Ralph Richter, star of the cult film *The Submarine*, has died
German actor Ralf Richter, who rose to fame in the war drama *Das Boot* (*The Submarine*), has died at the age of 69. The news of his death was announced by his children, Aline and Maxwell Richter. Following the film’s success, he continued to appear regularly in German films and TV series for many years.
Ralph Richter’s children announced his death in a joint statement on Facebook. They noted that this loss was a devastating blow to the family. “For us, the world has come to a standstill. For many fans, he was an actor, a cult figure, and a familiar face for many years. But first and foremost, he was our father,” the statement reads. Alin and Maxwell Richter also thanked fans for the love and support they had shown the actor over the past few years.
Ralph Richter was born in Essen in 1957. Throughout his career, he often played characters from the Ruhr region—an industrial part of Germany known for its distinctive character and culture. The actor himself explained why he liked such roles quite simply: “Broken people are interesting.”
Richter worked extensively in television. He appeared in popular German series, including “Cobra 11” and “Tatort,” as well as in many other projects. However, it was the war drama “Das Boot,” released in 1981, that brought him the greatest fame. In Ukrainian theaters and media, the film is known as “The Submarine.” In the film, Richter played the sailor Frensen. He starred alongside Jürgen Prochnow and Otto Sander. It was this role that made the actor famous far beyond Germany’s borders.
How “The Submarine” Was Made
“Das Boot” became one of the most famous German films about World War II. Directed by Wolfgang Petersen, the film was based on the autobiographical novel by German photographer, journalist, and writer Lothar-Günther Buchheim. The film tells the story of the seventh combat mission of the German submarine U-96 during World War II. Viewers see the events through the eyes of the crew, who were confined to the submarine’s cramped interior and constantly under the threat of attack.
The production of the film was a massive undertaking. Preparations for filming took about five years, and the actual filming took about another year. It was shot, in part, in the French port city of La Rochelle. The film also enlisted the help of the real commander of U-96, Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock. He served as a consultant on the film and helped the filmmakers recreate the daily life and service conditions of German submariners. At the time, the commander was already around 70 years old.
Certain scenes required enormous expenses. For example, the final bombing scene was so expensive that they decided to shoot it in a single take. The film ultimately received widespread acclaim. “Das Boot” was nominated for six Oscars. For German cinema, this was a remarkable achievement. In 2010, Empire magazine included “Das Boot” in its list of the “100 Greatest Films of All Time.” It ranked 25th on the list. The film is still considered one of the most famous German films today. It also holds the record for the most Oscar nominations among German films.
The soundtrack was a major part of the film’s success. The music from *Das Boot* became popular and was later used in various adaptations and remakes of the story. For Ralf Richter, this film became one of the defining works of his career. After that, he continued acting in film and on television, gradually becoming a recognizable face on the German screen. The actor lived to be 69 years old. For fans, he will remain first and foremost one of the actors from the cult classic *Das U-Boot*, and for his children—above all—the father they have lost. Tagesschau reports on this.
