After 143 days

Actor Heinz Hoenig is back at home

Heinz Hoenig can rely on his wife Annika Hoenig. She now wants to care for him around the clock at home.(Bild: Annika Hoenig)

The seriously ill German actor Heinz Hoenig has been released into home care after 143 days in intensive care. The "Das Boot" star was reportedly able to leave the hospital in Berlin on Thursday. His wife Annika Kärsten-Hoenig will take over his care. 

The 39-year-old, with whom Hoenig has a three-year-old and a one-year-old son, is a trained nurse according to the "Bild" newspaper and has prepared everything for the 72-year-old so that she can look after him 24 hours a day.

"At home at last"
"To what extent I can do this in the long term with our two small children remains to be seen. I'll do my best to do justice to them all," she told Bild. "Heinz was delighted," Kärsten-Hoenig told Bild. "At first he could hardly believe that he was finally home again."

Hoenig had been taken to a hospital in Berlin at the beginning of May due to acute heart problems. According to his wife, he was in an induced coma and underwent successful surgery on his oesophagus.

Important operation still to come
As reported by "Bild", an important operation on the aorta and therefore a further stay in hospital is still pending. His management was initially unavailable for comment.

Hoenig played in the 1980s hit "Das Boot". He is also known from TV multi-part series by director Dieter Wedel from the 1990s - "Der große Bellheim", "Der Schattenmann" and "Der König von St. Pauli". At the beginning of the year, he was a candidate in the RTL jungle camp. Hoenig will be 73 years old on September 24.