Memorial Page for Dietmar Schönherr (née Dietmar Otto Hugo Schönherr)

Dietmar Otto Schönherr (17 May 1926 in Innsbruck; died 18 July 2014 in Santa Eulària des Riu on Ibiza) was an Austrian actor, voice actor, presenter, director, writer and translator. In German-language television he became known through Raumpatrouille Orion, Wünsch dir was and Je später der Abend. Alongside his work for stage, film and television, he spent decades supporting education and social projects in Nicaragua.

Innsbruck, stage and film

Schönherr was born in Innsbruck and began acting in film and broadcasting early in life. From the 1950s onward he worked with WDR in Cologne and appeared in cinema, television and theatre. His fields included acting, directing, screenwriting, radio drama and dubbing. As the German voice of James Dean, he also became familiar to a wide audience as a speaker.

Television

In 1966, Schönherr played Commander Cliff Allister McLane in Raumpatrouille Orion. The seven-part science fiction series became a distinctive television format of the 1960s. With Vivi Bach he later presented Wünsch dir was, a German-Austrian-Swiss show that actively involved families and studio audiences. In 1973, Je später der Abend began as an early ARD talk format.

Vivi Bach

From 1965, Schönherr was married to the Danish actress, singer and painter Vivi Bach. They worked together on television and later lived for many years on Ibiza. Publicly, their partnership was also linked to Schönherr's social work, including projects that connected art, education and practical support.

Nicaragua

From the 1980s onward, Schönherr increasingly turned toward peace and solidarity work. In 1985 he founded the Stiftung Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, from which further Nicaragua projects later emerged. In Granada, together with the poet Ernesto Cardenal, he supported the Casa de los Tres Mundos. His books and public appearances repeatedly drew on these experiences.

Later years

In 2011, Schönherr received the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, First Class. Archival material on Dietmar Schönherr and Vivi Bach is documented by institutions including the Deutsche Kinemathek and the Tiroler Filmarchiv. Dietmar Schönherr died on 18 July 2014 on Ibiza.