Even though normally actors from Germany aren't too well known abroad in general and in the US particularly, Ulrich Mühe's name might ring a bell with some around here.

He played the main character in "Das Leben der Anderen", last year's Oscar winner as Best Foreign Film, portraying a STASI officer spying on his fellow countrymen for the SED regime ruling the former GDR.

The movie is highly recommended to those who didn't see it yet.

He was one of the most popular character actors in Germany, playing theater as well as TV and the big screen, ranging from plays written by Goethe to popular German TV crime-series's and several movies. On August 10th his hometown had planned to award him the honorary citizenship.

Ulrich Mühe died on July 22nd, after a long history of gastric ulcers, several severe operations and ultimately cancer. He was only 54 years old.

He will be missed and remembered as an impressive actor.