Bernd Doppler

* Old
* Adult

**Bernd Doppler** was the husband of Greta Doppler and the father of Helge Doppler. He was the director of the Winden Nuclear Power Plant from its founding until he was succeeded by Claudia Tiedemann in 1986.

## Biography

### 1953

In 1953, Bernd visibly limps and walks with a cane, though his mobility does not seem to be seriously hampered. The cause of his limp is not explained.

In her conversation with the false priest Noah, Bernd's wife Greta states she is uncertain if Helge is really Bernd's son. Nevertheless, Bernd seems much more caring to the boy than she is. He treats him kindly, caressing his face and asking what he has been doing, while she snags him by the ear and makes him strip in front of her.

#### November 10

Bernd is a promoter of the idea of building a nuclear power plant in Winden, and on at least one occasion he speaks passionately in favor of this project at a meeting with journalists. He even goes as far as having himself, his wife, and son shown on a poster promoting nuclear energy.

Upon hearing about dead bodies at the construction site (unknown to them, but in actuality Erik Obendorf and Yasin Friese from the year 2019), Bernd quickly leaves the house, as he is concerned about the future of the power plant. At the construction site, he speaks with police officer Egon Tiedemann, whom he urges to question the coal workers. Bernd suspects the coal industry does not want his plant to be built because it would put it out of business.

#### November 11

After Helge's disappearance, Bernd pleads with Egon Tiedemann at the police station to do anything it takes to find his son Helge, even if it means giving up the power plant.

### 1954

#### June 23

For an unknown reason, Bernd is out of the house for seemingly some extended period.

#### September 24

Bernd argues on the telephone with an unknown person in his office regarding the nuclear power plant. Unbeknownst to him, young Claudia Tiedemann is out in the hall listening to his every word. He is surprised to see her when he comes out. He notes how old she looks now and compliments her looks and smarts. He tells her Helge will be pleased to see her. He extracts DM 10 from his wallet and tries to give it to her as payment for her services. When she protests because of how much it is, he offers her some advice: If you really want something, take it. Things don't just happen. She accepts the money and thanks him.

That night, Bernd receives a present at the door: the permit for the nuclear power plant signed by the mayor of Winden. Unbeknownst to him, the Unknown, the nameless son of Jonas Kahnwald and the alternate Martha Nielsen (and the man that would kill Bernd almost thirty-three years from this day), held the mayor at gunpoint at the town hall and forced him to sign the papers to ensure that the plant would be built in the future. The last obstacle to building the plant has disappeared.

### 1960

The Atomic Energy Act is passed and the Winden Nuclear Power Plant is built. Bernd becomes its first director.

### 1971

Unbeknownst to the whole town, Bernd fathers a daughter with Claudia Tiedemann. Claudia raises the girl, Regina, as a single mother.

### 1986

By 1986, Bernd is disabled and in a wheelchair. However, the reason of his disability is unknown. He remains in the Doppler household, seemingly alone (suggesting that Greta is dead).

#### November 5

Bernd, who has served as the director of the plant from its launch, retires from his position. He strongly supports Claudia Tiedemann as his successor, and the board votes for her unanimously.

When moving out of his office, Bernd collects his private belongings, including photos of himself, Greta, and Helge in the '50s, and another one of an adult Helge. This suggests his lasting affection for his family, notably his son. Strikingly, his grandson, Peter Doppler, is absent from the photos.

Claudia confronts him about the discrepancy in the reported figures from the official data she requested. Bernd explains to Claudia that since Chernobyl, the public has lost faith in nuclear energy. However, it is vital the plant remain in operation, as it provides life and stability to the entire town, in addition to its 612 employees. Claudia is insistent that the responsibility itself is all the more reason that she know the truth.

Bernd takes her out onto the grounds of the plant, to a crack in the ground that leads down into a section of the caves. He tells her, "What we know is a drop. What we don't know is an ocean." and then gives her the key to enter the fenced off section. In the ground are tens of yellow barrels, containers of radioactive waste left over from the accident over the summer.

#### November 11

Claudia comes to see Bernd in his palatial home to discuss the significance of the misaligned data and the incident during the summer.

### 1987

#### June 25

Bernd's arm is in a sling for an unknown reason.

Claudia, having been exposed to time travel, comes to see Bernd in his palatial home to discuss the gravity of what the incident produced (though she doesn't mention time travel). The scientific discovery is profound, but Bernd does not want his name associated with how it came about. He says that Claudia can do what she likes with the data, but only after he is dead.

#### September 21

The Unknown invades Bernd's palatial home. In the entrance hall, the youngest self demands the master key to the nuclear power plant, knowing Bernd kept it a copy after his retirement. Bernd is unamused with the boy and makes to call the police. The middle-aged and elderly selves of the Unknown enter the hall. The Unknown draws his signature garrote and pronounces that "nothing is in vain." He then strangles Bernd to death in his wheelchair.

### 2019

At an unknown time after Bernd's death, Regina Tiedemann acquired his palatial manor and converted it into the Waldhotel Winden. Doors open for the summer of 2019, but after a string of disappearances in the town, and Regina's diagnosis of breast cancer, the hotel shuts down in early 2020. It is unknown who owns the estate by the summer of 2020, considering Regina's dire financial straits in November.

 Appearances

### Season 1

* Episode 3 "Past and Present" (1986)
* Episode 8 "As You Sow, so You Shall Reap" (1953)
* Episode 9 "Everything Is Now" (1953, 1986)
* Episode 10 "Alpha and Omega" (1953)

### Season 3

* Episode 1 "Deja-vu" (1987)
* Episode 4 "The Origin" (1954)

## Gallery

1. ↑ https://dark.netflix.io/en/event-timeline/bernd-doppler
2. ↑ *Dark* Season 3 Episode 1: "Deja-vu"
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 *Dark* Season 1 Episode 8: "As You Sow, so You Shall Reap"
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 *Dark* Season 1 Episode 9: "Everything Is Now"
5. ↑ *Dark* Season 2 Episode 3: "Ghosts"
6. ↑ *Dark* Season 3 Episode 4: "The Origin"
7. ↑ *Dark* Season 1 Episode 1: "Secrets"
8. ↑ *Dark* Season 3 Episode 8: "The Paradise"
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 *Dark* Season 1 Episode 3: "Past and Present"
10. ↑ *Dark* Season 2 Episode 5: "Lost and Found"
11. ↑ *Dark* Season 3 Episode 1: "Deja-vu"
12. ↑ *Dark* Season 2 Episode 4: "The Travelers"