Ilka Bessin, known as “Cindy from Marzahn,” spoke openly about her extraordinary life on the “Hotel Matze” podcast. Despite her great success as an entertainer, the popular comedian looks back positively on her time as an unemployed woman and comes to the surprising conclusion that she was sometimes happier then than she is today.
The 54-year-old man justifies this primarily by the lack of responsibility for other people at this stage. “When I was home and getting Hartz IV, I was partly happier than I am now because I didn’t have the responsibility of other people,” Bessin said. Today, she feels the pressure of success and the burden of leading a team and maintaining a career.
Cindy from Marzahn (Ilka Bessin) at the recording of the NDR talk show Tietjen und Bommes in the NDR studio at the fairgrounds in Hannover 10/23/2015 Copyright: xcle-pixx Panthermedia72874040.jpg
Copyright: IMAGO/Panthermedia
Ilka Bessin: “Sometimes I was more pleased with Hartz IV than now”
Bessin, who worked in the food service industry for 16 years before her breakthrough, describes her situation at the time in more than positive terms. She admits that the time without work was also difficult. She lost the sense of the need for meaningful activity and at times fell into deep crises.
At that time, she even thought that she “didn’t give a damn” whether she was still alive in the world. This experience eventually motivated her to change and take her chance on stage – even at the risk of becoming dependent on Hartz IV again.
From Hartz IV winner to celebrated star: Ilka Bessin
Despite the stress of success, the comedian emphasized her gratitude for her unusual career path. She never specifically wanted to act on television and to this day sometimes feels like a guest in the world of celebrities. Dreams and goals continue to be her main motivation – be it new stage programs or a planned children’s book about “Fat Melanie the Fly.”
Ilka Bessin is a German actress, comedian and presenter. She is best known for her role as “Cindy of Marzan”, an iconic character she has portrayed since the 2000s. In December 2012, the New York Times even published an in-depth portrait of her entitled “The Accidental People’s Comedian.” (MBR)