Ulrich was born in 1959, and was the youngest of his 5 brothers. His father was a priest. He grew up in Bavaria, in Neu-Ulm, later he moved to Augsburg and studied at Gymnasium bei St. Anna. He went to Law School, but eventually he gave up and went to State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart. He is married to actress Friederike Wagner. They have a daughter, Camilla.