Dana Schweiger married actor Til Schweiger in 1995. Together they have four children: Valentin, Luna, Lilli and Emma. The couple separated in 2005, shortly after the family moved to Germany. In 2014, the marriage was officially divorced. At 51, the American-born artist has now published her autobiography. Since 2016 Dana Schweiger lives with her daughter Emma back in California.
SPIEGEL: You use an app to track where your family members are. Are you a control freak?
Schweiger: Not really. But with the app, for example, I can also see from Germany what my youngest is doing in Malibu. That calms me down, especially when she's traveling by car.
SPIEGEL: Her daughter Luna was last seen on "Schlag den Star" and unfortunately lost. Her father Til Schweiger has comforted her. You could not attend the recording in Cologne, because you are on a book tour.
Schweiger: But I was a fanatic. We have a family group on WhatsApp, so we all wrote it in. This annoyed Luna because a friend of hers sent us pictures from the backstage area - with Luna's cell phone. My son Valentin invited friends in Berlin and they watched the program together.
SPIEGEL: Who is everything in this WhatsApp family group?
Schweiger: My children and Til.
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Dana Schweiger: Model, entrepreneur, presenter and authorSPIEGEL: In your cell phone, you have your ex-man under "Brad Pitt" stored. Why?
Schweiger: A newspaper once called him the German Brad Pitt. He hung the headline on our fridge in Malibu and I renamed it. When he calls me and acquaintances look at my phone, they are confused at first and want to know what I have to do with Brad Pitt.
SPIEGEL: In your biography, you write a lot about your relationship with your ex-husband. Was that a problem for him?
Schweiger: On the "image" title "Dana Schweiger unpacks: So Til lied to me and cheated on me" he wrote me on WhatsApp, that it would not work with the common party at Christmas this year. I answered: If only I had known earlier how easily I can shirk the festivities, then I would have written a biography twenty years ago. There is a lot of messing about in our family.
SPIEGEL: How did your children react to the book?
Schweiger: You did not know the content yet, but I do not think I need someone's permission. It's about my life. Lilli started reading it now. Valentin does not want to read it.
SPIEGEL: He would also find a scene in which he gets annoyed with his sisters because they quarrel among themselves for nothingness. They call this the "Schweiger Shit Show".
Schweiger: We are a normal family. There is just as much quarreling and happiness as in other families. Just because we are successful does not mean that everything is perfect.
SPIEGEL : After the separation from Til Schweiger, did you think about accepting your maiden name again?
Schweiger : Yes, but it makes no sense. My children are called Schweiger with surnames. I want to stay connected with them.
SPIEGEL: Do you find it annoying to always be perceived as the ex-wife of Til Schweiger?
Schweiger: No, because without Til I would not be here and the person I am. But recent headlines have annoyed me.
SPIEGEL: You still need to know about your separation.
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Dana Schweiger, Janina Jetten
Barefoot in the heart: life, love, my family and me
Publishing company:
Edel Books - A publisher of Edel Germany GmbH
Pages:
240
Price:
EUR 17.95
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Schweiger: I forgot that. That's 15 years ago. Meanwhile I live again in the USA and in my everyday life I do not follow the German media.
SPIEGEL: Til Schweiger has meanwhile opened a number of restaurants and hotels. The name for his company "Barefoot" you have suggested. Her book is entitled "At Heart Barefoot". Are you not a life partner or a business partner?
Schweiger: No. I have always earned my own money, first as a model, then as an entrepreneur, presenter and author.
SPIEGEL: Author? The press release states that this is your first book.
Schweiger: I wrote about new technical products for American magazines. I was born in Seattle, Bill Gates was basically my neighbor, I even learned programming.
SPIEGEL : In your book, you write that you grew up in simple circumstances. Your parents wanted you to pay your own health insurance at the age of 16. Her children, in turn, have a prominent father and had very different starting conditions.
Schweiger : I do not always like that. I want them to understand how hard it is to make their own money. That's important, otherwise you run the risk of not understanding the value of the money. That's what you learn when you come from the real world. It's a tough lesson.
SPIEGEL : Your youngest daughter Emma will be of age next year, she is the last child living with you. Her son is already 24 years old. What plans do you have for the future - other than, as you write in your book, to stay young and continue to look young?
Schweiger : I already have quite concrete plans, for example I would like to take the pilot's license. And have more time for myself. But that can wait a while.
SPIEGEL : And professionally? Eight years ago, you sold your cosmetics brand Bellybutton, which you founded together with actress Ursula Karven.
Schweiger : Not quite. I kept parts of the company then and could imagine going back into business. But I do not want to give too much away.
SPIEGEL: Your ex-husband now also sells cashmere sweaters and the right detergent ... ...
Schweiger : ... ... I really had to laugh because I gave him his first cashmere sweater back then. You really should not wash this fine wool with normal detergent and pack in the dryer. So my mother-in-law first washed all the sweaters. But Til's got a grip on it by now, I think his housekeeper does it for him now.