For the next seven days, the Metroblogging sites around the globe will be unveiling seven gifts their cities can share with the world – one gift a day for seven days. Metroblogging Berlin starts of with the Berlin entertainment icon Harald Juhnke.

OK. Here we go. Berlin’s seven gifts to the world.

Starting today with the extraordinary actor, singer, entertainer Harald Juhnke. He was born in one of Berlin’s proletarian neighbourhoods the “Wedding” in 1929. In 1948 he left school to start a career as an actor. He played at several theatres until in the 50’s and 60’s he got famous as a movie actor. Synchronising Marlon Brando, Charles Bronson, Peter Falk and Peter Sellers is a less known aspect of his career. In the late 70’s he started to work on TV. He did a lot of sketch shows and some big music shows. He was known as the german Frank Sinatra. In 1959 a life long struggle that killed him in the end began.

He died April 1st 2005 at the age of 75 years. I still remember the time I was a Taxi Driver. One night Harald Juhnke and his wife entered my taxi. I immediately recognized him but didn’t say a word. Some time later shortly before we arrived at their house his wife said to him: “Harald don’t forget to take out the trash”.