The Person
Silence made me a fighter.
Since I was eight months old, my world has been silent. And still we can understand each other. My languages are sign language, German DGS and American ASL. I read your face, your expression, your gestures, your body. The body is my language.
At the age of two I moved to Switzerland to learn to speak at a private school. Those years were brutally hard. A small child working out sounds it will never perceive itself. Honestly, that time left a trauma. And it showed me early what a person is capable of when they do not give up.
I know the feeling of being underestimated. I know the walls that can stand in your way. I have learned to see them not as an end, but as something you can overcome. Every day anew.
The silence did not stop me. It shaped me. I am Deaf. Perhaps that is why I see people and spaces more clearly. In life you always have a choice.
For more than 16,000 days I have lived in silence, and I master it anew every day.
By nature I am a curious person. Even as a child I travelled the world and loved getting to know other cultures. To this day I enjoy cooking international dishes. Discovering new things, that is what drives me.
In numbers
A path that leaves a mark.
What I do
One person, many stages.
In front of the camera, on stage, in the dojo and by the water. These are my worlds.
Acting
Film, television and stage. Leading roles and strong stories.
Open → 02Cine Fight
Film combat and choreography. Tension that feels real.
Open → 03Speaker
Talks on courage, resilience and inclusion.
Open → 04Sea Training
Training at and in the water. Strength, calm and focus.
Open → 05The Book
Man hört nur mit dem Herzen gut. Published by Penguin Random House.
Open → 06Insights, moments and the path behind the scenes.
Open → 07Performances
Live, stage and show. Where movement becomes story.
Open → 08Consulting and development
Authentic Deaf roles, developed together. With writers, directors and producers, from Deaf culture to the world of silence.
Open →Let's Dance and stage
Movement tells a story.
In 2019 I stood on the Let's Dance floor as the first Deaf contestant. Without the music, I felt and saw the rhythm.
Martial arts
WBT Defence.
The mat has been with me for over 35 years. In 2005 in Hawaii I passed my black belt exam in front of 18 grandmasters and received the title Real Intelligent Warrior.
I stand in the lineage of Grandmaster Al Dacascos within Kajukenbo and train in North Hollywood with Gokor Chivichyan. In 2008 I founded my own school WBT Defence in Hamburg. For me, martial arts is attitude, not violence.
Coaching and mentoring
Strengthening people.
I know how it feels to be made small. I know what it is to live against walls, in body and in soul. That does not make me weaker. It makes me more understanding.
Weakness can become strength. That is not a nice phrase. That is my life. From what hurt me, my eye for others was born. I recognise the moment when someone wants to give up. And I know how to get out of it again, step by step.
I work with people, not against their weaknesses. For over four years I gave motivation courses, among others for people in difficult life situations. At schools for Deaf, hard-of-hearing and hearing children I taught elective classes. One child could not walk without support. For a year I accompanied it privately. Today it walks safely and can jump far.
- Meet as equals, without comparison.
- Empathy instead of pressure, understanding instead of judging.
- Take responsibility and act on it with energy.
- Be clear and honest with each other, with clear boundaries.
- Believe in yourself, be yourself, never make yourself small.
Speaker
Turn impossible into possible.
I speak about what I live every day: communication without words, body language, resilience, inclusion and the courage not to give up.
I show how people truly understand each other, beyond sound and volume. For companies, schools, stages and teams that want more than a nice moment. That take away something that stays.
Joint stage programme with Isabel Edvardsson, isabel-benjamin.com
Ambassador
My mission.
For me, sign language is the most beautiful language there is. In it I am fully myself. It is my mother tongue. And it is an invitation.
A Deaf person cannot learn to hear. A hearing person can learn to sign. That is exactly where a real encounter begins. So for me it is not about equality, but about justice.
Difference is not a threat. Difference is an enrichment. Every person is limited in their own way, and everyone makes mistakes. From that we can learn for a lifetime, because we are human.
Book
Author.
In my book Man hört nur mit dem Herzen gut I tell of my life, and of how empathy and attention often say more than any word.
Published in November 2019 by Mosaik Verlag.
Film
See for yourself.
My showreel. A glimpse of my work in front of the camera, on the mat and on the stage.
What shaped me
Start early, stay curious.
Every step gave me something. I learned early to take action, stay curious and never stand still.
- Apprenticeship as a carpenter in Hamburg, 1998 to 2001, completed as a journeyman.
- During school, two years of bookbinding, printing, design and typesetting.
- Taught myself early: design on the computer with Photoshop, InDesign, Flash and HTML, plus layout and typesetting.
- Almost every weekend I worked in the architecture office of a friend of my father and learned planning, drawing and design.
- From thirteen to fifteen, ice hockey, on the ice every week, often right before or after martial arts training.
- First jobs very early: at eleven looking after puppies, at twelve babysitting, at fourteen cleaning stairwells.
- At boarding school at sixteen: gave group training for housemates and cut hair.
- During the carpentry apprenticeship: catwalk and fashion shows, co-choreography of a luxury show for a Hamburg cruise.
- Hawaii, 2004 to 2007: baking at night in a German bakery, teaching during the day, getting to know Hawaiian culture and training up to the black belt.
A short story: where my energy comes from
As a boy I could not sit still. At thirteen I began to train, and I could not stop. During my carpentry apprenticeship I often got up before sunrise. By bike along the Elbchaussee, from Ottensen to Blankenese, past quiet, empty streets, until my legs burned. Then a cold shower, and at six I was in the workshop.
In the evenings, martial arts. Kung Fu, Thai boxing, often late into the night. Movement was my language long before I had words for it. In the silence, training was the one thing no one had to explain to me. Here I understood everything on my own.
Today I know that this strength was also a protection. A young body that fought for its place. I am grateful for it, and I have grown calmer.
Today I train more wisely. Not with less heart, only with more kindness towards myself. I choose movement, every day anew.
And a slightly crazy story
Honestly? As a teenager I was crazy about training. It started at thirteen and would not let go of me.
Three times a week I got on the bike at five in the morning. Along the Elbchaussee, from Ottensen to Blankenese, on empty streets, until my legs burned. Then a cold shower, and at six I was in the carpentry workshop.
When I was alone in the workshop, I secretly practised my forms. In the bathroom, several times a day, pull ups, push ups and the horse stance. Right after work, straight to training. Kung Fu, then Thai boxing, then more Kung Fu. At home often until midnight.
Twice a week, intervals. Easy running, a hundred metre sprint, walk, and start again. Twice a week, swimming. Every day in the bathroom, hundreds of kicks, push ups and punches, with small weights on my arms.
At school I pressed a heavy rubber ring behind my back, a hundred times. When I copied things down, my hand trembled afterwards. I got into trouble and trained on anyway.
When I opened my own school, my body reached its limits for a whole year. Too much pressure, too much stress. I simply kept going.
Today I ask myself where that energy came from. And today I choose differently. To enjoy, to begin again, calm and with joy. Maybe a little crazy. But never again against myself.
Milestones
A life in motion.
A few milestones on my path. From the first black belt to Hollywood.
Born in Hamburg. At eight months I become Deaf.
First steps in martial arts. My path through judo, aikido, boxing, escrima and Wing Tsung begins.
I discover Wun Hop Kuen Do Kung Fu. This art becomes my home.
I become a stunt fighter and choreographer for film and show. Fight scenes that feel real.
Training in Hawaii with Grandmaster Al Dacascos. A hard and formative school.
Black belt in Hawaii. Honoured as Real Intelligent Warrior and Hawaii International Champion.
Founding of my martial arts school WBT Defence in Hamburg. My own style, my own family.
Inducted into the Munich Hall of Honor six times. In 2015 honoured in London as Teacher of the Year.
Tatort Totenstille. Lead role and choreography. 9.69 million viewers and a nomination for the Grimme Award 2017.
Final on Let's Dance and a tour through 13 arenas in front of 120,000 people. The same year my book is published by Penguin Random House.
Du sollst hören on ZDF. One of the lead roles.
Many roles for ARD and ZDF, plus Die Goldfische in the theatre with the Monica-Bleibtreu Award. And the start as a motivational speaker.
The film Du sollst hören wins five awards in Hollywood. More television roles follow.
In November the First Mayor of Hamburg personally invites me to the City Hall. Over a coffee, one on one, a long and open exchange.
Acting
In front of the camera.
Acting is to a large part nonverbal communication. That is exactly my strength. I tell stories with my whole body.
I was the first Deaf person in a leading Tatort role, in the episode Totenstille. In the ZDF drama Du sollst hören I played one of the main roles, a Deaf father fighting for his child. As a stunt fighter and choreographer I also create fight scenes for film and television. I develop the choreography and train and coach the actors beforehand, so the scenes feel real and stay safe.
My wish: roles that show a person, not a handicap. A character that moves people because it is human.
And a role does not have to be written as Deaf from the start. Writers, producers and directors can adapt a character, with sign language and a Deaf perspective. Often this makes the story richer and more honest. I am always glad to develop this together, openly and with ease.
I also work behind the camera. I advise writers, directors and producers on Deaf culture and sign language, so that Deaf roles are written and told authentically, and I support the collaboration with Deaf actors. Real Deaf characters live through sign language, expression and the body, not through lip reading.
Talk shows and guest appearances
Theatre
Awards
Recognition for the journey.
Acting
- 2026Keine Scheidung ohne Leiche, ZDF. Nominated for the Jupiter Award, Best Film, TV and streaming.
- 2025You Shall Hear, Du sollst hören. Best Feature Film at the Rocky Mountain Deaf Film Festival in Colorado, USA.
- 2024Du sollst hören, ZDF. Best Film and five awards at the SignLight International Film Festival 2024 in Los Angeles, for the film and team.
- 2023Die Goldfische. Monica-Bleibtreu Award, audience prize of the Privattheatertage in Hamburg.
- 2022Du sollst hören. Nominated for the audience prize, Reingold Ludwigshafen.
- 2016Tatort Totenstille, SR. Nominated for the Grimme Award 2017, Spezial category, for the idea and concept of integrating sign language and the casting of Deaf actors.
Martial arts
- 2015London International Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Teacher of the Year.
- 2010 bis 2015Munich Hall of Honor six times. For outstanding achievement.
Press
My path in the media.
A selection of reports, portraits and interviews.
| Year | Outlet | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Apotheken Umschau | Small movement, big effect, a call for more movement |
| 2024 | Landeszeitung Lüneburger Heide | First Deaf actor on Rote Rosen |
| 2024 | NDR Hamburg Journal | Portrait on the occasion of the Kammerspiele |
| 2023 | Sächsische Zeitung | Comödie Dresden, making the impossible possible |
| 2022 | prisma | Interview about Du sollst hören |
| 2022 | Health and Care Management | Life in silence, about the book |
| 2016 | Hamburger Abendblatt | TV review of Tatort Totenstille |
| 2016 | Hamburger Morgenpost | Interview about martial arts and acting |
| 2016 | Die Andersmacher | Portrait of the martial artist |
| 2010 | Hamburger Abendblatt | About Benjamin Piwko and his martial arts school |
| 2010 | Der Spiegel | About the profession beyond silence |
Actor, film and theatre
- NDR Hamburg Journal. Portrait on the occasion of the Kammerspiele.
- Landeszeitung Lüneburger Heide. First Deaf actor on Rote Rosen.
- Hamburger Abendblatt. Guest role in the telenovela Rote Rosen.
- Sächsische Zeitung. Die Goldfische at the Comödie Dresden.
- prisma. Interview about the film Du sollst hören.
- Yahoo Nachrichten. Interview, would like to play a hearing role.
- Die Welt. Portrait of my path.
- Hamburger Abendblatt. TV review of Tatort Totenstille.
- Hamburger Abendblatt. On Tatort Totenstille.
- Hamburger Morgenpost. Interview about the Tatort role.
Martial arts master
- Apotheken Umschau. Small movement, big effect.
- Die Andersmacher. Portrait, the martial artist.
- Video. The martial artist.
- Hamburger Abendblatt. Strength lies in calm.
- Hamburger Abendblatt. About my martial arts school.
Dancer, Let's Dance
- t-online. Let's Dance, the songs for the final.
- Fitbook. The fitness secret of the Let's Dance star.
- equalizent. Deaf Let's Dance star on equalizent.
- RTL. Profile and appearances.
Deaf, inclusion and sign language
- Die Welt. Everything is going quiet in the world, for me that is normal.
- familie.de. We should all speak sign language.
- andererseits. Three questions for Benjamin Piwko.
- Yahoo Nachrichten. About the Deaf community.
- Hamburger Abendblatt. I want to unite two worlds.
- Der Spiegel. About the profession beyond silence.
- Health and Care Management. Life in silence.
Engagement and ambassador
- Die Welt. On the protection of children.
- Innocence in Danger. Engagement and support.
Der Spiegel · Die Welt · NDR · ZDF · ARD · RTL · prisma · t-online · Fitbook · familie.de · andererseits · equalizent · Hamburger Abendblatt · Hamburger Morgenpost · Sächsische Zeitung · Landeszeitung Lüneburger Heide · Health and Care Management · Die Andersmacher
Clients and partners
ARD · ZDF · RTL · ProSieben · Warner Bros. · UFA · Bertelsmann · NDR · Apotheken Umschau · Aktion Mensch · Coca-Cola · Milka · Weight Watchers
In life you always have a choice.
Contact
Write to me.
For roles, performances, talks or training. Write me a few words. I will reply personally.