Theodor Chindler - Die Geschichte einer deutschen Familie

The horror of the First World War (1914-1918) shook the whole of Europe and each individual in their own unique way. The reasonably stable order of the family of Theodor Chindler, professor of history and member of parliament for the Center Party, was also destroyed with the outbreak of war. Theodor lives with his wife Elisabeth and their children Ernst, Karl, Margarete and Leopold in Neustadt, Hesse. For each member of the family, the years that followed meant serious changes in their personal existence, their intellectual and political attitudes, their thoughts and feelings. In the Chindler family, too, the fronts that ran through the German people at that time are becoming apparent. In eight one-hour episodes, the later "Lindenstraße" producer Hans W. Geißendörfer succeeded in making an impressively faithful film adaptation of the complex work by journalist and playwright Bernard von Brentano, which is often compared to Thomas Mann's novel "Buddenbrooks". By the standards of the time, the production was considered very expensive and elaborate: Geißendörfer had 4000 extras alone march up to bring this not at all light fare to German television audiences in an impressive production. The fact that this was so successful is also thanks to the cast of renowned character actors who lent so many nuances to the members of this family - above all Hans Christian Blech and Katharina Thalbach. "According to Geißendörfer, the appeal of the novel lies in the plasticity of the characters and the family situation. It is a story that makes it clear that the ideals of the individual are crushed within the power structures. With his film, he has attempted to illustrate a part of German history using the fate of a family." (www.gff.film) "The focal point of the team, which is excellently cast right down to the supporting roles, is Katherina Thalbach's Maggie. The way she almost visibly discovers her social conscience and then uses her head and heart to get the narrow-minded male world of her comrades on their toes and thinking is a great moment of German TV entertainment." (in: Der Spiegel, 1979) In Neustadt, Hesse, the centrist MP and history professor Theodor Chindler resides with his family, befitting his status. He is married to Elisabeth, a devout Catholic, with whom he has has four children: Ernst, Karl. Margarete, known as "Maggie" and baby Leopold. In 1912, Elisabeth Chindler persuads her reluctant husband to seek re-entry into the Reichstag. When the First World War breaks out in August 1914, Chindler is primarily preoccupied with his own conflicts within the family and remains skeptical about going to war. His sons Ernst and Karl disagree with him and want to go to the front as soon as possible.