Plot

The plot of the series “Lindenstraße” consists of the depiction of the everyday life of the inhabitants of a typical german street in Munich. The common name “Lindenstraße” shows that the plot could take place in the same or similar way all over Germany. Over the years, the portrayal of the various problems, ups and downs of individual families on the street took on the character of a biography. In this sense, one can literally follow the lives of the characters over the years, for example watching a child grow up. The families all come from the middle class. In addition to their everyday concerns, problems in the larger, current social context are also expressed. The social context is always maintained and several families are observed in one episode. Almost always the play day is a Thursday. However, there are also so-called special occasion episodes, which refer to the corresponding events.

The series is characterized by the Beimer-Schiller, Beimer-Ziegler and Zenker families, together with their children. However, couples without children and shared apartments also live in the “Lindenstraße”. Additional components of the street cosmos are a family doctor's office with changing doctors (at the beginning of the series Dr. Ludwig Dressler, later his stepson Dr. Carsten Flöter, Dr. Ernesto Stadtler and others), the Greek restaurant “Akropolis” and the “Cafe Bayer”. Helga Beimer runs a travel agency with Erich Schiller, and other residents also run various retail businesses. In addition to a core cast, an almost uncountable number of actors appear and disappear at certain intervals during the course of the series.

The characteristic feature of the series is the long storylines and dramaturgical twists, which in some cases are even played out over a period of years. Thus, bit by bit, emerging marital crises become clear, as in the case of the Schildknecht, Beimer and Sperling couples. In the same way, the problems of the younger generation are given their place, such as lovesickness, sexuality, eating disorders and drugs. In everything, the reference to German reality always plays a role. Current topics of conversation, such as elections, emancipation of women and homosexuals, or medical achievements, are incorporated according to the times. The political commitment of some residents is also depicted, always with reference to real life. Where possible, scenes are often re-shot on a daily basis, e.g. during important political upheavals such as federal elections or major catastrophes.

Background

The series was considered the first German-language version of the American concept of the soap opera. The first episode was broadcast on December 08, 1985. Since then, an episode followed every week, the 1000th on January 30, 2005. Regular broadcasting slot was since March 13, 2005 Sundays at 6:50 pm on the German television station ARD. With over 1758 episodes and its uninterrupted broadcasting time of over 34 years, the series was the most successful on German television.

The series concept was invented by Hans W. Geißendörfer, who also directed it in the beginning. His production company “Geißendörfer Film- und Fernsehproduktion GmbH (GFF)” produced the series until 2020, and the direction has changed at regular intervals since then.

The series was not divided into seasons. Each episode ended with a cliffhanger that gave the reference to the following episode. The plots were filmed in Munich studios, and all the house facades that could be seen were artificial backdrops.

End of the series (2020)

In November 2018, broadcaster WDR announced that the ARD television programming conference would not further extend the contracts with the production company Geißendörfer Film- und Fernsehproduktion. Volker Herres, program director of “Erstes Deutsches Fernsehen”, cited unavoidable cost-cutting constraints and viewer interest, which has steadily declined over the years, as the reason for discontinuing the series.¹

Some of the sets (e.g. Café Bayer and the Greek restaurant Akropolis) found a new place in a permanent exhibition at the “Speyer Museum of Technology”, where they can be viewed.²

The kitchen of Helga Beimer gets a new place in the “Haus der Geschichte” in Bonn. The “Deutsche Kinemathek Berlin” will also get various props.³

Trivia

• The action of the series takes place in Munich; however, it was filmed in Cologne.
• In the Lindenstraße could be seen for the first time on German television a same-sex kiss.
• Shortly after his breakthrough in the cinema, the until then largely unknown series actor Til Schweiger had himself written out of the plot.
• The title of each episode appeared in the opening credits in German, including two alternating other languages.
• In 1989, Lindenstraße received the Bambi for the “realistic portrayal of everyday German life.”
• 1998 the series was awarded the Golden Camera as the most successful German television series
• 2001 the series received the Adolf Grimme Award in gold

Further information

• Lindenstraße – Official site.
• Overview of the 1758 episodes at Wikipedia (in German)
• List of the actors at Wikipedia (in German)
• Technik Museum Speyer (with sets from the series)
• Deutsche Kinemathek Berlin (in German)
• Geißendörfer Film- und Fernsehproduktion KG (GFF) (Production company)
• Ehrlich Forum: Fan Forum about the series (in German)
• ListraForum: Another fan forum about the series (in German)

References

¹ See Press release of WDR of November 18, 2018 on presseportal.de. (in German)

² Exhibition at “Technik Museum Speyer”.

³ See Article under the news section on the Lindenstrasse website. (in German)