Such a wonderful series...

This is one of the extremely few cinematic creations that make me wish there was an "eleven" or even "twelve" (out of ten) vote option... I only saw it once, in 1988 (I think), but it was impossible to forget. It is a very "depressing" series, to be sure, but its bleakness is not gratuitous or self-indulgent. It is realistic - which is exactly what makes it so effective and unforgettable.

Anyone who liked Reitz's "Heimat" or "Zweite Heimat" is likely to appreciate this series, too.