Ein Herz und eine Seele (literally "One Heart and One Soul" i.e. "hand in glove") is a German television sitcom based on the British sitcom Till Death Us Do Part by Johnny Speight. The show premiered on 15 January 1973 and lasted for 25 episodes (22 original stories and 3 remakes), airing its last on 22 November 1976, the last four episodes featuring a revamped cast. Ein Herz und eine Seele was written by Wolfgang Menge.
The show was extremely successful during its initial run and it still proves very popular in reruns, in which only the colour episodes are traditionally aired. and Rosenmontagszug (set during the winter carnival season) have gained such popularity that they are now shown traditionally on German TV on New Year's Eve and Rosenmontag, respectively.
Storyline
The show reflects the life of a petty bourgeois characterised by the social climate of the Willy Brandt era and its political upheavals initiated by the German student movement of 1968. Ein Herz und eine Seele makes intensive use of references to German politics and social issues of the early and mid-1970s, when Germany was still divided, not just between East and West, but also (in the case of West Germany) between liberals and conservatives. To feature these tensions in a TV series broke new ground at that time. with a moustache and side-parted hair, along with his passionate politicking with a high-pitched voice and frequent hand movements, make his character somewhat of a parody of Adolf Hitler. Raised in Berlin he is a dedicated fan of Hertha BSC, which makes life somewhat hard in the Ruhr area.
Alfred is married (afflicted) with Else, a housewife from Elmshorn, whose fatuity constantly drives him mad.
For the second series, Elisabeth Wiedemann, popular in her role as Else Tetzlaff, was replaced by Helga Feddersen and Michael, formerly played by Diether Krebs, was portrayed by Klaus Dahlen. Whereas the original actors portrayed stereotypical but believable characters, Feddersen and Dahlen turned their roles into purely comedic characters, introducing slapstick. Only four episodes were produced of Season 2, with the final episode, "Closing Words," serving as the series finale.
Despite its polarization and abusive language, the series was initially very popular with up to 15.7 million viewers. It declined in the ratings due to the cast changes in the second series. In 2002, a survey showed the program was Germany's most popular sitcom of all time.
In 2004 the complete series was released to DVD and was a best seller.
Episodes
WDR episodes (black-and-white, 1973)
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|- style="background:#CEDAF2"
! width="85" class="unsortable" | Number
! width="200" class="unsortable" | Title (original)
! width="200" class="unsortable" | Title (English)
! width="150" class="unsortable" | Date
|-
| 01 || Das Hähnchen || "The Chicken" || 15 January 1973
|-
| 02 || Der Fernseher ||"The Television Set" || 29 January 1973
|-
| 03 || Besuch aus der Ostzone || "Visit from the Eastern Zone" || 12 February 1973
|-
| 04 || Die Beerdigung || "The Funeral" || 26 February 1973
|-
| 05 || Die Bombe || "The Bomb" || 12 March 1973
|-
| 06 || Hausverkauf || "Selling the House" || 26 March 1973
|-
| 07 || Silberne Hochzeit || "Silver Anniversary" || 9 April 1973
|-
| 08 || Urlaubsvorbereitung || "Holiday Preparations" || 30 April 1973
|-
| 09 || Erntedankfest || "Thanksgiving Harvest Festival" || 1 October 1973
|-
| 10 || Eine schwere Erkrankung || "A Severe Illness"|| 28 October 1973
|-
| 11 || Der Sittenstrolch || "The Pervert" || 26 November 1973
|}
ARD season 1 (colour, 1973–1974)
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|- style="background:#CEDAF2"
! width="85" class="unsortable" | Number
! width="200" class="unsortable" | Title (original)
! width="200" class="unsortable" | Title (English)
! width="150" class="unsortable" | Date
|-
| 12 || Sylvesterpunsch || "New Year's Eve Punch" || 31 December 1973
|-
| 13 || Der Ofen ist aus || "The Oven is Out" || 28 January 1974
|-
| 14 || Rosenmontagszug || "Rosenmontag Parade"<br />(idiomatically, "Mardi Gras") || 25 February 1974
|-
| 15 || Frühjahrsputz || "Spring Cleaning" || 18 March 1974
|-
| 16 || Selbstbedienung || "Self-Service" || 13 April 1974
|-
| 17 || Besuch aus der Ostzone || "Visit from the Eastern Zone" <br /> (colour remake)|| 17 June 1974
|-
| 18 || Urlaubsvorbereitung || "Holiday Preparations" <br /> (colour remake)|| 15 July 1974
|-
| 19 || Tapetenwechsel || "Wallpaper" <br />(idiomatically, "Change of Scenery") || 12 August 1974
|-
| 20 || Der Staatsfeind || "Enemy of the State" || 9 September 1974
|-
| 21 || Der Sittenstrolch || "The Pervert" <br /> (colour remake) || 4 November 1974
|}
ARD season 2 (1976)
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|- style="background:#CEDAF2"
! width="85" class="unsortable" | Number
! width="200" class="unsortable" | Title (original)
! width="200" class="unsortable" | Title (English)
! width="150" class="unsortable" | Date
|-
| 22 || Telefon! || "Telephone!" || 31 May 1976
|-
| 23 || Massage || "Massage" || 5 July 1976
|-
| 24 || Modell Tetzlaff || "Model Tetzlaff" || 27 September 1976
|-
| 25 || Schlußwort || "Closing Words" || 22 November 1976
|}
See also
- German television comedy