---
name: "Peter Berling"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/peter-berling"
fi1m_id: "peter-berling"
imdb_id: "nm0075655"
tmdb_id: 18405
wikidata_id: "Q64577"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "20 March 1934"
died: "21 November 2017"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 84
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-10-04T19:42:06.909839+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Peter Berling

## Identity

Peter Berling

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/peter-berling
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** peter-berling
- **IMDb ID:** nm0075655
- **TMDB ID:** 18405
- **Wikidata ID:** Q64577
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Berling, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q64577, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0075655/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/18405

Actor. Born 20 March 1934 in Międzyrzecz. Died 21 November 2017.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 20 March 1934, Międzyrzecz
- **Died:** 21 November 2017
- **Active:** 1972–1994
- **Frequently works with:** [Klaus Kinski](https://film.one/person/klaus-kinski.md), [Werner Herzog](https://film.one/person/werner-herzog.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 84, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 91 (1), 1980s 80 (2), 1990s 84 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 83 to 78 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Adventure 2, History 1, Mystery 1, Thriller 1
- **Screen time:** 14 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $77m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Berling, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q64577, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0075655/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/18405

## Streaming the US now

- **The Roku Channel:** [*Aguirre, the Wrath of God*](https://film.one/film/aguirre-the-wrath-of-god.md) (91)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Fitzcarraldo*](https://film.one/film/fitzcarraldo.md) (82)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Peter Berling (20 March 1934 – 21 November 2017) was a German actor, film producer and writer. Born in Meseritz-Obrawalde (now Międzyrzecz, Poland), he grew up in Germany and trained initially as a bricklayer before studying architecture and graphic design. He entered the film industry in the early 1960s as a producer and scriptwriter, later becoming known primarily as an actor.

Berling appeared in more than 80 film and television productions. He collaborated several times with director Werner Herzog, playing roles including Don Fernando de Guzmán in *Aguirre, the Wrath of God* (1972), the Opera Manager in *Fitzcarraldo* (1982) and Bernabé in *Cobra Verde* (1987). He also worked with Rainer Werner Fassbinder on films such as *The Marriage of Maria Braun* (1979) and *Veronika Voss* (1982), and took supporting parts in international productions including *The Name of the Rose* (1986) and *Gangs of New York* (2002).

In addition to acting, Berling produced films and wrote novels. He lived in Rome from the late 1960s until his death there in 2017.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, filmportal.de, hollywoodreporter.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

- *Satantango* (1994), Fi1m 84, as Orvos — [page](https://film.one/film/satantango.md)
- *The Name of the Rose* (1986), Fi1m 77, as Jean d'Anneaux — [page](https://film.one/film/the-name-of-the-rose.md)
- *Fitzcarraldo* (1982), Fi1m 82, as Opera Manager — [page](https://film.one/film/fitzcarraldo.md)
- *Aguirre, the Wrath of God* (1972), Fi1m 91, as Don Fernando de Guzmán — [page](https://film.one/film/aguirre-the-wrath-of-god.md)

## Complete filmography (70)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Open Wounds – A Journey through German Genre Films* (2017), Actor
- *Half Brothers* (2015), as Hein
- *Nachrichten vom Großen Krieg* (2014), Actor
- *The Officer as a Philosopher* (2005), as Eberhard von Erbst
- *Gangs of New York* (2002), as Knife Act Caller — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/gangs-of-new-york.md)
- *Angel of Death* (2002), as Castenada
- *The Flexible Entrepreneur* (2001), as Fred Eicke
- *Ich war Hitlers Bodyguard* (2000), Actor
- *Spaceflight as an Internal Experience* (1999), as Gen. Lt. Pugatschow
- *Learning Processes with a Deadly Outcome* (1998), Actor
- *Praxis Dr. Hasenbein* (1997), as Peterchen
- *Tykho Moon* (1996), Actor
- *Der Salzbaron* (1994), series, as Conte Giancarlo di Montefalcone
- *Satantango* (1994), as Orvos — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/satantango.md)
- *Texas - Doc Snyder hält die Welt in Atem* (1993), as Hank
- *Voyager* (1991), as Baptist
- *Visioni private* (1990), as Petronius
- *Francesco* (1989), as Bishop Guido
- *Haunted Summer* (1988), as Maurice
- *The Last Temptation of Christ* (1988), as Beggar
- *Cobra Verde* (1987), as Bernabé
- *The Name of the Rose* (1986), as Jean d'Anneaux — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/the-name-of-the-rose.md)
- *Tex and the Lord of the Deep* (1985), as El Morisco
- *Dagger Eyes* (1983), as Reinhardt
- *Petomaniac* (1983), as Ziedler
- *Veronika Voss* (1982), as Filmproduzent / Dicker Mann
- *An Ideal Adventure* (1982), as regista Brian De Pino
- *Liebeskonzil* (1982), Producer
- *Fitzcarraldo* (1982), as Opera Manager — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/fitzcarraldo.md)
- *Theo Against the Rest of the World* (1980), as Doppel-Dieter
- *The Marriage of Maria Braun* (1979), as Bronski (as Berling)
- *Ernesto* (1979), Co-Writer
- *Rings of Fear* (1978), as Bit Part · Screenplay
- *The Kingdom of Naples* (1978), Executive Producer
- *Good-for-Nothing* (1978), as Maler
- *Playing with Love* (1977), Writer
- *Rulers of the City* (1976), as Valentino · Screenplay
- *Meet Him and Die* (1976), as Bavoso · Story, Writer
- *Black and White in Color* (1976), as Père Jean de la Croix
- *Young, Violent, Dangerous* (1976), as Oberwald
- *Victory March* (1976), Actor
- *Idole* (1976), as Manager
- *Julia* (1974), as Uncle Alex
- *Martha* (1974), as Taxi Driver (uncredited)
- *Bang, and the Angels Sing* (1974), Writer
- *The Three Musketeers of the West* (1973), as Hans · Writer
- *Revolver* (1973), as Grappa
- *Dirty Weekend* (1973), as German tourist
- *Aguirre, the Wrath of God* (1972), as Don Fernando de Guzmán — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/aguirre-the-wrath-of-god.md)
- *The Italian Connection* (1972), as Damiano
- *The Return of Halleluja* (1972), as Lt. Schultz
- *When Women Were Called Virgins* (1972), as Romildo Varrone
- *Sergeant Klems* (1971), Actor
- *Beware of a Holy Whore* (1971), as Executive Producer
- *Whity* (1971), as Hefty Bartender (uncredited) · Executive Producer
- *A Big Grey-Blue Bird* (1971), Actor
- *The Long Swift Sword of Siegfried* (1971), as Hansel
- *The Niklashausen Journey* (1970), Actor
- *Red Sun* (1970), as Mercedesfahrer
- *Die Geschäftsfreunde* (1970), Actor
- *Love Is Colder Than Death* (1970), as Illegaler Waffenhändler
- *Detective* (1969), as Möbelpacker
- *Mord im Kino* (1969), Actor
- *The Letter* (1966), Actor
- *Duell* (1966), Writer, Producer
- *Entwürfe und Träume* (1965), Director
- *Protocol of a Revolution* (1963), Writer
- *Thema Amore* (1961), Producer
- *Rennfahrer* (1961), Producer
- *The Vikings* (1958), Sound Assistant, Translator

## Gallery

- ![Peter Berling](https://film.one/media/person/117768/gallery-ddb1db789175.jpg) Peter Berling — Erling Mandelmann, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Peter_Berling_%281996%29_by_Erling_Mandelmann.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Grab auf dem Nichtkatholischen (Protestantischen) Friedhof Rom (2024)](https://film.one/media/person/117768/gallery-7b38dcd185ad.jpg) Grab auf dem Nichtkatholischen (Protestantischen) Friedhof Rom (2024) — Georg Longino, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Berling_Grab_in_Rom.jpg/1280px-Berling_Grab_in_Rom.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Diskussionsrunde nach der Vorführung von "Verfluchte Liebe deutscher Film" auf der Berlinale 2016 mit (v.r.n.l.) ?, ?, Peter Berling, Johannes F. Sievert und Do](https://film.one/media/person/117768/gallery-07eb94e32b80.jpg) Diskussionsrunde nach der Vorführung von "Verfluchte Liebe deutscher Film" auf der Berlinale 2016 mit (v.r.n.l.) ?, ?, Peter Berling, Johannes F. Sievert und Do — Kurt Jansson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Diskussionsrunde_nach_der_Vorf%C3%BChrung_von_%27Verfluchte_Liebe_deutscher_Film%27_auf_der_Berlinale_2016.jpg/1280px-Diskussionsrunde_nach_der_Vorf%C3%BChrung_von_%27Verfluchte_Liebe_deutscher_Film%27_auf_der_Berlinale_2016.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Peter Berling nach der Vorführung von "Verfluchte Liebe deutscher Film" auf der Berlinale 2016](https://film.one/media/person/117768/gallery-4fd5946c9b01.jpg) Peter Berling nach der Vorführung von "Verfluchte Liebe deutscher Film" auf der Berlinale 2016 — Kurt Jansson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Peter_Berling_%28Berlinale_2016%29.jpg/1280px-Peter_Berling_%28Berlinale_2016%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Domingo, 20 de Octubre 2013. Charlando con el escritor alemán Peter Berling en la XIII Feria Internacional del Libro del Zócalo de la Ciudad de Mexico. Foto: Ab](https://film.one/media/person/117768/gallery-bcf4902a62c2.jpg) Domingo, 20 de Octubre 2013. Charlando con el escritor alemán Peter Berling en la XIII Feria Internacional del Libro del Zócalo de la Ciudad de Mexico. Foto: Ab — Secretaría de Cultura  de la Ciudad de México, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Peter_Berling_2013.jpg/1280px-Peter_Berling_2013.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/peter-berling