Biography

In The Lives of Others (2006), he plays an agent of the Staatssicherheit, East Germany's main security and intelligence organization. The role had particular resonance for him, as he was under surveillance by the Stasi, being a noted theater actor. In a tie-in book promoting the film, he claimed that his ex-wife Jenny Gröllmann was registered as an informant during their marriage. Nevertheless, she denied those allegations until her death.

He and other activists initiated the demonstrations against the East German communist regime in Berlin (November 1989).

Tom Cruise attended, together with noted German stars such as Katja Riemann or Otto Sander, a commemoration at the Schaubühne in Berlin, honoring his work and life (2 September 2007).

Shortly before his death, he was awarded honorary citizenship of his hometown Grimma (2007).

Father of Anna Maria Mühe, together with Jenny Gröllmann.