Thorsten Merten
Acting
Thorsten Merten (born December 4, 1963, in Ruhla) is a German actor. Thorsten Merten originally intended to become a journalist and initially worked as a trainee at the newspaper *Das Volk*. After completing his military service, he underwent acting training from 1986 to 1990 at the "Ernst Busch" Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin, where he attended the newly established cabaret department and graduated with a diploma in cabaret performance. This was followed by engagements at various theaters both at home and abroad, including the Théâtre Vidy in Lausanne, the Staatstheater Schwerin, the Maxim Gorki Theater Berlin, the Volksbühne Berlin, and the Deutsches Theater Berlin. For his stage work, he was awarded the Conrad Ekhof Prize in 1999. His notable stage roles include McMurphy in *One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest*, the Ghost in *Hamlet*, as well as roles in *Ivanov*, *Prometheus*, and *Sonnenallee*. In 2024, he played the role of operations manager Kuckuck in the operetta *Messeschlager Gisela* at the Komische Oper Berlin. Merten gained his first experience in front of the camera in 1992 in Andreas Dresen's film *Stilles Land*. He achieved his breakthrough in 2001 with the tragicomedy *Halbe Treppe* (Grill Point), also directed by Dresen. Since then, he has appeared regularly in both feature films and television productions. Merten also gained recognition through roles in *Wilsberg*, *Afrika, mon amour*, *Bella Block*, *Helen Dorn*, *Donna Leon*, and numerous episodes of *Tatort*. From 2013 to 2021, he played the role of precinct chief Stich in the Weimar-based *Tatort* series. Since 2009, he has portrayed Chief Inspector—later Police Commissioner—Martin Fichte in the ZDF series *Spreewaldkrimi*. He has also played lead roles in other productions, including *Silvi* and *Fremdkörper*. In 2021, he received the German Film Award for his supporting role in *Curveball – Wir machen die Wahrheit*. Furthermore, Merten came up with the idea for the Netflix series *Das letzte Wort*, in which he appeared alongside Anke Engelke.
Known for
Acting142
movieThe Hero of Friedrichstrasse Station
2025
Harald Wischnewsky
movieThe Policeman's Niece
2025
Werner Barth
tvOther People's Money
2025
Rolf Lebert
movieBach - A Christmas Miracle
2024
Adrian Stieglitz
movieFrom Hilde, with Love
2024
Dr. Minergerode
movieDer Fall Marianne Voss
2024
Fritz Malowski
movieMiss Merkel - Mord auf dem Friedhof
2024
Achim Sauer
tvPumpen
2024
Rainer Müller
movieRoxy
2024
Passfälscher
tvBerlin Bad Trip
2023
Jens Lamprecht
tvThe Gryphon
2023
Dr. Peters
tvGerman Genius
2023
Olli Hansen
movieKleine Eheverbrechen
2023
Dieter Beil
tvSam: A Saxon
2023
Major Schreier
movieMiss Merkel - Ein Uckermark-Krimi
2023
Joachim Sauer
movieWhat You Can See from Here
2022
Herr Rödder
movieHunting Season
2022
Vermieter
movieAlfons Jitterbit – Class Trip Chaos!
2022
Herr Flickendorf
movieLocked in Society
2022
Manfred Prohaska
tvDivided We Stand
2022
Hajo Gärster
movieEine riskante Entscheidung
2022
Bernhard Elster
movieCurveball
2021
Schatz
movieIn Berlin wächst kein Orangenbaum
2020
Wärter Grunert
tvThe Last Word
2020
Andreas Borowski
movieExit
2020
Hönings
tvDeutscher
2020
Frank Pielcke
movieKnorx
2019
Vogtländer
movieDer vierte Mann
2019
Kurt Lehrmann
movieGood Girl Gone Bad
2019
Helmut Mayer
movieAlfons Zitterbacke
2019
Mr. Flickendorf
movieAtlas
2018
Alfred Hoppe
movieThe Most Beautiful Girl in the World
2018
Taxifahrer Klaus
movieDonbass
2018
German Journalist
movieGundermann
2018
Puppenspieler
movieDas Nebelhaus
2017
Doros Chef
movieBrothers
2017
Rainer Welke
tvBabylon Berlin
2017
Henning
movieTiger Milk
2017
Stefan
tvDie Pfeiler der Macht
2016
Joseph Pilaster
movieAlki Alki
2015
Thomas
tvDie Kanzlei
2015
Otto Suhlke
tvSedwitz
2015
Ralf "Ralle" Pietzsch
movieHeil
2015
Verfassungsschützer F. – Sachsen
movieForeign Body
2015
Wolfgang
movieNaked Among Wolves
2015
Hans Bochow
Einschnitt
2015
der Bürochef
movieOpen the Wall
2014
Manfred
tvHelen Dorn
2014
Wachmann Strauch
movieDer Rücktritt
2014
Martin Heidemanns
movieThe Golden Goose
2013
Räubervater
movieDer zweite Mann
2013
Klaus Padberg
movieSilvi - Maybe Love
2013
Michael
movieSushi in Suhl
2012
Hans Leutner
tvLetzte Spur Berlin
2012
Jürgen Beck
movieRuhm
2012
Klaus Rubinstein
tvKommissar Marthaler
2012
Dr. Meisner
tvDie Chefin
2012
Harald Steiner
movieInklusion - gemeinsam anders
2011
Heribert Stein
movieAugen zu
2011
Frank
movieArschkalt
2011
Erhard
movieEmpathie
2010
Rüdiger
movieHaltet die Welt an
2010
André Spanuth
movieGravity
2010
Kollath
movieAuf Doktor komm raus
2010
Apotheker Walter
movieFrösche petzen nicht
2010
Jörg Hilbert
tvFlemming
2009
Arndt Buchwald
movieI've Never Been Happier
2009
Schlickenrieder
movieNovember Child
2008
Alexander
movieUnderdogs
2008
Forster
movieRemarque - Sein Weg zum Ruhm
2008
Chefredakteur der „Sport im Bild“
movieMeer is nich
2007
Friedrich
movieDie Frau am Ende der Straße
2007
Klaus Garbers
movieLunik
2007
Toni Harmann
tvKDD - Kriminaldauerdienst
2007
Van Gogh
tvHamburg Dockland
2007
Bernd Wöhler
tvDer Kriminalist
2006
Lutz Ebeling / Jochen Pohl
tvSpreewaldkrimi
2006
Fichte / Martin Fichte
tvKommissar Stolberg
2006
Manuel Lichtenberg
tvUnter anderen Umständen
2006
Achim Kaminski
movieIn Liebe eine Eins
2005
Herr Steiner
tvVienna Crime Squad
2005
Falk Link
movieWahrheit oder Pflicht
2005
Lehrer Behnke
tvDer Staatsanwalt
2005
Robert Stein
movieOperation Valkyrie
2004
Peter Graf Yorck v. Wartenburg
tvSolo für Schwarz
2003
Raik Schleusser
tvSOKO Köln
2003
Lars Beck
K3 – Kripo Hamburg
2003
Kurt Schmidt
movieGun-shy
2003
Krausser
Bloch
2002
Frank
movieGrill Point
2002
Christian
tvMurder in the Mountains
2001
Stefan Schiener
tvSOKO Leipzig
2001
Volker Hoss
tvDonna Leon
2000
Palazzi / Piero Sartor
tvKüstenwache
1997
Hartmut Schild
tvStubbe – Von Fall zu Fall
1995
Uwe Diepenbrock
tvWilsberg
1995
Rainer Wiedemann
tvIm Namen des Gesetzes
1994
Bodo Seitz
tvEin starkes Team
1994
Maik Lehmann
tvBella Block
1993
Peter Liersch
tvWolffs Revier
1992
Jörg Bauer
movieSilent Country
1992
Kai Finke
tvRiverboat
1992
Self
tvPolizeiruf 110
1971
Hannes Iwanowski / Jan Jürgens
tvScene of the Crime
1970
Kriminalhauptkommissar Kurt Stich / Kurt Stich / Robert Roetgen / Christof Rüter / Walter Lemke / Kommissariatsleiter Kurt Stich / Christian Wilmots / Thomas Peters / Peter Lessing
Gespensterwald
Jan Jürgens
Schwarzer Sommer
Jan Jürgens