The starting point of my thesis is the placement of Werner Herzog's oeuvre within the framework of the New German Cinema as a stylistic movement. By analysing his documentary films, I aim to identify content and formal idioms that are not traditional in the genre. I explore why and how his intuitive, personal directorial approach blurs the boundaries between documentary and fiction, mixing reality and fiction in a given moment. Apart from my personal interest in German language and culture, I follow a research-oriented, documentary approach making my diploma project in the field of Media Design.