jugend, which led to him leaving school before his Abitur.
The Road From Pomerania to the Vienna Stage
- Wussow wanted to become a doctor, but refusing to join the FDJ forced him out of school before his Abitur.
- He spent over two decades at the Vienna Burgtheater playing major classical roles before his massive television breakthrough.
From the Vienna Burgtheater to Prime-Time Medicine
Long before white coats and prime-time ratings defined his career, Wussow built a formidable reputation on stage. From 1964 to 1986, he belonged to the ensemble of the Vienna Burgtheater. There, he tackled heavy theatrical leads including Don Karlos, Ferdinand in Kabale und Liebe, Karl Moor, Macbeth, Arturo Ui, and both Faust and Mephistopheles in Faust.
Television offered parallel momentum through procedural and historical dramas. He appeared in Die fünfte Kolonne, Der Kurier der Kaiserin, Sergeant Berry, Derrick, and later Klinik unter Palmen. His distinct voice also landed him dubbing work, notably taking on the speaking and singing voice of Frollo in the 1996 Disney film Der Glöckner von Notre Dame.
The Phenomenon of Die Schwarzwaldklinik
Wussow secured his defining cultural legacy in the mid-1980s when he stepped into the role of Professor Brinkmann. The series drew an astonishing audience of roughly 28 million viewers per episode. Playing a physician fulfilled an echo of his youthful ambition, mirroring his earlier cinematic turn as a doctor in the 1959 film Arzt aus Leidenschaft.
| Project | Role / Medium | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Arzt aus Leidenschaft (1959) | Feature Film / Doctor | Early cinematic medical role before major TV success. |
| Vienna Burgtheater (1964–1986) | Stage Ensemble | Played classical leads including Faust, Macbeth, and Karl Moor. |
| Die Schwarzwaldklinik (1980s) | Television Series / Professor Brinkmann | Reached an average of 28 million viewers per episode. |
| Der Glöckner von Notre Dame (1996) | Disney Animation / Frollo | Provided German dialogue and singing voice for the character. |
Final Years and Lasting Legacy
Away from the cameras, Wussow’s personal life included four marriages and four children: Konstanze with Jolande Franz, Barbara and Alexander with Ida Krottendorf, and Benjamin with Yvonne Viehöfer. In 2004, he married Sabine Scholz, the widow of boxer Bubi Scholz.
His final years brought severe health challenges. Beginning in July 2006, the actor lived in a nursing home following a dementia diagnosis. After a circulatory collapse, he spent the final months of his life in intensive care before passing away in 2007 at the age of 78 in Rüdersdorf near Berlin. His final screen appearance reunited him with his signature franchise in the two new films of Die Schwarzwaldklinik in 2005, preceding a memorial service at the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche and his burial at the Friedhof Heerstraße in Berlin-Westend.
