SWR Radio Voice matthias Holtmann Dies at 70
Stuttgart – Longtime Sรผdwestrundfunkโฃ (SWR) presenterโฃ Matthias Holtmann has โdied โขat โthe age of 70, the broadcaster confirmed Monday. โHoltmann, a familiar voice to listeners โacross Baden-Wรผrttembergโ and beyond, passed away after a years-longโ battle with โคParkinson’s disease.
holtmann’s death marks the end of an era for SWR radio, leaving a void for devoted listeners who enjoyed his engaging style โacross decades of programming. Diagnosed with Parkinson’sโ in 2009, Holtmann continued โขworking until his โฃretirementโฃ in 2015, demonstrating resilience and a deep commitment to his craft. his passing is a loss for the regional media landscapeโ and a reminder of the personal stories behind โคthe voices on the โairwaves.
Born in Kamenโค and raised in Recklinghausen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Holtmann began his broadcasting career at Sรผddeutscher Rundfunk (SDR) in โ1979 following music studies. He rose through the โranks, eventually leading music โคprogramming at SDR3 โคand later SWR3 after a โขmerger.
Holtmann’s โon-screen presence extendedโ toโฃ television, โwhere he hosted popularโฃ showsโ including “So what,” “Extraspรคt,” โขand “SWR3 – Ring frei.” He also briefly served asโ the stadium announcerโ for VfB Stuttgart during the 1999/2000 season.
In 2005, he transitioned to SWR1 Baden-Wรผrttemberg, becomingโค a mainstay with programs like โค”Guten abend, Baden-Wรผrttemberg” and “Headphones.” He openly discussed his 2009 Parkinson’s diagnosis, acknowledging the challenges in his biography with the statement, “Parkinson’s is โbad luck and a big bummer.”
SWR honored Holtmann as a presenter whoseโค work “was always characterized by an excellent sense of program innovation, a high level of creativity, but above all byโ theโข desireโ for direct contact โฃand exchange with โคthe audience.” The โฃbroadcaster โขadded, “He loved radio – and we loved him.”