from 1999 to 2001, schmieder had the role of the commissioner tobias von sachsen in the tv series tatort broadcast by radio bremen. he appeared alongside heino ferch and sebastian koch in the internationally successful 2001 tv movie "the tunnel" in the role of theo lohmann. in 2003 he was nominated for a german television award for best actor. in 2004 he was directed by oliver hirschbiegel in the role of rochus misch in the oscar-nominated film "der untergang". he joined the german film academy in 2005.