Biography:

Günter Naumann was born on November 17, 1925 in Chemnitz. Before he was drafted into the Wehrmacht, he studied architecture. Upon returning from a British POW camp, he focused on painting. He then studied acting in Leipzig from 1950 until 1953 and had his theatrical debut in Karl-Marx-Stadt (now Chemnitz). From 1957 until 1970, Naumann was a member of the Berliner Ensemble, where he acted side by side with Helene Weigel in plays such as Die Tage der Commune, Die Mutter, and Furcht und Elend des Dritten Reiches.

Naumann’s first film role was in Frank Beyer’s film about the Spanish Civil War, Fünf Patronenhülsen. Over the course of his career, he worked with many DEFA directors, including Gerhard Klein, Joachim Kunert and Konrad Wolf. He also played in many television films and series; in particular, he became an audience favorite for his roles in two television series: Zur See and Polizeiruf 110.

Günter Naumann died on November 6, 2009 in Berlin.