Der Kommissar
Encyclopedia
Der Kommissar is a German
television series about a group of detectives of the Munich
homicide
squad (Mordkommission). All 97 episodes (55 minutes each), which were shot in black-and-white
and first broadcast between 1969 and 1976, were written by Herbert Reinecker
and starred Erik Ode
as Kommissar Herbert Keller. Keller's assistants were Walter Grabert (Günther Schramm
), Robert Heines (Reinhard Glemnitz
), and Harry Klein (Fritz Wepper
) who, in 1974, was replaced by his younger brother (also in real life) Erwin Klein (Elmar Wepper
).
, can reconstruct the events leading up to, and following, the killing so that the murderer can eventually be arrested.
In Der Kommissar, author Herbert Reinecker neatly captures the zeitgeist
of the late 1960s and early 1970s by presenting many young characters that are involved in a crime. These young people usually wear trendy clothes and listen to the songs from the hit parade
, be it at home or in seedy pubs, night clubs, or disco
theques. In Reinecker's world, a young girl who leaves her parents and moves from the country to the anonymous and evil
big city—Munich—will necessarily end up as either a prostitute
, or a drug addict, or a murder victim, or all of the above.
Also, at a time of shifting moral standards in the wake of the Sexual Revolution
, Keller can only shake his head—only inwardly though—at the follies of middle-aged bourgeois
people who think they can practise what today would be called a polyamorous relationship
and get away with it unscathed. As a matter of fact Der Kommissar is full of bizarre relationships: There is the middle-aged wife of an academic who starts an affair with the young waiter of the local restaurant although the latter lives in a rented room and his landlady sees and hears everything; there is the wealthy entrepreneur who takes a liking to the attractive wife of his live-in servant and who arranges for her to spend the nights with him upstairs in the master bedroom; and there is the mother of a teenage daughter who, whenever her husband is working the night shift
, sleeps with a boy the same age as her daughter.
However, Kommissar Keller's ways are also rather contentious by today's standards. He is hardly ever seen without a burning cigarette
; he regularly drinks
on duty; and he addresses everyone who works in his office with du but at the same time expects them to use the much more formal Sie when talking to him. Keller justifies that habit of his in his very first conversation with Erwin Klein (1974):
Over the years, an impressive number of guest actors and actresses appeared on the show, with even the odd UFA
star among them. The guests were, to name just a few, Claus Biederstaedt
(four times), Dieter Borsche
(three times), Paul Dahlke
, Götz George
(three times), Walter Giller
, Uschi Glas
, Käthe Gold
(twice), Johannes Heesters
, Marianne Hoppe
(four times), Brigitte Horney
(twice), Curd Jürgens
(twice), Christine Kaufmann
, Helmut Käutner, Ruth Leuwerik
, Helmuth Lohner
, Josef Meinrad
(twice), Rudolf Platte
(twice), Charles Régnier
(three times), Heinz Reincke (twice), Leopold Rudolf, Maria Schell
(three times), Jane Tilden (twice), Nadja Tiller
, Gisela Uhlen
(twice), Bernhard Wicki (twice) and Tommi Ohrner (twice).
In 1974
, two years before the final episode of The Kommissar was broadcast, Reinecker launched a new series, Derrick
, establishing some kind of continuity by promoting Harry Klein, now Derrick's assistant, to the post of Inspektor (in the same building, "just down the corridor").
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
television series about a group of detectives of the Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
homicide
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
squad (Mordkommission). All 97 episodes (55 minutes each), which were shot in black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
and first broadcast between 1969 and 1976, were written by Herbert Reinecker
Herbert Reinecker
Herbert Reinecker was a very prolific German novelist, dramatist and screenwriter.Born in Hagen, Westphalia, Reinecker began to write short stories already as a high school student. In 1936 he moved to Berlin, where he became editor-in-chief of a youth magazine, Jungvolk...
and starred Erik Ode
Erik Ode
Erik Ode was a German actor who was most famous for playing Kommissar Herbert Keller in the German television drama Der Kommissar . He married Hilde Volk in 1942.-External links:** * *...
as Kommissar Herbert Keller. Keller's assistants were Walter Grabert (Günther Schramm
Günther Schramm
-Selected filmography:* The Ambassadress * Snow White and the Seven Jugglers * Death and Diamonds * The Heath Is Green -External links:...
), Robert Heines (Reinhard Glemnitz
Reinhard Glemnitz
Reinhard Glemnitz is a German television actor.-External links:*...
), and Harry Klein (Fritz Wepper
Fritz Wepper
Fritz Wepper is a German television actor.- Life and work :He has been married to Angela Prinzessin von Hohenzollern since 1979, and they have one daughter, Sophie...
) who, in 1974, was replaced by his younger brother (also in real life) Erwin Klein (Elmar Wepper
Elmar Wepper
Elmar Wepper is a German actor. His television credits include Der Kommissar, Unsere schönsten Jahre and Zwei Münchner in Hamburg, the latter starring with Uschi Glas. His film credits include Cherry Blossoms, Café Europa, Lammbock and Dreiviertelmond....
).
History
Today considered cult television, Der Kommissar had many of the ingredients of the whodunnit: a murder victim, often unidentified at first; a group of suspects who gradually emerge as the police gather all the evidence available to them; and a police detective who, by sheer reasoning, figures out all by himself who the murderer is, while he has his assistants do all the legwork. In some episodes, Kommissar Keller even asks everyone to gather at the scene of the crime so that he, in the manner of Hercule PoirotHercule Poirot
Hercule Poirot is a fictional Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie. Along with Miss Marple, Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and long-lived characters, appearing in 33 novels and 51 short stories published between 1920 and 1975 and set in the same era.Poirot has been portrayed on...
, can reconstruct the events leading up to, and following, the killing so that the murderer can eventually be arrested.
In Der Kommissar, author Herbert Reinecker neatly captures the zeitgeist
Zeitgeist
Zeitgeist is "the spirit of the times" or "the spirit of the age."Zeitgeist is the general cultural, intellectual, ethical, spiritual or political climate within a nation or even specific groups, along with the general ambiance, morals, sociocultural direction, and mood associated with an era.The...
of the late 1960s and early 1970s by presenting many young characters that are involved in a crime. These young people usually wear trendy clothes and listen to the songs from the hit parade
Hit parade
A hit parade is a ranked list of the most popular recordings at a given point in time, usually determined by sales and/or airplay. The term originated in the 1930s; Billboard magazine published its first music hit parade on January 4, 1936...
, be it at home or in seedy pubs, night clubs, or disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
theques. In Reinecker's world, a young girl who leaves her parents and moves from the country to the anonymous and evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
big city—Munich—will necessarily end up as either a prostitute
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, or a drug addict, or a murder victim, or all of the above.
Also, at a time of shifting moral standards in the wake of the Sexual Revolution
Sexual revolution
The sexual revolution was a social movement that challenged traditional codes of behavior related to sexuality and interpersonal relationships throughout the Western world from the 1960s into the 1980s...
, Keller can only shake his head—only inwardly though—at the follies of middle-aged bourgeois
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
people who think they can practise what today would be called a polyamorous relationship
Polyamory
Polyamory is the practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved....
and get away with it unscathed. As a matter of fact Der Kommissar is full of bizarre relationships: There is the middle-aged wife of an academic who starts an affair with the young waiter of the local restaurant although the latter lives in a rented room and his landlady sees and hears everything; there is the wealthy entrepreneur who takes a liking to the attractive wife of his live-in servant and who arranges for her to spend the nights with him upstairs in the master bedroom; and there is the mother of a teenage daughter who, whenever her husband is working the night shift
Shift work
Shift work is an employment practice designed to make use of the 24 hours of the clock. The term "shift work" includes both long-term night shifts and work schedules in which employees change or rotate shifts....
, sleeps with a boy the same age as her daughter.
However, Kommissar Keller's ways are also rather contentious by today's standards. He is hardly ever seen without a burning cigarette
Cigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
; he regularly drinks
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
on duty; and he addresses everyone who works in his office with du but at the same time expects them to use the much more formal Sie when talking to him. Keller justifies that habit of his in his very first conversation with Erwin Klein (1974):
Over the years, an impressive number of guest actors and actresses appeared on the show, with even the odd UFA
Universum Film AG
Universum Film AG, better known as UFA or Ufa, is a film company that was the principal film studio in Germany, home of the German film industry during the Weimar Republic and through World War II, and a major force in world cinema from 1917 to 1945...
star among them. The guests were, to name just a few, Claus Biederstaedt
Claus Biederstaedt
Claus Biederstaedt is a German actor and voice actor. He studied in Hamburg and began his career working with Joseph Offenbach...
(four times), Dieter Borsche
Dieter Borsche
Dieter Borsche was a German film actor. He appeared in over 90 films between 1935 and 1981.He was born in Hanover, Germany and died in Nuremberg, Germany.-Selected filmography:* The Falling Star * Dr...
(three times), Paul Dahlke
Paul Dahlke
Paul Victor Ernst Dahlke was a German stage and film actor.- Career :Dahlke was born in Gross Streitz near Köslin in Farther Pomerania. He visited school in Köslin, Stargard and passed his Abitur in Dortmund in 1922...
, Götz George
Götz George
Götz George is a German actor, son of actor couple Berta Drews and Heinrich George. His arguably best-known role is that of Duisburg commissar Horst Schimanski in the TV crime series Tatort.-Early years:...
(three times), Walter Giller
Walter Giller
Walter Giller is a German actor.He has been married since 1956 to actress Nadja Tiller.On August 6, 2009, he was diagonosed with lung cancer. He underwent a major operation...
, Uschi Glas
Uschi Glas
Uschi Glas is a German film and television actress.Born in Landau, Bavaria, Glas started appearing in films in 1965...
, Käthe Gold
Käthe Gold
Käthe Gold was an Austrian actress.Born in Vienna, she trained in that city as an actress and then went to Bern, Breslau and Munich. In 1932 she went to Berlin, where she remained until 1944...
(twice), Johannes Heesters
Johannes Heesters
Johan Marius Nicolaas "Johannes" Heesters is a Dutch actor, singer and entertainer with a -year career, almost exclusively in the German-speaking world. In Germany and Austria, Heesters is mainly known for his acting career...
, Marianne Hoppe
Marianne Hoppe
Marianne Hoppe was a most distinguished German theatre and film actress.-Life and work:Born in Rostock, Marianne Hoppe became a leading lady of stage and films in Germany. She was born into a wealthy land owning family and was initially privately educated on her father's private estate...
(four times), Brigitte Horney
Brigitte Horney
Brigitte Horney was a German theatre and film actress. Best remembered was her role as Empress Katherine the Great in the 1943 version of the UFA film version of Baron Munchhausen, directed by Josef von Báky, with Hans Albers in the title role.-Life and work:Brigitte Horney was the daughter of...
(twice), Curd Jürgens
Curd Jürgens
Curd Gustav Andreas Gottlieb Franz Jürgens was a German-Austrian stage and film actor. He was usually billed in English-speaking films as Curt Jurgens.-Early life:...
(twice), Christine Kaufmann
Christine Kaufmann
Christine Maria Kaufmann is a German actress. In 1961 she won the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actress, the only German to be so honoured....
, Helmut Käutner, Ruth Leuwerik
Ruth Leuwerik
Ruth Leuwerik is a German film actress. She appeared in 34 films between 1950 and 1977. Leuwerik is probably best known for her portrayal of Maria von Trapp in the films The Trapp Family and The Trapp Family in America. In the 1950s she and Dieter Borsche were considered as the ideal couple of the...
, Helmuth Lohner
Helmuth Lohner
Helmuth Lohner is an Austrian actor, theatre director, and from 2004 to 2006 director of the Theater in der Josefstadt....
, Josef Meinrad
Josef Meinrad
Josef Meinrad was an Austrian actor.Josef Meinrad was born Josef Moučka in Vienna, as the fourth and youngest child of the tramdriver Franz Moučka and his second wife Katharina. For his secondary education, he received a scholarship in a school run by Redemptorists in Katzelsdorf near Wiener...
(twice), Rudolf Platte
Rudolf Platte
-Selected filmography:* Gold * Columbus Discovers Kraehwinkel * Mamitschka * Dr. Sibelius * Destination Death * Veronika Voss...
(twice), Charles Régnier
Charles Régnier
Charles Régnier was a German film actor. He appeared in over 135 films between 1949 and 2000.He was born in Freiburg, Germany and died in Bad Wiessee, Germany.-Selected filmography:* The Last Illusion...
(three times), Heinz Reincke (twice), Leopold Rudolf, Maria Schell
Maria Schell
Maria Margarethe Anna Schell was an Austrian/Swiss actress, who won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival in 1956 for Gervaise....
(three times), Jane Tilden (twice), Nadja Tiller
Nadja Tiller
Nadja Tiller is an Austrian actress. She was one of the most popular German actresses of the 1950s and 1960s.She won the Miss Austria competition in 1949, a national beauty pageant for unmarried women in Austria. She had her major film debut in 1952 in 'Märchen vom Glück .In 1955, she acted...
, Gisela Uhlen
Gisela Uhlen
Gisela Uhlen was a German film actress and occasional screen writer.-Biography:Uhlen was born Gisela Friedlinde Schreck in Leipzig, Germany as fourth child of Luise Frieda and distillery owner and former opera singer Augustin Schreck.At the Leipziger Konservatorium she enrolled in a modern dance...
(twice), Bernhard Wicki (twice) and Tommi Ohrner (twice).
In 1974
1974 in television
The year 1974 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1974.For the American TV schedule, see: 1974-75 American network television schedule.-Events:...
, two years before the final episode of The Kommissar was broadcast, Reinecker launched a new series, Derrick
Derrick (TV series)
Derrick is a German TV series produced by Telenova Film und Fernsehproduktion in association with ZDF, ORF and SRG between 1974 and 1998 about Detective Chief Inspector Stephan Derrick and his loyal assistant Inspector Harry Klein , who solve murder cases in Munich and surroundings Derrick is a...
, establishing some kind of continuity by promoting Harry Klein, now Derrick's assistant, to the post of Inspektor (in the same building, "just down the corridor").