This is how the Dresden "Tatort" team continues

In future, Cornelia Gröschel (37) and Martin Brambach (57) will only investigate as a duo in "Tatort" from Dresden. The first two crime thrillers without Karin Hanczewski (43), who announced her departure in May 2023, have already been filmed. On Sunday evening, the last case with her was shown on TV channel Erste: "Herz der Dunkelheit". Commissioner Leonie Winkler and her boss Peter Michael Schnabel will solve their first case together on TV at the end of 2025.

A new cast is not in sight. Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR) is "currently not looking for a replacement for Karin Gorniak, Winkler and Schnabel will continue to investigate alone for the time being", says a spokesperson for the broadcaster.

Brambach and Gröschel are missing fellow actress Hanczewski, both professionally and privately. "That's something completely different," says Martin Brambach, who has played the head of the police department Schnabel since the first episode in 2016, about the now decimated femininity.

"My character in particular also lived a little from the resistance of the other characters." Now he's more in the spotlight and has to be more involved. "That's nice and I also enjoy it when you have a bit more to do."

Brambach: Maybe Ms. Schnabel will turn up now

Brambach doesn't think much of telling the detectives' personal stories "if they don't have anything to do with the case", he says. "But maybe Mrs. Schnabel will turn up one day and we'll find out what he's suffering from at home."

The relationship between Schnabel and Winkler will change somewhat, he reveals. "The somewhat fatherly relationship so far will take a slightly different turn; that will be exciting."

Gröschel talks of melancholy and sadness during the last shoot with the three of them. "It was always a bit like a family reunion and Karin was like a sister I hadn't seen for a long time." The departure of Karin Hanczewski has brought Martin Brambach and her a lot closer together. "We're also all in favor of her coming back at some point."

Hanczewski's return not completely ruled out

Hanczewski, who left "Tatort" after 18 episodes for something new and has just finished a long shoot for a project, would not be against a return - at some point. "I could very well imagine coming back for an episode if it works for the team and for the movie," she says.

The unspectacular "Tatort" farewell was her wish. "After all the things Gorniak has experienced - becoming a victim herself several times and almost dying - I think it's human to decide to take a different path and see what else life actually has to offer." It was "a beautiful and strong decision, a quiet and yet powerful farewell".