After bureaucratic chaos Thomas Anders is now really called Thomas Anders
Because he repeatedly encounters difficulties when traveling because of his two names, Thomas Anders drops his real name. His family also follows suit.
18.03.2026, 22:02
19.03.2026, 10:29
dpa
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- Thomas Anders has officially dropped his civil name Bernd Weidung - not entirely voluntarily.
- Due to a bureaucratic problem, there were often difficulties with stage names and civil names when traveling.
- Since February 2026, the former "Modern Talking" singer has officially only gone by the name Thomas Anders - his wife and son have also changed their surnames.
For bureaucratic reasons, pop singer Thomas Anders has dropped his civil name. His family has also changed their name - to Anders. The reason: a bureaucratic detail.
Thomas Anders is a stage name, the singer's real name is Bernd Weidung. Although both names appear on his passport and ID card, the mandatory field for the stage name has been missing from international digital registration systems since 2025 for data protection reasons.
The consequences were quite unpleasant: because his stage name could not be recorded at the airport or when checking in at the hotel, the 63-year-old repeatedly encountered problems when traveling if the ticket was issued to Thomas Anders, as first reported by the German newspaper Bild. "Only one name is actually valid for verification - the one on the front of the passport."
That's why he had to choose a name, explained his wife Claudia. "As he has automatically been perceived by the public as Thomas Anders since the early 1980s, the decision was clear for logistical reasons."
"Now we're all called something else!"
According to the newspaper report, which was confirmed by the artist's management on request, the name Thomas Anders has been the only one in his passport since February 2026. "My real name Bernd Weidung no longer officially exists," explained the former "Modern Talking" singer.
His wife and son have also decided to officially change their surnames from Weidung to Anders. "Now we are all called differently!", wife Claudia is quoted as saying in "Bild". "It feels right and good for us as a family." She continues to call her husband Schatzi. "He still has to carry out the garbage, whether as Bernd or Thomas. Only his sister refuses to call him Thomas."
Thomas and Claudia Anders have reportedly been married for more than 25 years. Anders celebrated worldwide success with Dieter Bohlen as "Modern Talking" until their final separation in 2003.
