Tanja von Lahnstein (née Wittkamp, formerly von Anstetten) is a fictional character from the German soap opera Verbotene Liebe (Forbidden Love) on Das Erste, portrayed by actress Miriam Lahnstein from 1995 to 1998, in 2001, and again from 2004 to 2015. Lahnstein reprised the role in the 2020–2021 TVNOW revival series, Verbotene Liebe: Next Generation.
From the beginning, Tanja emerges as an enemy of the wealthy and aristocratic Clarissa von Anstetten (Isa Jank). When Tanja fakes a pregnancy to trap Clarissa's stepson, Henning von Anstetten (Markus Hoffmann), into marriage, but Clarissa exposes her as a fraud and a golddigger. Tanja vows revenge on the entire Anstetten family, and Clarissa's total destruction. When her first husband, Henning's uncle Ben von Anstetten (Andreas Jung) is poisoned and dies, she marries murders his illegitimate son Rajan Rai (Sascha Zaglauer) to inherit his fortune, and then kidnaps Clarissa. Tanja murders pregnant Cleo Winter (Dinah Alice Schilffarth) to cover her tracks before leaving town in 1998. Tanja is held captive for three years by her ex-lover, Tim Sander (Roland Pfaus), for killing Cleo. She kills Tim and escapes in 2001, returning with another plan to marry and then murder Henning (now portrayed by Patrik Fichte) to inherit his fortune. The scheme fails, and Tanja and Clarissa are subsequently presumed dead in a plane crash together. Tanja returns in 2004, her criminal record mysteriously expunged. She ultimately marries Ansgar von Lahnstein (Wolfram Grandezka) and later his cousin, Sebastian von Lahnstein (Sebastian Schlemmer), having a child with each.
Appearances Lahnstein first appeared as Tanja Wittkamp on Verbotene Liebe in episode 109, which aired on 21 June 1995. According to the actress, the role had been planned for a three month run, but the writers kept extending it. Lahnstein explained, "In the first few years I managed it by shooting for half a year and then doing something else for half a year. So my role was written in and out over and over again. In 1998, I felt the need to try myself outside of Verbotene Liebe and left the series." Her last appearance was episode 830 on 15 July 1998. Verbotene Liebe writer Peter Süß said in 2009:
Lahnstein returned to the role from 24 April to 5 October 2001, in part to facilitate the exit from the series of Isa Jank as Clarissa von Anstetten. Tanja reappeared for good three years later on 16 April 2004. With Lahnstein on maternity leave from the series, Tanja was absent from 9 June 2005 to 20 March 2006, and again from 30 March to 12 December 2007. Tanja's final extended absence was from 14 December 2009 to 6 April 2010. Lahnstein portrayed Tanja until the final episode of the series on 26 June 2015. She reprised the role in the 2020–2021 TVNOW revival series, Verbotene Liebe: Next Generation, first appearing in the ninth episode on 18 January 2021.
Characterization Bernd Peters of Bild wrote of Tanja, "For the past 20 years, the beautiful countess has only been about one thing: power, money and influence," noting that she will do anything, including murder, to get what she wants. The character has been described as cunning, manipulative and scheming, and Tobias Dupke of Die Welt wrote that "Tanja actually embodies evil". Lahnstein said Tanja is additionally "cheeky, snotty" and "a cold and tough businesswoman", noting that playing an evil character is "definitely more interesting than playing the sweetheart next door." She added, "That's what I like about the character: she experiences completely extreme things and always gets away with it." Lahnstein said, "I admire her a lot, even though I often find her character traits repugnant. She spins intrigues, she only cares about power, and when things get too tight for her, she leaves the men ... She is very tough, she does not allow feelings, does not get involved with others."
Tanja's first scheme in 1995 is to fake a pregnancy to marry wealthy Henning von Anstetten (Markus Hoffmann). When that plan is foiled by Henning's stepmother Clarissa von Anstetten (Isa Jank), Tanja marries Henning's uncle Ben von Anstetten (Andreas Jung). When he is poisoned and dies. Tanja marries and murders his illegitimate son Rajan Rai (Sascha Zaglauer) to secure his fortune. She murders pregnant Cleo Winter (Dinah Alice Schilffarth) to cover her tracks, but is held captive by her ex-lover, Tim Sander (Roland Pfaus), for killing Cleo. Tanja murders Tim and escapes in 2001, returning with a plot to marry and murder Henning (now portrayed by Patrik Fichte) to inherit his fortune. When Tanja returns in 2004, her criminal record has been mysteriously expunged by Donald Rush (Andreas Engelmann), whom she later kills with a poisonous snake and frames someone else. She becomes romantically involved with Ansgar von Lahnstein (Wolfram Grandezka), and softens somewhat with the arrival of their child, Hannes, in 2006. Her priority is now putting her son first, wanting him to have everything she always wanted for herself and willing to do anything to ensure it. The return of Tanja's mother, Annegret Wittkamp (Ursula Heyer), in 2008 reveals a vulnerable side to Tanja, as the story of her father's abuse and brother's death is revealed.
In 2011, Tanja develops true feelings for Sebastian von Lahnstein (Sebastian Schlemmer), and realizes that her relationship with him is more important to her than the power struggle she is in with her soon-to-be ex-husband Ansgar, Sebastian's cousin. She opens up to Sebastian about her past, and tells him that she does not want her children to be like her. Tim's son, Timo Mendes (Remo Schulze), arrives to confront Tanja about his father's murder, but seeing Tanja with Sebastian and their daughter makes him think she may not be as evil as he expected. Lahnstein said in 2013, "There was a phase in the past two years when Tanja fell in love for the first time, then married the man and had a child with him. This moment in Tanja's life is slowly but surely over. The writers want me to stay evil."
Storylines
1995–1998 In June 1995, young blonde beauty Tanja Wittkamp comes home to Düsseldorf from boarding school to see that her parents are bankrupt and have to sell their stud farm. Aristocrat Christoph von Anstetten (Jürgen Zartmann) buys most of the horses, one of them Tanja's favorite. First allowed to visit her horse at Castle Friedenau and then hired to work in the stable, Tanja has an affair with both Christoph's son Henning von Anstetten (Markus Hoffmann) and working class charmer Jan Brandner (Andreas Brucker). She pretends to be pregnant with Henning's child to trap him into marriage, but Christoph's wife Clarissa von Anstetten (Isa Jank), Henning's stepmother, exposes Tanja as a liar and a golddigger. Tanja vows revenge on the entire Anstetten family, and Clarissa's total destruction.
Tanja disappears, but returns in 1996 as the wife of Benedikt von Anstetten (Andreas Jung), Christoph's hated brother, who agrees to help with her vendetta. Tanja learns that the mysterious Rajan Rai (Sascha Zaglauer) is Ben's illegitimate son. Anstetten butler George Helthay (Jochen Stern) attempts to poison Clarissa, but kills Ben instead, and Rajan inherits his fortune. As lawyer Marc Geppard (Peter Mustafa) attempts to defraud Rajan on Tanja's behalf, she begins an affair with Tim Sander (Roland Pfaus). Tim begins to see Tanja's true devious nature, and ends the relationship. But Tanja has noticed that Rajan is jealous, and pretends to be interested in him as well. She accepts his proposal to marry him in India, but once that is done she murders him and inherits everything. Back in Düsseldorf, Tanja meddles in the relationship between Tim and Cleo Winter (Dinah Alice Schilffarth), causing Cleo to break up with him. Her sights set on ruining Clarissa, Tanja kidnaps her and tries to secure her power of attorney from Clarissa's best friend Charlie Schneider (Gabriele Metzger). Clarissa escapes, but falls and loses her memory, which Tanja uses to finally take everything from her. A pregnant Cleo investigates Tanja, who kills her and makes it look like a suicide. Clarissa regains her memory and gets everything back from Tanja. Clarissa tells a heartbroken Tim that Tanja murdered Cleo, hoping that he will kill Tanja. Tim pursues Tanja to Portugal, and locks her in a cellar in July 1998.
2001 Three years later in April 2001, Clarissa learns that Tim has been found dead in the same manner as Cleo, and fears Tanja's return. Clarissa hires a private investigator and a bodyguard, and when no trace of Tanja is found in Portugal, Clarissa is reassured that Tim killed Tanja years before. In actuality, Tanja is already back in Düsseldorf. Tanja stages an attack on Marie von Beyenbach (Solveig Duda), knowing she is engaged to Henning (now portrayed by Patrik Fichte), and comes to her rescue. A grateful Marie hosts a party to thank Tanja, and Henning and Clarissa are as shocked to see her as Marie is confused by their reaction. Tanja explains to Marie that she was previously married to Henning's uncle, and quietly informs Clarissa that she will destroy her once and for all. Tanja arranges for Marie to walk in on Clarissa paying Tanja to stay away from Marie. Clarissa tells Marie about Tanja's many crimes, but Marie does not believe her. She and Henning, who was not in town when Tanja supposedly wreaked havoc on the Anstettens, go to Charlie for the truth. Though wanting to expose Tanja, Charlie is compelled to lie because Tanja has poisoned Charlie's nephew Oliver Sabel (Jo Weil), and threatens to finish the job.
Tanja schemes to get closer to Marie and Henning. She fakes a DNA test that makes it appear that Marie's father Martin von Beyenbach (Gerry Hungbauer) is also Henning's biological father. A devastated Marie and Henning split up, and he finds comfort in Tanja, who he believes has changed. He is about to marry Tanja when he and Clarissa realize that her plan is to marry and then murder Henning to inherit his fortune. He plays along, and after the wedding Tanja, disguised as Clarissa, shoots Henning in front of witnesses. Henning dies in hospital and Clarissa is wanted for his murder. Tanja plays the grieving widow, and is shocked when a very much alive Henning appears at the funeral and watches as she is arrested. Clarissa boards a private jet headed for a much-needed vacation, but is surprised by an escaped Tanja. The plane subsequently crashes in South America, and Clarissa and Tanja are presumed dead in October 2001.
2004–2008