On The Wave

Nuclear has always been a controversial energy source. While Germany is phasing out its nuclear power plants, France is building a new generation of nuclear reactors to keep the lights on. A look at the nuclear debate over the last few decades and what the future holds for atomic energy.

The documentary Schwarze Adler (Black Eagles) lets black players of the German national football team tell their personal stories for the first time. What road did they take before they got to where we cheer for them? What hurdles did they have to overcome? What prejudices and racist hostility were they exposed to – and what was it like in the past, what is it like today?

A review of German football player Toni Kroos's recent career, including his time at FC Bayern Munich and Real Madrid as well as his participation in the FIFA World Cups 2014 and 2018.

Hard to imagine, but true: According to current estimates, out of 500,000 active male football professionals worldwide, under ten (10) are openly homosexual. While homosexuality hardly plays a role in other areas of life today, the topic seems to be completely taboo in professional football. The feature-length documentary THE LAST TABOO lets those who broke exactly this taboo tell their very personal stories alongside Thomas Hitzlsperger. Like the British professional footballer Justin Fashanu (*1961 in London; † 1998 in London), who broke this taboo for the first time in 1990 and paid for it with his life. His niece Amal tells his story. Marcus Urban, on the other hand, was about to make the jump to the Bundesliga as a teenager and, by deciding to come out, he also went against his big dream. The stories of the US professional Collin Martin and the British player-coach Matt Morton, on the other hand, suggest that normality is not far away.

With the final shift at the Prosper Haniel coal mine in Bottrop in December, an era comes to an end: the age of Western European coal mining. *DIE STEINKOHLE* brings to life the challenges people have had to overcome over the past 250 years in extracting “black gold.” And it shows, in an emotional and surprising way, how German and European history are reflected in coal mining.

Director Michael Wech follows him throughout an entire season (including at the U.S. Masters Tournament in Augusta) and tells a multifaceted story that weaves personal insights with defining moments from his extraordinary career. The film spans Langer’s childhood in Anhausen (Bavaria), his early days as a caddie, and his triumphs on the world’s most prestigious golf courses. Companions from across several decades share their stories—including international sports legends such as Sir Nick Faldo, Roger Federer, Martin Kaymer, Colin Montgomerie, Gary Player, Marcel Siem, and Annika Sörenstam.

In Germany, the forest is more than the sum of its trees: it is a myth, the backdrop to a grand German drama. When one looks at German cultural history, it is easy to recognize the forest as a recurring theme—and as a topos to which people repeatedly returned in their search for a national identity. German culture, it is said, has its roots in the forest, at least since Germanic warriors defeated the Romans in the Battle of Varus. During the Romantic era, the forest became a place of longing; it was painted, written about in poetry, and celebrated in song—and at the same time, it once again became a symbol of national sovereignty. The Nazis exploited it for their racist ideology—and the “homeland films” of postwar German cinema used it to portray their idealized vision of an unspoiled world. The environmental movement of the 1980s feared for its national sanctuary during the debate on forest dieback—and activists lived in the highest treetops to protect trees from being cut down.

The Princes of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg at Berleburg Castle in the Wittgenstein region are among the largest private forest owners in Germany. The family owns nearly 13,000 hectares of forest. Black storks, kingfishers, white-tailed deer, mouflons, and, most recently, European bison—a species of wild cattle threatened with extinction—inhabit the forests, making them unique throughout Europe.

For more than 150 years, the Excelsior Hotel Ernst has stood at the foot of Cologne Cathedral, becoming one of the city's most prestigious landmarks and one of the world's last family-run luxury hotels. Artists, royalty, business leaders and politicians have passed through its doors, including Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, Empress Soraya, Karl May and the Kennedy family. The documentary explores the eventful history of the Grand Hotel and its owners against the backdrop of Cologne's own history. Behind-the-scenes footage offers a glimpse into the daily life of the hotel, while members of the owner family, employees and prominent guests recall extraordinary events, memorable encounters and amusing stories. Historical footage brings the hotel's long history to life and shows how closely the Excelsior Hotel Ernst is connected to the identity and history of Cologne.

In no other region of Europe does China assert its geostrategic interests as confidently as it does in the Balkans. The documentary analyzes how China is reinforcing the authoritarian policies of some governments in these countries, creating dependencies, and thereby challenging the EU, which has been conducting accession negotiations with the countries of the Western Balkans for years.

The ARD series *ERDOĞAN* sets out to uncover the truth: For the first time, former associates and confidants from Erdoğan’s inner circle describe this man’s journey from an unwavering idealist to a controversial ruler. Their accounts reveal the inner drive behind his rise and the mechanisms of his power: Why was he able to repeatedly turn political defeats into opportunities? Where does his political instinct come from—the ability to recognize key moments and exploit them to his advantage? How did he manage to be elected as the undisputed sole ruler?