London, Paris – that’s not for Harald Schmidt. His heart beats for the cathedral city. And when it comes to clothes, Cologne also has an unbeatable advantage.
Cologne – Harald Schmidt gets a pension of 272 euros. “I’ll collect it, too, I’ve paid in, I’m entitled to it,” said the entertainer and actor, who will be 65 on Thursday (August 18), the German Press Agency in Cologne. “It’s not charity, it’s a deal I made with the state. Bring it on!” Although he was a freelancer most of the time, he had “paid in full for 15 years”, which at least entitles him to this “mini-pension”.
Harald Schmidt feels no need to ever move away from Cologne. “I feel very, very comfortable in Cologne, because Cologne is not an exhausting city,” said the entertainer, who grew up in Nürtingen near Stuttgart, to the German Press Agency.
In metropolises like London and Paris, he would need three times as much money to be able to maintain his standard of living in Cologne. “If you don’t have the money in London, then it’s incredibly exhausting.” And then you don’t live in the districts that are really attractive.
In addition: “Of course I have a super network of doctors here, of everyone. Every taxi driver knows where I live.” The family doesn’t want to leave anyway. Cologne is also conveniently located in terms of transport, with two ICE train stations and the nearby airports of Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf and Frankfurt/Main. “And you don’t need money for clothes in Cologne either, because the dress code is flip-flops and swimming trunks.” dpa
