Daniela Ziegler discusses independence and new Sturm der Liebe role
German stage and television actress Daniela Ziegler discusses her personal life, her lifelong quest for independence, and her new role as Mona Fischer in the telenovela Sturm der Liebe. Known for roles spanning over five decades, the actress reflects on why she never married and her enduring passion for global travel.
A New Romance and Familiar Faces at the Fürstenhof
Hotel director Werner Saalfeld, played by Dirk Galuba, faces mounting concerns over the future of the Fürstenhof in the ongoing plot of Sturm der Liebe. Amid tensions with fellow shareholders Christoph Saalfeld, portrayed by Dieter Bach, and Sophia Wagner, Krista Birkner, a chance encounter with a humorous stranger in the village offers an unexpected distraction. That mysterious woman soon turns out to be Mona Fischer, the mother of Adam Fischer, played by Philip Birnstiel. Adam initially posed as Massimo Foghetti, introducing a fresh twist to the series dynamics as storylines develop following episodes starting September 18.
Parallel Lives: Character and Reality for Daniela Ziegler
Mona Fischer shares notable traits with the actress who brings her to life. Born in Offenbach on September 5, 1948, Daniela Ziegler pursued an unconventional path that included an interrupted university course, formal acting training, and a musical theater education in New York City. In an interview with the Berliner Morgenpost, Ziegler noted the clear parallels between her own career and her character. As a freelance actress working worldwide wherever opportunities arise, she maintains a restless spirit. Travel remains a central theme in her life, with unfulfilled destinations still including Iceland and a planned campervan tour along the western coast of South America.
Reflections on Freedom, Marriage, and Career Focus
Unlike her character Mona, whose former partner Jens was killed during a bank robbery, Ziegler chose a life defined by personal autonomy rather than traditional domesticity. Speaking to the magazine Bunte in 2024, the actress revealed she never married despite coming close twice. One relationship ended when she walked away, while the other simply did not materialize. Looking back, she views those outcomes with relief, noting that her intense focus on her profession would likely have hindered both unions. While she did not have children—a path she describes as somewhat regrettable, noting that raising a family without a partner was never an option—she guarded her independence fiercely.
Contractual Freedom and a Decades-Long Career
That desire for autonomy shaped her professional choices from her earliest days in the industry. Her mother often called her a little gnat because she was constantly outside and difficult to pin down. Later, after completing her musical studies, Ziegler secured prominent roles such as Eva Perón in Evita across Vienna, Berlin, and Munich. Rather than locking herself into multi-year contracts, she insisted on limiting her runs to a maximum of eight months to preserve her personal freedom.
Her television career spans significant milestones, beginning with her 1981 debut in the ARD series St. Pauli-Landungsbrücken and an episodic lead in the crime series Ein Fall für zwei, which remains available to stream on Joyn. Throughout the 1990s, she established herself in recurring television roles across programs like Gegen den Wind and Unser Lehrer Doktor Specht, building a versatile portfolio on stage and screen that continues with her current work in Sturm der Liebe.