Loneliness, fear of death and three cakes for your birthday: In the first TV interview after his stay in prison, Boris Becker reports on a very personal journey of suffering.
Boris Becker is one of the country's most dazzling personalities. As a Wimbledon winner, he was once held in the hands of the whole nation. Almost overnight, a 17-year-old teenager with extraordinary athletic ability was transformed into a polarizing star for the masses. After decades in the glaring limelight, however, the tide turned at some point. Suddenly court cases were part of the agenda and terms such as "bankruptcy offenses" and "prison" dominated the headlines. Seven months ago, Boris Becker actually went to jail. 231 days later he is a free man again. A visibly excited Steven Gätjen is allowed to conduct the first interview with Boris Becker.
Millions of viewers are sitting on the couch at home and want to know how the fallen star fared in prison. The first thing that strikes you is that there is not much left of the charismatic presence of the past. Boris Becker has lost weight. The once shiny eyes appear dull and tired. Steven Gätjen falls straight into the house and promises "no taboos, no excuses and no blah-blah". The presenter is said to be right, because in the following two hours Boris Becker looks deeply, sometimes even so deeply that he even loses his voice at one point or another.
Right at the beginning of the conversation, the tennis legend admits: "Of course I was guilty!" It is the beginning of an intimate journey into a phase of life that "demanded a lot" from Boris Becker. Born in Leimen, he spent almost eight months in two different British prisons (Huntercombe, Wandsworth). "Suddenly I was just a number. I was lonely. I went to bed hungry. I prayed every day, went to church every day," reports Becker with a trembling voice.
It was clear early on that Steven Gätjen didn't have to dig deeper. What it was like in prison, what fears were suddenly present and what tricky situations had to be overcome: Boris Becker leaves nothing out. It bubbles out of him in phases, as if he has to detach himself from all these memories.
In prison, the self-confident superstar turned into an intimidated mid-fifties who was scared of surviving more than once. "I was scared of two things: a double cell and going to the shower," says Becker. A group of "listeners" helped him find his way around. But even "James, Russel, Bill and Ike" couldn't prevent two cinematic survival scenes. "In the first prison, a fellow inmate blackmailed me. In Wandsworth, someone even wanted to kill me," reveals Becker, his eyes wide. In addition to a lot of shadows, there were also bright spots in prison. At some point, Becker worked "successfully" as a "gym trainer, teacher of math and English and a philosopher of Stoicism".
In between, the father of four keeps fighting back tears. Two stories later, it feels like you're listening to a globetrotter who just took the craziest trip of his life. So the mood swings back and forth between "The Convicted", "Jailhouse Rock" and The Green Mile". "Jürgen Klopp and Johannes B. Kerner wanted to visit me," reports Becker. But they weren't allowed. "Too much excitement for that Prison," is the official explanation. During the many weeks behind bars, Becker also received many letters. "Michael Stich sent me a three-page letter." The voice falters again.
Of course he is "grateful and happy" that he can now live in freedom again. But the time in prison also gave him a lot, says Becker: "On my birthday, I got three different cakes from my fellow inmates. Prison is a different world. I've only rarely experienced this kind of solidarity in freedom."
After a good two hours and four full advertising blocks, the second glass of water is empty. Boris Becker takes another deep breath. In conclusion, Steven Gätjen would like to know how things will continue for him and his family after all the events of the recent past. "Prison was good for me. But I'm a free man now. I still want to have 25 good years ahead of me," says Becker. His "great love" Lilian is smiling in the background. And in front of the screens, millions of people keep their fingers crossed that this wish will come true.
