Terence Hill: Pazifist und Cowboy

A hundred years ago, long-distance travel became popular and a social event instead of being expeditions as before. The new feeling of wanderlust arises. The five-part series depicts a journey around the globe with previously unreleased film footage from the 1920's and 1930's, photographs by onboard photographers, and travel writer's notes.

Ever since man invented the flying machine, it has been the dream of daredevil pilots to cross the Atlantic non-stop. Daredevil men and women in their rattling boxes risk their lives for it. The first successful transatlantic flight took place 100 years ago. The documentary by Radio Bremen and rbb recalls the daring and technical ingenuity of crossing the Atlantic by plane, looks back over 100 years of aviation history, tells of adventurous flight attempts, magnificent achievements and records, acclaimed heroes of the skies, but also of setbacks and disasters. "Pioneers of the skies - non-stop across the Atlantic" shows rare original documents - particularly impressive: original pictures of the first transatlantic flight of the R34 flying ship in 1919.

A century ago, the world experienced a revolution in mobility. Cities like Berlin grew rapidly, with the Graf Zeppelin soaring over the city in 1928, sparking excitement for airship travel. These majestic airships made ocean crossings faster and more luxurious, and even enabled polar expeditions. At the same time, automobiles and motorcycles became staples for many, although streets became congested. Women like Amelia Earhart and Elly Beinhorn broke barriers in aviation, inspiring new possibilities for both genders in the field of technology. While air travel grew in popularity, trains remained the main long-distance transport. The era also saw an explosion of new mobility options, with faster, cheaper ways to travel across the globe, making the world seem smaller and more connected. However, this golden age of mobility would be cut short by the outbreak of World War II.