Forever Young? Live forever? Is this an unattainable utopia, science fiction? No, says Felix Werth. He doesn't believe in the end of his life, but in the possibility that it will never end, thanks to modern science. In 2015 he founded the Party for Health Research, which advocates the faster development of effective drugs for diseases of old age - from Alzheimer's to heart attacks. In the podcast he tells host Lukas Sam Schreiber: "I have hope that aging can be stopped." And that at some point everyone can decide for themselves when enough is enough – or when they die in an accident. Werth ignores his own death.
Eternal life is also preached by the Protestant Church, not least in the Lord's Prayer. But what if you want to die? Frank Meister, Bishop of Hanover, is one of the very few church dignitaries who advocates offering euthanasia in church institutions as well. "There are people who want to die, who say, 'Lord, let me go!'" This should not be denied them. And yet Master says: "Man has a longing to live."
What can Lukas Sam Schreiber tell his mother Claudia, who has Alzheimer's disease, now that his search is over? Does it exist, the good death?
About the podcast: "The Search for the Good Death" is a seven-part documentary about the role of death in our lives and how we want to die. Lukas Sam Schreiber looks for answers for his mother, who has dementia, and finds them in conversations with people who are closest to death.
"The Search for the Good Death" appears every Thursday on stern.de as well as on AudioNow, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and on all common podcast platforms. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to listen to and subscribe to podcasts.
Do you have suicidal thoughts? The telephone counseling service offers help. She is anonymous, free and available 24 hours a day on (0800) 1110111 and (0800) 1110222. Consultation via e-mail is also possible. A list of nationwide help centers can be found on the website of the German Society for Suicide Prevention.
