With thoughtful words, ZDF anchorman Claus Kleber said goodbye to “heute journal” on Thursday evening after almost 20 years.

The 66-year-old looked visibly moved and sometimes struggled with his voice when he held a self-painted cardboard sign with the number 2977 in the camera - the number of programs he moderated.

His last moderation ended with a long roll call.

Kleber initially drew a gloomy balance sheet: "Anyone who figures out the news here every day cannot help but look ahead with worries," said the journalist, who wore a dark blue suit and a burgundy tie.

“The pandemic leaves a lot of suffering, but it will pass.

No other.

What is happening on the Ukrainian border and what could eventually happen in the Baltic States, the hard line from China.

The dismantling of democracy in America that continues to eat away.

And the European idea, which has lost its momentum - as well as some things with us. "

"Good Night, and Good Luck"

Kleber continued: “We humans have the knowledge, the technology, the historical experience to master all of this. For the first time, our tools are as powerful as our problems. ”But without a committed, informed public, that would not work. “That's why there have to be editorial teams, like the people behind this show, passionate professionals who can compete every morning with the sole aim of making the best show possible. Fearless, without quota pressure and shielded from political pullers. "

But none of this is of any use "if we cannot convince you".

This is “all a bit of a video circus” if the people in the country don't take the time to deal with it, “with the confidence that we have to earn ourselves here every day”.

Kleber concluded: “Every now and then the noses that stand in front change.

For example now.

Gundula stays, I'm going, Christian Sievers is coming.

It's all OK."

Before he left the studio with co-host Gundula Gause, he said: “Good Night, and Good Luck.” This is the title of a US film about a TV journalist who opposed anti-communism in the McCarthy era Campaign turned.

As the last scene that the ZDF camera captured, he clapped himself with his colleague Gundula Gause.

Gause had thanked him warmly beforehand: “We will miss you and I especially.

And now I have to tell you something that you don't want to hear, but it has to be said: You are leaving, an era is coming to an end. "

Kleber has worked as the main presenter of the program “heute journal” since 2003, and since 2009 also as editor-in-chief.

The 66-year-old moderated a total of 2,977 programs, in the last one ef interviewed the head of virology at the Berlin Charité, Christian Drosten.

Before moving to ZDF, the doctor of law worked for ARD as a correspondent in the USA and later in Great Britain.

Christian Sievers is Kleber's successor.

The 51-year-old will take over the post from January 2022. “heute journal” has been on the air since January 2, 1978.