Is Berlin Finally Getting a Harald Juhnke Square?
Has the capital city forgotten one of its greatest entertainers? On Monday, the famous actor and original Berliner Harald Juhnke (“The Captain of Köpenick”) would have turned 95 years old. Additionally, on April 1, 2025, it will be the 20th anniversary of his death.
So far, in Harald Juhnke’s hometown of Berlin, neither a street nor a public square has been named after him – despite repeated calls from fans. Now, according to information from BILD, there may be progress on this front. The desire to name a square after Juhnke is said to already be on the desk of Berlin’s Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (51), who is reportedly open to such a project.
The entertainer’s widow, Susanne Juhnke (79), would be pleased to see a square named after her husband. She told BILD, “This tribute to my late husband would deeply touch me and my son Oliver. It would be a great honor to acknowledge my husband’s life’s work in his hometown for his contributions.”
Harald Juhnke’s longtime manager, Peter Wolf (66), expressed his disappointment, stating, “Harald Juhnke passed away in 2005. It is a shame that even 19 years after his death, there is still no acknowledgment through an official decision.”
Other cities have set examples: In Hamburg, three years after the death of actor Jan Fedder (†64) in 2022, a promenade was named after him. Also in 2022, in Frankfurt/Main, a square was renamed after actress Hannelore Elsner (†76).
Harald Juhnke was one of the most famous German actors and TV stars for over five decades. His shows, such as “Musik ist Trumpf,” had up to 30 million viewers. In his many roles, Harald Juhnke especially endeared himself to the people of Berlin. His legendary answer to the question about his definition of happiness was, “No appointments and easily tipsy.”
Berlin and Harald Juhnke – they were an inseparable duo during his lifetime, and it seems to remain so even after his passing.