Senta Berger discusses life as a widow on ‘Kölner Treff’

German film icon Senta Berger spoke candidly on the WDR talk show ‘Kölner Treff’ about her life as a widow and the challenges of aging. Two years after the death of her husband, filmmaker Michael Verhoeven, the 85-year-old actress expressed feelings of profound loneliness, stating, ‘Sometimes you wake up in the morning and think: Shit, I am so alone and I will soon be 86.’

Berger reflected on her nearly 60-year marriage, noting that her late husband was an emanzipated partner who supported her career. She also discussed her recent professional achievements, including receiving the German Film Award for ‘Ach, diese Lücke, diese entsetzliche Lücke’, a role she initially hesitated to take until Verhoeven encouraged her.

Beyond her personal life, the actress touched upon social shifts, noting a perceived resurgence of ‘macho’ attitudes and how these dynamics are amplified on social media, contrasting them with the more peaceful social climate she experienced in the 1960s and 1970s.