Tim Kühnel, a German reality-TV personality and podcaster, discussed his tattoos in a 2025 BLICK.de interview. The ten-image gallery pairs his explanations with photos of designs tied to faith, family and travel.

Roman numerals and a lion sit on his forearm, a dove covers part of his upper arm, and a large cross spans his back. He also has Isaiah 40:31 on his left ribs, travel-related tattoos on his right leg, and smaller designs on his hands and fingers.

Tim Kühnel’s forearm unites Roman numerals and a lion

On his forearm, Kühnel has the Roman numerals XI XI LXVI. In BLICK.de’s interview, he identifies them as his mother’s birth date and calls her the most important person in his life. The compact dark lettering sits beside other arm tattoos.

The Roman numerals mark a family date; Kühnel interprets the nearby lion and dove through his faith.

The “Soli Deo Gloria” tattoo makes Kühnel’s faith explicit

On the inside of his upper arm, Kühnel has “Soli Deo Gloria.” BLICK.de translates the Latin as “Gott allein die Ehre,” or “to God alone be the glory.”

The phrase is set in dark lettering across the upper arm. Its words remain readable beside the shaded animal designs around it.

Tim Kühnel’s dove tattoo represents the Holy Spirit

Kühnel says the dove on his upper arm represents the Holy Spirit. It spreads across the arm in black and grey, with broad wings around a central body.

Black-and-grey shading separates the feathers while leaving open skin across the wings.

Kühnel’s faith lettering connects short phrases with longer scripture

A lion sits below the Roman numerals on Kühnel’s forearm. He links it to the Lion of Judah and to Jesus, rather than treating it only as a general symbol of strength.

The black-and-grey portrait shows the lion’s face, mane and muzzle. Kühnel calls it a “stilles Glaubensbekenntnis,” or a quiet confession of faith.

How the collection changed

Along Kühnel’s left ribs, the text of Isaiah 40:31 reads: “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” He identifies the passage by its biblical reference.

The verse follows the side of his torso, giving the longer quotation more room than the compact “Soli Deo Gloria” lettering. The placement also keeps it less visible than the tattoos on his arms and hands.

The large back cross is described as simple, honest and constant

A large cross sits between Kühnel’s shoulder blades and extends down the centre of his back. It has a dark outline, pointed ends and an open interior that leaves the shape clear in the full-back photo.

Kühnel describes the cross as “schlicht, ehrlich, beständig”: simple, honest and constant. Those are his words for the design.

Kühnel’s right-leg patchwork tattoos are travel memories

Kühnel calls his right leg a “Spielwiese,” or playground, for small tattoos collected while traveling. The BLICK.de photos show a patchwork rather than one connected piece, including an infinity sign, an hourglass, a wave-like mark, lettering and other compact designs.

One reads “God is greater than the highs and lows.” He connects a chameleon with old wishes and describes other marks through ideas of freedom, life and lightness.

Small hand and finger tattoos complete the visible collection

The last photos in the BLICK.de gallery show small tattoos across Kühnel’s hand and fingers, along with a wider portrait identified as “tattoo model of the week.” The portrait places the body art within the public image that viewers see on television.

What remains uncertain

The interview gives meanings for several larger pieces, but not every small design has an explanation. In particular, the hand and finger tattoos are visible in the photos without a confirmed personal meaning in the cited account.