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Who is Christiane Felscherinow? -

Christiane Vera Felscherinow was born on May 20, 1962, in Hamburg, West Germany.

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The Berlin Wall is built -

But before she could properly embrace the city of her birth, Christiane Felscherinow and her family relocated to West Berlin, a city recently divided physically and ideologically by a wall. The youngster had no idea of the profound implications the move would have on her life.

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Neukölln, West Berlin -

The Felscherinow family settled in Gropiusstadt, a downtrodden neighborhood in Neukölln made up of nondescript high-rise apartments where social problems were prevalent.

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West Berlin in 1962 -

Growing in up in such a rundown environment had a detrimental effect on Christiane. Her father was an alcoholic and her mother spent little time at home, engaged as she was in an extra-marital relationship.

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Life in Bahnhof Zoo -

By her 12th birthday, a lonely and depressed Christiane was smoking hash. She sought sanctuary with a group of friends at West Berlin's sprawling railway station, Bahnhof Zoo.

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Bad habits -

It didn't take long before she started using harder drugs, including LSD. By the age of 14, she was hooked on heroin. To feed her habit, Christiane became a sex worker.

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Interview with Stern magazine -

In 1978 after having effectively lived on the streets since 1975, Christiane Felscherinow agreed to sit down with two journalists from Stern magazine, Kai Hermann and Horst Rieck.

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Life on the fringes -

What was supposed to a be a two-hour conversation with Christiane turned into a two-month revelation, with the 16-year-old providing an in-depth description of her life, as well as those of other teenagers, in West Berlin during the 1970s.

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Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo -

Stern ran a series of articles about Christiane's often hazardous lifestyle before publishing a book based on the interviews, Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo ('We Children from Zoo Station'), in 1979. The book was credited to Christiane, although it was ghostwritten by Hermann and Rieck.

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'Christiane F' (1981) -

In 1981 the book was adapted into a film, 'Christiane F. – Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo.' It was released in English-speaking countries as 'Christiane F.'

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Cult status -

Directed by Uli Edel, the film stars German actress Natja Brunckhorst as Christiane Felscherinow. Soon after its release the picture achieved cult status.

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Influence of David Bowie -

David Bowie appears in the movie as himself, performing in concert. The singer-songwriter also provided music for the soundtrack. Christiane was a fan of Bowie and, according to the book, had earlier seen him on stage in West Berlin.

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Hitting Hollywood -

To promote the film in the United States, Christiane F. traveled to California and took part in a photo shoot outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

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Working with Uli Edel -

Director Uli Edel, whose later films include 'Last Exit to Brooklyn' (1989) and 'Body of Evidence' (1993), is pictured with Christiane Felscherinow in Hollywood while promoting the movie to American audiences.

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A name to a face -

Christiane Felscherinow enjoys her brush with movie stardom as she admires the signatures, footprints, and handprints of popular motion picture personalities from the 1920s to the then-present day set outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

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Pasadena, California -

California appealed to the reluctant celebrity, and Christiane F. hoped to settle in Pasadena. But old habits die hard; she was arrested for heroin and opium possession and had to leave the United States.

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Natja Brunckhorst -

Natja Brunckhorst, meanwhile, was fêted for her role in the critically acclaimed 'Christiane F.'

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Overwhelmed by celebrity -

But despite the accolades and the unexpected success of the film, Brunckhorst felt overwhelmed by her instant fame. To avoid unwanted attention, she retreated from public life and went to school in England. Brunckhorst also later studied in France before returning to Germany to complete her education.

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Still working -

Eventually opting to reenter the acting profession, Natja Brunckhorst is the only cast member from 'Christiane F.' still working in front of the cameras, both in film and television. She's pictured in 2021 at the Hamburg Film Festival.

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What happened next? -

And what of Christiane Felscherinow? As with Natja Brunckhorst, after the film's release she suddenly found herself somewhat of a celebrity in Germany and elsewhere in Europe.

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The perils of Platzspitz park -

After promoting the film in Los Angeles and then getting kicked out of the country, Christiane F. relocated to Zurich in Switzerland. Tempted again by drugs, she fell into the heroin scene centered on the city's notorious Platzspitz park. Here, the once-beautiful gardens had degraded into a mess of mud and used needles (pictured).

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Contracting hepatitis C -

It was probably in Zurich where Christiane F. contracted hepatitis C, likely from an infected needle.

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Meeting Alexander Hacke -

She found some stability with musician Alexander Hacke, the bass guitarist with German industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten. He's pictured far right at the back in the lineup.

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'Decoder' (1984) -

Hacke and Christiane F. cut two albums together before appearing in the German film 'Decoder,' released in 1984. The movie featured Beat Generation guru William S. Burroughs (pictured) and a host of music acts, including Soft Cell, The The, Psychic TV, and Einstürzende Neubauten.

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'Christiane F. - Mein Zweites Leben' -

By the mid-1990s, Christiane F. had largely disappeared from public view. So it was with great anticipation that the public and press alike greeted the semi-recluse at the 2013 Frankfurt Book Fair. She was promoting her second book, 'Christiane F. - Mein Zweites Leben" (My Second Life).

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Second life, second chance -

'My Second Life' was very revealing. Readers learned that in 1996 she'd given birth to a baby boy. However, a drug bust in 2008 saw her lose custody of her son to a foster family (she was a single mom).

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Still battling addiction -

Speaking at the fair, she revealed her ongoing battle with drugs, but held herself responsible for her addiction.

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Christiane F. today -

Christiane Felscherinow today lives with her dogs and writes, draws, sings, and plays the guitar. But she hasn't been able to kick her drug habit. "I never wanted to give them up," she admitted during an interview with Vice. "I didn't know anything else. I decided to live a different life to other people. I don't need a pretense to stop."

Sources: (Vice)

See also: Celebrities who've battled addiction

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