He grew up in Potsdam, where he completed school and an apprenticeship. He studied computer science in Budapest. In 1980 he met Carsten Wist, with whom he ran the "Literaturladen Wist & Ressel" from 1990 to 2001. In 1988 he moved to West Berlin. Until 1992 he worked as a radio journalist at Sender Freies Berlin for S-F-Beat and Radio 4U. Since 2001 he has worked in the documentary film editorial department of Filmstrom media GmbH Berlin, and is also a partner in the film production company a+r film. Since 2007 he has been making his own documentaries for public broadcasters.