Groovy Rewind: Ku'damm 56: Life, Love, and Liberation in Post-War Berlin
- by Jamie Johnson
- 2 Min
Scorching Passion and Lively Tunes: 3Sat Showcases Entire Series of 'Ku'damm 56' - Scene of Passion and Music: Three episodes of "Ku'damm 56" air on 3Sat
They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. In the 2016 trilogy "Ku'damm 56," the old adage is taken to the extreme: Monika Schöllack (Sonja Gerhardt) hits rock bottom, and she keeps on falling. She's expelled from her housekeeping school for "inappropriate behavior." In a desperate attempt to escape her shame, she tries to jump in front of a train - but luckily, she's stopped. From then on, it's a downward spiral: Her mother writes her off, a snobbish industrialist's son assaults her, and she's blamed for it.
Life in 1950s West Germany wasn't kind to women. Caterina Schöllack (Claudia Michelsen), Monika's cold-hearted mother, believes her daughter should be a good housewife - and that's the plan. But the housekeeping school flops, and she's hard to marry off. Sonja Gerhardt portrays Monika as a frumpy and timid character, hiding her sex appeal beneath thick glasses and drab clothes. But it all comes to light when Monika discovers her true passion: rock 'n' roll, a powerful force that helps her challenge the suffocating conservative climate of the Adenauer era.
A Trip Down Memory Lane
"Ku'damm 56" takes us on a journey through time. By focusing on the Schöllack sisters and their mother, the show creates a broad tableau that transports viewers to the 1950s. Creator Annette Hess, who's behind the excellent ARD series "Weissensee," packs the trilogy with topics ranging from National Socialism and repression to the German-German division and the exploration of Jewish firms and businesses. It's also about the struggle of war returnees, the role of women, men's weakness, and the liberating power of rock 'n' roll.
To keep things fresh, all these topics are presented in the form of love stories. Instead of the typical woman-caught-between-two-men scenario, the series is filled with multiple love triangles. Each female character is entangled in the mix, making for a compelling narrative that softens the academic feeling of the historical context. However, it occasionally feels like there's too much of everything. The colors are too vibrant, the cars too shiny, and the hairstyles are simply perfect.
Love in the Time of Change
"Despite its flaws, 'Ku'damm 56' is a worthwhile watch. It offers a fascinating look at the lives of young women navigating the challenges of post-war Berlin. The series premiered in 2016 and will air the three parts back-to-back on Friday, June 13, starting at 8:15 PM on 3Sat.
'Ku'damm''Sonja Gerhardt''Claudia Michelsen''Emilia Schüle' "
Ku'damm 56, a popular German television series that originally aired from 2016 to 2021, offers a unique perspective on post-war Berlin in the 1950s. Produced by ZDF in co-production with UFA Fiction, the show centers on the lives of the Schöllack family, who run a dance school in Berlin's famous Ku'damm district.
The series follows the three daughters - Monika, Eva, and Helga - as they grapple with societal expectations, personal aspirations, and the tension between tradition and modernity. Monika, the youngest, employs rock 'n' roll as a symbol of youthful rebellion, challenging the conservative norms of the time. The show explores themes such as forbidden love, sexual liberation, gender roles, and societal change, providing a fascinating glimpse into the struggles and hopes of young women in post-war Berlin.
"I'm not sure I'm ready for this," Monika Schoellack says, as she prepares to dive headfirst into the world of movies-and-tv entertainment with her passion for rock 'n' roll in the popular German series 'Ku'damm 56'. As she embraces this liberating power, she breaks free from the stifling conservative climate of the Adenauer era, challenging the norms of her time.
