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Westerwelle

Mar 10, 2026 · 1h 30m
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Documentary

PLOT

A documentary that offers an intimate portrait of Guido Westerwelle, Germany’s former Vice-Chancellor, balancing his political career with his groundbreaking role as a gay pioneer. Released for the 10th anniversary of his death, the film explores the sharp contrast between his polarizing public persona and his private vulnerability. The narrative anchor consists of never-before-heard audio recordings from 2014, captured in Mallorca by journalist Dominik Wichmann as Westerwelle battled acute leukemia. The movie weaves these raw archives with emotional interviews from his husband, Michael Mronz, and key political rivals. It charts his rise within the FDP, his historic 2004 public coming out, and his legacy as Germany’s first openly gay cabinet minister. The plot highlights the unique diplomatic challenges he faced visiting nations hostile to LGBTQ+ rights, his sudden fall from political grace, and his final fight against cancer alongside Mronz.

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CAST

Guido Westerwelle
Self (archive footage)
Michael Mronz
Self
Dominik Wichmann
Self
Wolfgang Kubicki
Self
Christian Lindner
Self
Daniel Bahr
Self
Philipp Rösler
Self
Silvana Koch-Mehrin
Self
Directed by Jobst Knigge

DETAILS

Status
Released
Original language
DE
Budget
—
Revenue
—
Production
Open Mind Media, LLC, WDR, MDR
Country
DE
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