The longtime TV presenter Jörg Gehlen is dead. As the Saarländische Rundfunk announced on Wednesday, the journalist died at the age of 69.
Saarbrücken – For many people, he was the TV veteran of Saarland broadcasting: Jörg Gehlen died on Wednesday at the age of 69. For many years, the journalist worked for the SR, moderated election programs and the popular program “current report”. The broadcaster confirmed the death of the presenter and said goodbye to the “face of the SR”. Jörg Gehlen will not be forgotten with his reportage in rubber boots from the flood on the St. Johanner Markt.
Jörg Gehlen deceased: founding member of the “Aktuelle Dienst”
Jörg Gehlen has been with Saarland Radio since day one. Initially a freelancer in SR radio, he quickly managed to climb the career ladder, as he was already part of the founding team of “Aktuelle Dienst” at the end of the 1960s. The program catapulted SR to become a pioneer of the German-language news service, as the show brought important news to the current program as soon as it arrived. The radio show was able to achieve an up-to-dateness of information transmission that was not common at the time.
In rubber boots and umbrella: Jörg Gehlen is remembered
In 1981, Primstaler, who was born in 1952, was given a permanent position at Saarland Radio. Jörg Gehlen worked as an editor in the main department “Current Affairs and Sports” and traveled all over the world. The passionate soccer player was part of the ARD Olympic team three times and also reported live from Paris as France correspondent. Unforgotten are his moderations at the “aktuelles bericht”. His report on the flood disaster in December 1993 has remained in the minds of the Saarlanders to this day. In the midst of the action and the water, Jörg Gehlen stood in rubber boots and armed with an umbrella and reported live from Saarbrücken’s old town.
In 1991, Gehlen took over as head of the current affairs department. In 2003 he was Head of State Program. In 2011 he decided to go into passive semi-retirement.
Jörg Gehlen died: “We will not forget him”
SR Director Martin Grasmück pays his last respects to his long-time colleague: “Jörg Gehlen, as the long-standing moderator of the ‘aktueller bericht’, was the face of the SR for many Saarlanders. As the responsible department head, he made a significant contribution to the great success of the Saarland state magazine and many other SR programs with his journalistic flair, his passion for the topics that move people in the state and his humanity. Like many other colleagues, I myself did my apprenticeship with him and I owe him a lot. We will not forget him,” says the Saarland Radio website.
On Wednesday, the world also had to say goodbye to acting legend Hardy Krüger. (ale)
