Series In production Terra X: Who owns the world? Since man first settled and ploughed the soil some 10,000 years ago, he has been claiming the earth for himself. Possession has become the essential basis of our civilisation, has… More
In production AI – The Last Invention Imagine a future where we build artificial brains that expand our abilities and make us more powerful than ever before. A super intelligence that is smarter than we are. Artificial… More
In production Eckart von Hirschhausen: On the trail of the seven deadly sins Over a thousand years ago, the Church drew up a catalog of our worst vices: pride, greed, lust, wrath, gluttony, envy and sloth. Seven deadly sins that sum up our… More
In production Erlebnis Erde – Alexander Gerst on Expedition With Alexander Gerst, we document the state of our blue planet – with breathtaking photos from space and on expeditions on Earth. In the ice worlds at the North and… More
Series In production Ruhrpott – District in upheaval Crisis, start-ups and the Silk Road With more than five million inhabitants, the Ruhr region is the largest metropolitan area in Germany. It extends from Duisburg in the southwest to Hamm in the northeast. There are… More
Series In production Fascination of Water Cold and warm coasts Together with marine biologist Uli Kunz we explore the warm and cold coasts of our earth. We show the incredible variety of life from tropical coral reefs to the icy… More
Series In production Terra X: Germany in… In the new Terra X history format “Germany in…” YouTuber Mirko Drotschmann alias “MrWissen2Go” immerses himself in three epochs that have profoundly changed life in Germany: The Early Bronze Age,… More
Series In production Fascination of Water North and Baltic Sea Together with marine biologist Uli Kunz we explore the North and Baltic Sea and show that these supposedly well-known seas have a lot of surprises in store. In the east… More
Completed Ruhrpott – District in upheaval Economy For a long time the Ruhr region was rich. In the largest industrial region in the centre of Europe there was coal, iron and steel. Important for industrialisation, the defence… More
Completed Disease Island Research in a Restricted Area It’s a race against time, because more and more new viruses are on the rise in Europe. Isolated from the rest of the world, the Friedrich Loeffler Institute is located… More
Completed The Literary Quartet Host: Thea Dorn Guests: Vea Kaiser, Eva Menasse, Götz Alsmann Books: Iwan Gontscharow – Eine gewöhnliche Geschichte Helga Schubert – Vom Aufstehen Mathias Enard – Das Jahresbankett der Totengräber Joyce… More
Completed Napoleon – Metternich: The beginning of the end Dresden, June 26, 1813: For almost nine hours, Metternich and Napoleon fought a duel of words. For the French ruler, everything is at stake. He has conquered almost all of… More
Completed Maybrit Illner Issue: First emergency brake, now full throttle – for whom is the pandemic over? More
Series Completed The great Terra X-Show The two new episodes of “The great Terra X-Show” focus on “Myths of the World” and “Fascinating Phenomena“. Johannes B. Kerner is once again assisted by Terra X experts Prof.… More
Completed Maybrit Illner Issue: Freedom, solidarity, opposition – is Corona dividing the country? More
Completed Terra X: Coffee Secrets of a miracle potion Coffee is the second most important commodity in the world after oil. But the popular intellectual lubricant has a dark secret: the consumption of coffee and the number of coffee… More
Completed Terra X: The Mystery of the Trojan Horse The history of the Trojan horse is probably one of the most famous stories ever told. A gigantic wooden horse is loaded with Greek soldiers and presented to the Trojans… More
In production We and the Virus – Faces of the Pandemic Live from Berlin with Christian Sievers One year ago, Germany went into its first Corona shutdown. Since then, the country has been in a grueling situation between lockdown and easing. How has this exceptional situation affected… More
Completed A matter of life and death History of Hygiene Hygiene is as old as our civilisation, but every era sets its own standards. Whether private or public cleanliness – everywhere and at all times it is shaped by cultural… More
Completed Markus Lanz – Sweden unadorned Does SARS-CoV-2 show the limits of Sweden’s special way for the first time? Markus Lanz travels to Sweden in the winter of 2020/2021, a country whose self-confidence seems to be… More
Completed Russians and Germans 7 historical turning points Russians and Germans – this is a relationship of extremes in the 20th century, a relationship between enmity and friendship, between war and peace. On the occasion of Mikhail Gorbachev’s… More
Completed Shalom and Alaaf “Shalom & Alaaf” tells the story of Jews and carnival – and thus about a largely unknown chapter of Jewish life in Germany. The focus is on the Kölsche Kippa… More
Completed Die Story: Operation Vaccine The difficult way out of the pandemic An effective vaccine is considered the only exit strategy in the fight against COVID-19. But will it be possible to distribute vaccines to the entire world population? A film about… More
Completed Step by Step Pilgrimage along the Luther Trail A group of five men and women are setting out together in this special year. Borders had been closed and curfews imposed, the right time for a pilgrimage along Germany’s… More
Completed Florian Schroeder means business Searching for evil The state of emergency is the new normality. We feel permanently threatened, by a maniac with blow-dried hair in the West, a maniac without hair in the East, and more… More
Completed Trade Wars Throughout History Since Donald Trump was sworn in as president in January 2017, hardly a day goes by without the media warning of a trade war between the USA and China. According… More
Completed Erlebnis Erde – Alexander Gerst on expedition Journey to Antarctica Astronaut Alexander Gerst is on his way to a new mission. Instead of going into space, this time he is going into the icy expanses of Antarctica. With a team… More
Completed Markus Lanz – The Year 2020 In this extraordinary review of the year Markus Lanz looks back on the stories that moved us in times of Covid-19. Among the guests are: Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder,… More
Completed LESCH’S COSMOS – SWINE FEVER, CORONA & CO THE RISE OF NEW VIRUSES More than one million people have already died of a virus that probably originates from bats. But the new coronavirus is not the only animal-derived virus that threatens us: In… More
Completed Friedrich Engels In The Shadow of Marx Together with Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels formed one of the most famous duos in world history. Unlike Marx, Friedrich Engels seems to have unjustly fallen into oblivion. He laid the… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos – Fake or Fact How truth falls into bad ways While the world is experiencing one of the biggest crises of the new millennium, conspiracy ideologies are on the rise. Some consider Corona to be a biological weapon, a gigantic… More
Completed Terra X: A CASE FOR LESCH AND STEFFENS Fighting for the truth They are the horror stories of our time: governments poison us, climate change is a lie, the earth is a disc…Conspiracy theories, as crazy as they sound, all have one… More
Completed Happy Birthday, Kulturzeit! „Kulturzeit” is 25 years old – a quarter of a century of inspiring and critical views of art, literature and society. As colourful and diverse as “Kulturzeit” is, it is… More
Completed Heimatflimmern: SHOPPING, GLAMOUR AND TRADITION HOHE STRASSE & SCHILDERGASSE IN COLOGNE They are the most important lifelines of the city, the pulsating heart of Cologne’s business world, the glittering universe of consumption. Beneath its pavement is a 2000-year history – starting… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos – Soilless Future? When fields disappear Erosion, drought, nutrient deficiency – Germany’s soils suffer from their intensive use and the long-term consequences are not even foreseeable. Science has therefore long since developed methods to produce food… More
Completed Heimatflimmern: MEGA ATTRACTION CENTRO FROM STEEL MINE TO GOLD MINE The CentrO in Oberhausen is one of the largest shopping centres in Europe. A gigantic building complex of 83 hectares, which attracts around 23 million visitors every year. But not… More
Completed The Bloody Border A history of Ireland In front of breathtaking landscapes, the film tells the painful story of the Irish people, who for centuries tried to free themselves from the colonial grip of the British. They… More
Completed Johannes Kepler Shooting for the Stars With his discovery of the three “Kepler laws” he revolutionised the thinking about space and time – and became a co-founder of modern science. His successes, however, were overshadowed by… More
Series In production The Great Terra X-Show “The Great Terra X Show” goes into its second round. This time, Johannes B. Kerner, with prominent support from Désirée Nosbusch and Linda Zervakis, among others, will devote himself to… More
Completed Heimatflimmern: A perfect summer day Summer is the time of great freedom for children and adults. Changes from hectic to relaxing, from the blazing sun to the shade, from the city to nature – everyone… More
Completed ZDFzoom: China, Trump and Corona The WHO between the fronts For Donald Trump there is no doubt who is responsible for the death of tens of thousands of corona infected people in the USA: China and the WHO. In Trump’s… More
Completed Corona – Shock and change of times We are currently witnessing and participating in a stress test of the human community. The effect that the coronavirus is developing is global, but has unforeseen consequences. Society is being… More
Completed ZDFzeit: Corona – A view from above Nature and Men in Lockdown “ZDFzeit” takes a special look at Germany in the spring of 2020, using helicopters and drones to approach beautiful places and difficult everyday life in Corona times. May it be… More
Completed WHAT IF… HITLER HAD WON THE WAR? What would the world look like today if the Nazis had won the war? A classic among the “What if” questions and an integral part of contemporary pop culture. What… More
Completed aspekte on Tour – with a focus on literature For 15 years the Berlin State Library has been modernised and completely renovated. In early summer everything could be accessible again. On Friday, April 24th 2020, 11 pm, the Staatsbibliothek… More
Completed A GLANCE INTO ETERNITY? DEATH AND BEYOND We’re all going to die. But what happens when we die? This is a question we humans have always wondered about. Where will we go? Is there a soul independent… More
Completed Orient Express – A train that changed the world Thanks to literature and film the Orient Express is worldwide the most frequently mentioned train in history. A positively charged connection between Occident and Orient. A myth. Behind it is… More
Series Completed The Way of St. James The French Way of St. James – the Camino Francés, is one of the most popular and historically significant pilgrimage routes in the world. Three women, two men and a… More
Series In production TERRA X: A short history of… How do I get compact, entertaining and up-to-date information on major historical topics? In a new Terra X series, we get to the bottom of things together with the well-known… More
Series Completed On days like these Season 3 Our turbulent key date tour enters its third round. This time we look at March 8, International Women’s Day, September 11, which is tragically remembered as 9/11, and June 6… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos – Ageing Research How to manipulate the clock of life The dream of eternal youth is paradoxically ancient. What is rather new, however, is that we do not have to surrender to ageing without a fight. There are new ways… More
Series Completed The Repair Show Season 5 In the fifth season many favourite items with small and big quirks find their way to ‘The Repair Show’ workshop! Presenter Eva Brenner and our professionals have a heart for… More
Series Completed Terra X: Secrets of the Night Secrets of the Night …delves into a mysterious time of day in two episodes. Fascinating night shots reveal the city and the countryside in an unknown light. What influence does… More
Series Completed THE MAGNIFICENT 10 Season 4 The Magnificent 10 are back with season four! If you’ve been wondering what exciting topics the perennial favourite will be continued with, here’s the answer. This time Hannes Jaenicke comments… More
Completed Special People, Special Moments 2019 In the big ZDF year review Markus Lanz looks back on the most emotional highlights of the year and presents extraordinary moments of well-known and unknown heroes and heroines. Amongst… More
Completed Our Treasures – The Great Terra X Show In his new primetime show, Johannes B. Kerner goes on a journey through German history and stops at ten outstanding cultural treasures from different eras. Around these ten treasures, prominent… More
Completed The Airport in the Middle of Nowhere A History of Gander International Once the world’s largest airport, Gander International was a global hub for aviation, a listening post during the Cold War, a loophole to the west and a refuge for stranded… More
Completed Venezuela on the edge of the precipice How to bring down a state Twenty years after Hugo Chávez’s revolution, the oil-richest country in the world is experiencing an economic and humanitarian catastrophe: crushed by corruption and poverty, economic sanctions and hyperinflation, Venezuela is… More
Completed Terra X: Wild Weather On the Trail of Climate Research Heat, drought, storms and floods – is the accumulation of extreme weather situations a coincidence or is it caused by climate change? And how are heat records in Germany, forest… More
Completed Markus Lanz – England unadorned Ordeal of a nation Great Britain is and has been in a deep crisis long before Brexit. Markus Lanz goes on another exploratory trip and captures the mood of very different characters of British… More
Completed The Truth about the Lie He is the human embodiment of Pinocchio. Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States of America, tells one lie after the other. Incredibly, he has told over 7000… More
Completed Poland 39 How German Soldiers became Murderers It is the prelude to the worst bloodshed of mankind: The German invasion of Poland on the first of September 1939. On the occasion of the 80th anniversary the film… More
Series Completed Bastions of Power Impregnable fortresses, homes of the rich and beautiful, magnificent buildings brimming with power – no other type of building symbolises an epoch as representative as the castle symbolises the European… More
Completed 37 GRAD – No time for tears Parents of children with cancer When your own child gets the diagnosis of cancer your family’s life will be turned upside down. Treatment often takes years, and the outcome is uncertain, despite ever better treatment… More
Completed Mars – Enigmatic Desert World With Alexander Gerst Mars is a planet of superlatives – with the largest canyon and the highest volcano in the solar system. It has always inspired imagination and research. It is the next… More
Completed Versailles Shame or Opportunity No other treaty in history has been given so many epithets as this one: a peace of shame or disgrace, a peace of dictatorship, a peace of annihilation or of… More
Completed Magical Stage Behind the scenes of the Berlin State Opera With ‘Hippolyte et Aricie’, a courageous new project at the Berlin Staatsoper Unter den Linden is being created and we were involved with the camera right from the start. How… More
Completed My hardest journey A pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela The Way of St. James – A journey to oneself. In six weeks, five men and women, who have never met before, pilgrimage together over 800 kilometres to the “end… More
Completed The Azores Paradise Islands in the Atlantic In the middle of the vast expanses of the Atlantic Ocean they suddenly appear: the Azores. A place of longing for sailors, adventurers and nature lovers. It is a world… More
Completed ZDFZEIT: Loud, Brash, National How Salvini, Orbán & Co. divide Europe Europe is drifting to the right, nationalism is in vogue again, liberal democracies and the EU is being scorned by the right. Is the old Europe even salvageable in the… More
Series Completed The Fascination of Water Water fills seas and rivers, it piles up icebergs and glaciers, forms fog and clouds. The constant change between ice, water and steam seems completely natural to us, and yet… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos – Nutrition Trends How healthy are Low, Slow & No? Low carb, high fat and interval fasting are in fashion, the struggle to find the right, truly healthy diet is becoming a cult. Food that promises a positive effect on… More
Series Completed “My first time” First-time Voters meet Top Candidates Three top candidates meet around 50 first-time voters and discuss issues of the upcoming European elections: “How do you make people believe in the benefits of the EU again?”, “How… More
Series Completed The Big 50 Season 2 Unique sayings, emotional adventures, dramatic encounters, great disasters. Our history is marked by countless emotions and memories. Whether sports, film, science, politics, religion, natural disasters – in the ranking show… More
Completed Living among ″The Master Race″ Namibia's struggle against German colonialists Namibia was a German colony, German-South West Africa, for only 30 years. Yet this era cast a long shadow over the country and Namibia still suffers from the influence of… More
Series Completed ON DAYS LIKE THESE SEASON 2 We love holidays! And we love history! With “On days like these” we combine both. In the 2nd season we celebrate Easter, Christmas, 17 June and let ourselves be impressed… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos – All in the Mind? The Power of Self-Healing Alternative healing methods are in vogue. Although evidence-based medicine is often unable to provide explanations, scientists repeatedly discover astonishing results: People can suddenly cope better with pain, heart patients recover… More
Completed Germany’s Great Political Scandals Spying, informing, bribing: Light is finally shed on some of the old Federal Republic’s last secrets. Members of parliament bought by the Stasi, the “Lockheed” bribery scandals, the secret donors… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos – The Truth Behind the Lie He is the human embodiment of Pinocchio. Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States of America, tells one lie after the next. Incredibly, he has told over 7000… More
Series Completed The Repair Show Season 4 The “Repair Show” enters its fourth season! In ten new episodes, the experts concentrate once again on repairing damaged treasures. Grandpa’s old pocket watch has stopped ticking? A precious oil… More
Series Completed Man and the Moon A Love Story in Three Acts The moon is a place that intrigues and inspires us. It continues to be the subject of study, but also of songs, stories and paintings. For some, the moon determines… More
Completed Special People, Special Moments 2018 In ZDF’s big annual review “Special People, Special Moments 2018”, Markus Lanz takes another look at the year’s most emotional highlights and presents extraordinary moments experienced by sung and unsung… More
Completed Expedition to New Horizons Mit Alexander Gerst ins All Alexander Gerst is the first German Commander of the International Space Station ISS. The film accompanies him during his two-year training period and the exciting months of his mission “Horizons”.… More
Completed ZDF History: Alexander the Great Rarely has a single person changed the world as profoundly as Alexander the Great changed it in the 4th century BC. In barely a decade, the young Macedonian conquered first… More
Series Completed History 360° – History of Mankind Presented by Mirko Drotschmann and Harald Lesch How did we become what we are today? Modern man has been in existence for around 300,000 years. In terms of geological history, this is no more than the blink… More
Completed Terra X: The Moon – Our Magical Satellite with Alexander Gerst In June 2018, Alexander Gerst flew to the International Space Station ISS where he later became its first German commander. For a three-part “Terra X” documentary, our team accompanied him… More
Completed Markus Lanz – Germany! Discussions about unity and law and home Globalisation, digitalisation and shifting values are transforming our society. Are our concerns justified or is our fear exaggerated? How do Germans see their country, and more importantly, how do they… More
Series Completed Terra X: Telltale Signs The History of Forensic Science It can help bring murderers to justice, exonerate the innocent and identify victims. Forensic science is the most important weapon of modern criminalists. But its roots actually go back a… More
Completed Our Man in Cairo Since Abdel Fatah El-Sisi seized power, arbitrary arrest, torture and enforced disappearances have reached unprecedented levels in Egypt. The film investigates the most authoritarian regime in the Middle East. We… More
Completed Superstructures of the North Presented by Hubertus Meyer-Burckhardt What visionary forces are behind a building that has existed for centuries? What stories do the superstructures of the north tell us about the people who built them, the times… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos – Gender Myths The Real Differences Between Men and Women Typical male, typical female – the way we think is still very much influenced by clichés and gender stereotypes. What is fact? What is fiction? Are there typical male and… More
Completed New Home, Foreign Country ZDFzoom about Refugees in Germany Around one million people came to Germany in 2015/2016. They have determined political debate like no other subject – and continue to do so today. But although they were still… More
Completed ZDF History: The Knights Saviours in Shining Armour Myths surrounding knights continue to capture our imaginations even today. For over half a century, knights determined the fate of individuals and entire nations in Europe. Their freedom, strength but… More
Completed What if… Columbus had never discovered America? The discovery of America by Christopher Columbus had far-reaching consequences not only for the “New World”. But what would have happened if Columbus hadn’t discovered America? Would we be eating… More
Completed What if… the Persians had won the Battle of Marathon? Athens and Ancient Greece are considered to be the cradle of European civilisation. Much of what we take for granted in Europe today – democracy, mathematical laws, even the rules… More
Completed The NSU Trial Germany’s biggest trial against right-wing extremists comes to an end after more than five years. As the trial verdict is delivered, the documentary shows the different perspectives of the perpetrators… More
Completed ZDFzoom: Newspapers in Crisis How willing are we to pay for journalism Germany is a country of newspaper readers with well over three hundred daily newspapers on the market. But the business is in a serious crisis. Advertising revenues are plummeting and… More
Completed Russia’s Secrets SURPRISING THINGS ABOUT THE WORLD CUP HOST COUNTRY WITH MATTHIAS FORNOFF What does Russia look like beyond all common clichés? Matthias Fornoff goes on a journey and shows a completely different and often astonishing Russia. Who knew that in comparison there… More
Completed Erotic Perspectives Winckelmann Changes the World Winckelmann? Who? It’s 300 years ago that Johann Winckelmann was born in Saxony. With his erotic view of antiquity, he changed the appearance of the world and continues to be… More
Completed Markus Lanz – Russia! Conversations with friendly strangers Russian-German relations have never been easy and in recent years they have cooled off even further – at least that’s what we’re led to believe. Sanctions and counter-sanctions, propaganda and… More
Completed 37 Degrees: Alternative Lifestyles On a houseboat, in a camper van or a tiny house – there are lots of unusual places where you can live. But who leads this kind of lifestyle and… More
Completed ZDF History: Mallorca A German Love Affair For millions of Germans paradise has a name and a place: Mallorca. Germans have been travelling to the Balearic island for around a hundred years. As early as in the… More
Completed Terra X: Setting off into Space with Alexander Gerst Alexander Gerst is the first German commander to fly to the International Space Station on June 6th 2018. Terra X accompanied him in the preparations for his mission “Horizons”. The… More
Completed Karl Marx The German Prophet He once said of himself: I am not a Marxist. And yet Karl Marx achieved world fame as a pioneer of Communism and Socialism – albeit after his death. But… More
Completed The Journey of Mankind presented by Dirk Steffens Without migration, the world as we know it today would not exist. Because when people migrate, everything migrates with them: their knowledge, culture, religion. But also genes, animals, plants and… More
Series Completed The Magnificent 10 Staffel 3 Curtain up for season 3: The successful documentary series “The Magnificent 10” is back with eight new episodes. This time, we’re picking the scariest stories, the most dramatic childhoods and… More
Completed 10 Facts About Christianity Who hasn’t asked themselves where the church actually comes from? Since when there’s been a pope in Rome? Who invented the cross as a symbol? Or why the God of… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos – Exercise Universal Medicine with Side Effects Sport can help us live longer and keep us mentally fit. Yet only around 14% of Germans get enough exercise. With unforeseeable consequences. On the one hand, fitness freaks go… More
Completed ZDF History: “Russia’s Crown” Russia’s tsars ruled over the biggest country in the world for more than 300 years. Their power was absolute, their wealth legendary and their downfall cruel. In the end, they… More
Completed The Mobility of Tomorrow In an age when rockets equipped with cars are sent into space, one thing is for sure: tomorrow’s mobility is full of crazy ideas – even down here on Earth.… More
Completed Forbidden Love in India For Indian couples wanting to marry against their parents’ will, the men of the Love Commando in New Delhi are their last hope. They offer shelter to elopers and have… More
Series Completed The Repair Show Season 3 “The Fix It Show!” enters its third round! In ten new episodes, the experts concentrate once again on repairing treasured possessions. Grandpa’s old pocket watch that’s stopped ticking. The precious… More
Series Completed Moments in History II The second season of “Moments of History” offers a historical foray through over 2000 years of German history. It tells of the outstanding turning points, events and battles that shaped… More
Completed What if…Islam had conquered Europe? The battle of Tours and Poitiers in 732 is considered a turning point in the history of Europe. Charles Martel prevented the Islamic advance into Western Europe and for many… More
Completed Special People, Special Moments 2017 In an annual review, well-known personalities such as Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke, FDP chairman Christian Lindner, actor Elyas M’ Barek, and less prominent persons have the chance to talk… More
Completed Markus Lanz – America unadorned After having visited the USA in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election, Markus Lanz examines in his second America documentary how people are doing one year after the election.… More
Series Completed On Days Like These! We love public holidays! And we love history! In “On Days Like These” we bring together both. On 31 October, we celebrate Reformation Day and Halloween. But a lot of… More
Series Completed The Europe Saga with Christopher Clark “Europe is not a place, it’s an idea,” concluded philosopher and journalist Bernhard-Henri Lévy. Strictly speaking, Europe is not a continent, it’s an appendage of Asia. In its 2500-year history,… More
Series Completed Either – Or In this fast-paced quiz show, presenter Ben gives his candidates only two possible answers and no time to ponder. Two contestants compete against each other in a duel and have… More
Completed PUR+: THE MYSTERIES OF MIGRATORY BIRDS Every year, 20 billion birds migrate to southern Europe. But why are so few blackbirds now joining them from Germany? PUR+ presenter Eric Mayer takes to the air with German… More
Series Completed Vote for me! Six politicians, six voters. One side is canvassing. The other side is voting. At the end, we find out whether or not the politicians were able to win over their… More
Completed MARKUS LANZ – CUBA! Talks With Fidel Castro's Heirs This journalistic journey takes Markus Lanz first to Havana and then across the rural Viñales to the secret capital of Cuba: Santiago de Cuba. He meets dockworkers, a German-Cuban woman… More
In production A case for Lesch and Steffens: The Wave Breakers How does a tsunami occur, and where is man most at risk? What can we do to protect ourselves against the forces of nature? Can waves be stopped? In search… More
Series Completed The Docu Quiz II Why are all gondolas in Venice black? How warm is the Earth’s interior? And: What do the three stripes on a sailor’s uniform stand for? These are just some of… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos – Digital Vote-Getters Forming opinions on the internet We are online – constantly and all the time. When election campaigns are taking place, this is potentially dangerous – because online opinion-makers can infiltrate social networks and post information… More
Completed Europe and the Refugees Chronology of a Crisis On 4 September 2015, Angela Merkel made one of the most momentous decisions in her chancellorship: She opened the German border to refugees from Hungary. In doing so, she changed… More
Completed Saint Paul: Dangerous Mission Petra Gerster on the Tracks of the Apostle He is considered the superman of antiquity: Saint Paul, the PR man of Christ. Paul the Apostle, the globaliser of Christianity. He turned a small Jewish sect into a world… More
Completed Maybrit Illner Special Viel Arbeit, wenig Geld – war die Agenda 2010 ein Fehler? “Viel Arbeit, wenig Geld – lohnt sich Leistung heute?“ fragt ein 75-minütiges “maybrit illner spezial” am Donnerstag, 27. April 2017, 22.15 Uhr, im ZDF. Engagierte Bürger diskutieren und streiten über… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos – The Future of Mobility The bigger the world population and the higher our standard of living, the more mobile we become. But existing infrastructure is not designed to cope with increased mobility. Roads and… More
Series In production The Repair Show Season 2 “The Fix It Show” enters its second round! In ten new episodes, the experts concentrate once again on repairing treasured possessions that have passed their prime. Grandpa’s old pocket watch… More
Series Completed Oh, Europe On the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, we take a light-hearted but critical look at the history of Europe. The hard facts have already been… More
Completed The Treasures of Timbuktu When jihadists seized control of northern Mali in March 2012 and burned more than 4,000 priceless ancient manuscripts from the former university city of Timbuktu, several courageous people risked their… More
Completed Blood Trail – Far-Right Terrorism in Germany Their victims have the wrong religion, skin colour or political opinion: For decades, a network of far-right terrorists has been carrying out murders in Germany. “ZDF-History” pursues its trail of… More
Completed Nobody leaves for good A homage to life In this show, Markus Lanz pays tribute to numerous celebrities who passed away in 2016. Götz George, Bud Spencer, Muhammad Ali, Roger Willemsen, Umberto Eco, David Bowie, Hans-Dietrich Genscher and… More
Completed 50 Magic Moments in History Unique moments, emotional highlights, dramatic defeats, devastating catastrophes. Our past is defined by countless emotions and memories. Whether sport, cinema, science, politics, religion, or natural disasters – in this ranking… More
Completed The Empire of the White Monks Petra Gerster in search of the Cistercians This documentary is about the spectacular advancement of a religious order to business empire. For the glory of God, medieval Cistercian monks became early capitalist entrepreneurs. For almost four centuries,… More
Completed Special People, Special Moments 2016 In his traditional annual review, Markus Lanz takes stock of the most emotional highlights of 2016, presenting special moments experienced by both famous and lesser known heroes. Alongside athletes such… More
Completed Frontal21 Documentary – New Year’s Eve in Cologne Ever since New Year’s Eve 2015, we no longer associate Cologne merely with its Cathedral, carnival, Kölsch beer and conviviality. We inevitably also think of the mass assaults on women… More
Completed Markus Lanz – America unadorned Markus Lanz travels to the USA to capture the mood of the population in the run-up to the presidential election. In personal conversations, he gets to know people from all… More
Series Completed Terra X: Great Peoples II The second Great Peoples series embarks once again on a journey in time to the origins of Europe. Three new episodes introduce civilisations that have significantly shaped the modern world… More
Completed The Magnificent 10 The Greatest Turning Points in German History We have chosen October 3rd, the day of German unification, as an occasion for a special episode in the documentary series The Magnificent 10. In The Greatest Turning Points in… More
Series Completed Magic Moments In Evolution With Dirk Steffens Evolution produced the elephant and the shrew. It invented bird migration, whale songs and hibernation. It concocted the venom of cobras and gave rise to viruses and bacteria. Mammoths and… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos: The transformation of the oceans A disaster in the making The ocean, a place of people’s dreams, is undergoing a process of change. It is our life support system, it provides us with oxygen and food. But how much longer… More
Completed Death in a mobile home How did the NSU terrorists really die? For years, the NSU killer trio carried out murders in towns all over Germany. When the terrorists were finally identified, Uwe Böhnhardt and Uwe Mundlos killed themselves, apparently aware of… More
Completed Giant of the North The history of the Port of Hamburg This is the story about one of the largest ports in the world, its people and their ideas. It is a story about merchants and their merchandise, emigrants and their… More
Series Completed The Power of Volcanoes Seen in relation to the length of a human life, volcanoes erupt very rarely. Only when we look at traces of such past disasters can we anticipate what may lie… More
Series Completed Terra X: The Celts The enacted sequences and CGI for this BBC/ZDF coproduction were produced by Gruppe 5. Vast battle scenes, the sacking of Rome by the Celts, the conquest of Gaul by Julius… More
Completed 37 Grad – Taking a Break from the Ratrace Recharge your batteries, take time out, try something new. Lots of people dream of doing this, but only a few employees actually have the courage to take a sabbatical, or… More
Series Completed The Magnificent 10 Season 2 The Magnificent 10 enters its second round! In traditionally casual and humorous style, the ranking show introduces a series of historically significant personalities, moments and places. We nominate fanatical eccentrics,… More
Series Completed The Repair Show with Eva Brenner Season 1 What do you do when teddy’s fur’s all fuzzed up, your chest of drawers is rotten or a clock’s stopped ticking? Presenter Eva Brenner and her team fix whatever can… More
Completed Martin Luther Petra Gerster on the trail of the reformer Petra Gerster embarks on the trail of the epochal figure of Martin Luther. The impact he had on the world church is undisputed. But his work is also surrounded by… More
Completed Maybrit Illner Special The controversial issue of refugees – three elections, one subject Prior to the regional elections in the German states of Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate und Saxony-Anhalt on March 13, 2016, the refugee problem placed a heavy burden not only on authorities and… More
Series Completed Women and Oceans The world’s five oceans each has a different colour. They feel different. And smell different. In remote and dangerous parts of the oceans, outstanding women scientists struggle to win a… More
Series Completed Terra X: Rome on the Rhine “Tear down the walls – kill all Romans.” Many Germanic tribes did not consider rebelling against the Roman rule in the Rhineland region. After all, they benefited from Roman civilisation.… More
Completed Moments in history With 100 short special event and explanatory films, we look back at the era of the Germanic peoples. A historic foray into 2000 years of German history. The films take… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos – Burnout: Hysteria or epidemic? The burnout syndrome seems to have become almost as widespread as an epidemic. Millions of Germans feel drained, exhausted and unmotivated. But what actually is burnout? Officially, the condition is… More
Completed Manganese nodules from the ocean floor Gold rush in the Pacific It served as a cover story for the most expensive and spectacular CIA operation of all times. It offers hope to people who once had everything – but then lost… More
Series Completed Terra X: Mankind and his Superhuman Powers II In the second series, more super-talented individuals demonstrate their extraordinary sensory and intellectual capabilities. People with incredible physical abilities fly like birds, ride 20-metre-high waves, live to be as old… More
Series Completed The Docu Quiz Why, in the Middle Ages, was “alles in Butter” (a German phrase literally meaning “everything in butter”)? A question probably only a specialist can answer. But we ask people on… More
Completed Theme evening with Maybrit Illner "Hospitals in a state of emergency?" German hospitals are among the best in the world. But how good are they really? The quality of the services they offer differ significantly, patients often feel they are at… More
Series Completed The History of the Southwest The German states of Baden-Württemberg, Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate still show signs of their turbulent past even today. The TV series “The History of the Southwest” presents their history for the… More
Completed Theme evening with Maybrit Illner "Are we a people?" On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of unification, ZDF presenter Maybrit Illner and Lutz van der Horst investigate present-day German reality, combining analytical assessments and reviews with a dash… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos – Bon appétit! The power of manipulation Who decides what ends up on our plates? Scientists uncover factors that play an important part in what we eat. Apparently, we don’t always recognise the signals our bodies send… More
Completed 37° – Circus: the final opportunity Over a period of three years, we accompanied Adam with our camera. Our film documents the impressive personal development of a supposedly untalented boy – from problematic youth to state-certified… More
Completed Best Pupil to Bavarian Premier: Franz Josef Strauß Ever since he served as defence minister, Franz Josef Strauß divided and polarised society in the Federal Republic of Germany. Some saw him as Bavaria’s saviour and protector against aggressive… More
Completed Black Sea and white nights The myth of eastern Europe. What moves people in this part of the world? Matthias Fornoff, his team and ZDF correspondents take a look at moods and developments in the… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos – Big data What measuring the world can tell us The Earth is rebelling: extreme weather events are on the increase, more and more people throughout the world are suffering from the consequences. In future, Germany will also have to… More
Series Completed Terra X: Germany’s cities with Harald Lesch We only have to look at a map to see how densely populated Germany is. No country in Europe has so many cities. What makes cities so fascinating – and… More
Completed Terra X: A case for Lesch and Steffens The weather makers Household names in Germany, Harald Lesch has been explaining the universe and important and trivial aspects of life to us for years, while intrepid explorer Dirk Steffens travels the world… More
Completed The Myth of Byzantium Petra Gerster in search of an empire It is the story of an empire of superlatives: the legendary city of Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. For one thousand years, the Christian city of Byzantium symbolised… More
Series Completed Terra X: The history of food Fear of the potato, stuffed swan with flamingo, coffee police and soup in a fur pot: the history of food is rich in anecdotes, the most bizarre stories and fascinating… More
Completed The Vietnam War Faces of a Tragedy The war in Vietnam was one of the bloodiest and cruellest wars in history. Millions of Vietnamese were killed, most of the victims were civilians. There were indiscriminate murders, bestial… More
Series Completed The Magnificent 10 Season 1 The greatest losers, posers, construction disasters – history told from a very different perspective. The new zdf_neo series takes an unusual look at world history and subjectively ranks all kinds… More
Completed The Jesus Mystery – Petra Gerster in search of the Holy Land This is the story of a man who really did exist: a devout Jew by the name of Jesus of Nazareth. He spent a year working and preaching at the… More
Series Completed Terra X: Mankind and his superhuman powers From physical superheroes to intellectual geniuses Herbert Nitsch from Austria is the most successful freediver of all times. He has broken 31 world records, and nobody can hold their breath… More
Completed Lesch’s Cosmos – Natural gas and the struggle for power: How secure are our supplies? In the past, gas was like water – we turned the tap and gas flowed out. It didn’t interest us where it came from. But since the Ukraine crisis, we… More
Series Completed HUNGER! & THIRST! If we did everything right, no child on planet Earth would have to die of hunger or thirst. Not really. So why does this still happen? This two-part documentary looks… More
Series Completed Terra X: Alexander the Great He is considered the model of the world ruler: no superlative suffices to adequately describe the Macedonian king’s charismatic personality, his military skills or his vision of a peaceful, multicultural… More
Series Completed Planet Germany 300 million years This film is an adventurous and awe-inspiring exploration of Germany – today, yesterday and in our very distant past. It describes the dramatic evolution of the country from the Carboniferous… More
Completed 37° Fight Johnny, fight! A year-long struggle for survival This long-term observation tells the remarkable story of a determined young man’s struggle for survival. His personal philosophy: “You have to fight, it’s not over yet”. Johnny is a sportsman… More
Completed Terra X: The spark of ingenuity The history of fireworks They scared off Mongols, impressed kings and turned a few individuals into heroes: fireworks. Their century-old career began as a weapon of war, but the higher and louder and more… More
Completed Terra X: Wild planet when the Earth runs riot Earthquakes, volcanoes and storms: since time immemorial, our planet has been at the mercy of these natural phenomena. They destroy, kill, annihilate. But they also give life, they create new… More
Series Completed Terra X: The World of the Knights The knight: half human, half legend. Minnesang and chivalric novels have left us with a sublime impression of the “noble knight”. But what were knights really like? This series tells… More
Completed The Trial of Jesus of Nazareth – Checking facts with Petra Gerster It is the dramatic end of a unique life. In April, A.D. 30, the itinerant preacher Jesus of Nazareth arrived in Jerusalem. Upon entry into the city, he was immediately… More
Series Completed Terra X: Great Nations A journey through time to Europe’s roots with comic elements Democracy, laws, science, literature, theatre, the Olympic Games, water supply, road networks, long-distance trade, transoceanic crossings, globalisation – the list… More
Series Completed Friends or Foes? The Germans and the French Few relationships between two nations have been so fraught with tension, so complex as that of the French and the Germans. In the last 200 years alone, they have waged… More
Series Completed Women Who Made History For centuries, women influenced politics only behind the scenes, sometimes they were the driving force behind supposedly powerful rulers. This series of films is about female stereotypes, women’s roles, women’s… More
Series Completed Journey of Discovery What kind of a world would we live in if there were no discoveries, new knowledge, no curiosity? What kind of world would it be without scientists constantly endeavouring to… More
Completed The Legacy of the First Christians Petra Gerster in search of the early Christian community Petra Gerster searches for signs of the early Christian community, the zero hour of Christianity. In Turkey, in historical Asia Minor, she visits places where the first communities established themselves… More
Series Completed Terra X: Wild Planet When the Earth runs riot At any moment in time, somewhere in the world a volcano can erupt, the Earth can move, or a devastating storm can rage. This often occurs without warning, and we… More
Series Completed Terra X: Superstructures With Christian Berkel The second season of the series ‘Superstructures’ gives an overview of impressive buildings from history: from the pyramids in Egypt to Stonehenge and Asian temples. All three episodes are presented… More
Completed Konrad Adenauer “Why should I care about what I said yesterday” Konrad Adenauer, first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. Born January 5th, 1876, expelled by the Nazis and later on… More
Series Completed Holy War At the latest since September 11th, 2001, the armed struggle in the name of Allah has become a serious threat to the West, where many peoples share the view that… More
Series Completed The Germans II The second season of the series “Die Deutschen” (The Germans) again covers a thousand years of German history, starting with Charlemagne in the early Middle Ages and reaching to the… More
Completed Universe of the Oceans with Frank Schätzing A journey through past, present, and future of the oceans. How did life in the oceans originate billions of years ago? And how could the immense diversity of animals and… More
Series Completed Terra X: America before Columbus This is the tale of two continents, before they knew each other. Europe is small and crowded, and lacks resources, while America is vast – people have space, and live… More
Series Completed Cape of Storm Land of Hope More than 500 years ago, the first Europeans entered the southern tip of the African continent. They found a Garden of Eden and called it the “Cape of Good Hope“.… More
Series Completed Terra X: Superstructures with Sebastian Koch They shape the face of cities and landscapes and stand for genius, madness, and pride of their owners. They bear the traces of history and have written history. Designs that… More
Completed In excellent constitution – 60 Years of Basic Law 60 years ago, on May 23rd, 1949, the fundamental law of the new Federal Republic of Germany was signed in a solemn ceremony of the Parliamentary Council in Bonn. For… More
Series Completed Arminius – Enemy of Rome Arminius – born as the son of a Cheruscan, abducted as a pawn of the Romans, and raised as a soldier, returns to subdued Germania under Emperor Augustus. He makes… More
Series Completed The Germans The primetime ten-part documentary about German history spans the period from Otto the Great in the 10th century to the proclamation of the First Republic by Philipp Scheidemann in November… More
Completed The Gate of the Dragon Chinas langer Aufbruch The century of China has begun. But how has this grand empire called Middle Kingdom become what it is today? The Gate of the Dragon – the Long Rise of… More
Series Completed China’s Forbidden City In the heart of Beijing lies the largest palace in the world, the Forbidden City. For 500 years, it is the home of the almighty Emperors of China, who live… More
Series Completed Supercomet – After the Impact 65 Million years ago, an asteroid hit planet Earth, destroying 75 percent of all species and ending the reign of the dinosaurs. Such an event can occur at any time… More
Series Completed The Jews – A People’s History The documentary series „The Jews – A People’s History” undertakes a quest into more than 3,000 years of Jewish history: tracking back to the beginning of Jews as an independent… More
Series Completed The Germanic Tribes “Through its forests terrible, through its marshes horrible”, thus characterizes the Roman historian Tacitus “Germania”, the area incognita beyond the Rhine. The natives there, the Germanic Tribes, were not in… More
Series Completed China’s Great Wall “You’re not a real man if you’ve not got to the Great Wall“, Great Chairman Mao once said. For more than 2,000 years, the Emperors of China tried to protect… More
Series Completed Update 2057 – The World in 50 Years Robots can reproduce while human beings clamor to be cloned. Overhead automobiles whirr through the air. It’s the stuff of far-out science fiction romance novels, but low and behold, tomorrow… More
Completed Secrets of the First Emperor Das Geheimnis des Ersten Kaisers He conquered “All under Heaven” and gave it his name: Qin Shihuangdi, the First Emperor of China. His most splendid legacy is the Terracotta Army. The film shows the history… More
Completed Dragons of the Sea: China’s Forgotten Fleet In 1405, a gigantic fleet weighs its anchors in the Nanjing harbour. 200 ships and a crew of 27,000 men, under the supreme command of imperial Admiral Zheng He, embark… More
Series Completed Wild East The Wartburg Castle and the Spree Forest! Two spectacular cultural landscapes in Eastern Germany are shown from their most beautiful and mysterious side: first class natural history footage combined with… More
Series Completed Ways out of Darkness Europe in the Middle Ages This four part documentary sheds new light on the ”dark age” of European history. It tells of the scientific, technical and cultural achievements of the Middle Ages which paved the… More
Series Completed Storm over Europe The Wandering Tribes This documentary deals with the mass migration of Germanic tribes at the very beginning of European history, while Ancient Rome raced towards inevitable collapse and a new political centre developed… More
Series Completed Dead Men Telling Tales The History of Forensic Medicine They are the victims’ advocates, deliver the guilty to justice and relieve the burden of accusation from the innocent. For 700 years, forensic medical experts, armed with bone saw and… More
Series Completed Fabulous Animals Wildlife Meets Myth Unicorns, dragons, giant octopuses – tales of fabulous, magical animals are part of the cultural heritage of peoples throughout the world. But is it all just legend? Many of these… More
Series Completed The American Journey of Alexander von Humboldt In 1799, Alexander von Humboldt and the French physician and botanist Aimé Bonpland set out on a research expedition through Central and South America. The first Europeans to journey into… More
Series Completed Dolphin Stories Mysteries and Legends Dolphins are known to be highly developed creatures from whom we can learn a lot. Throughout history, human beings have tried to unlock the secrets of the dolphins’ superior intelligence.… More
