Das Berner Oberland - Sommer in den Schweizer Alpen

Frederick II of Hohenstaufen was a highly significant German king and Holy Roman emperor. Raised in Sicily, he was a sponsor of science, a reformer, perhaps even the first modern ruler. But Frederick could also be a brutal tyrant. He had his son Heinrich rot in the dungeon, for his imperial honour went before everything else.

His opponents accused him of being homosexual. The male favorites he gathered around him during his short life gave those malevolent enemies solid arguments to do so. He would not have failed if he had proved himself to be an energetic king. But Edward II of England (1284-1327) never was a king like Edward I Longshanks, his father, or Edward III, his son, were. And his end is shrouded in myth and mystery.

Many people have Route 66 on their bucket list: To ride it once, from Chicago to Los Angeles, on a Harley. Or in an old American road cruiser. And experience what we know from the movies: the endless expanse of the plains, the endless deserts with their shimmering red mesas, the small-town USA. Even after 100 years, Route 66 stands for freedom and adventure, the promise of happiness in the USA. But it also stands for the many people who live along Route 66 but are not part of its history. And thus for the USA itself and its contradictions.

The second episode is a journey of discovery through the southern Irish Midlands. This is where the heart of Ireland beats. Largely unknown, this region reveals worlds of scenic beauty, tradition, and Irish cheerfulness—despite the decidedly changeable weather.

Episode I - Between the Wind and the Dunes

Episode II - Between Fire and Water

The first episode is a journey of discovery through the northern Irish Midlands. With their mountains and lakes, vast moorlands, cultural history, and the open-hearted nature of their inhabitants, they are the true lifeblood of the Emerald Isle.