("The legacy of the Guldenburgs") is a German television series that originally aired on
ZDF
ZDF (), short for (; ), is a German public-service television broadcaster based in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate. Launched on 1 April 1963, it is run as an independent nonprofit institution, and was founded by all federal states of Germany ( ...
from 1987 to 1990 and revolves around the destiny of the Guldenburgs, a wealthy aristocratic family, and their nouveau riche enemies, the Balbecks.
While panned by critics during its original run, the show was very popular with the audience.
However, reviews have been more positive in recent years, acknowledging its strong female characters and juicy dialogues.
Plot
Martin Count von Guldenburg, head of an old aristocratic and seemingly wealthy dynasty known for its brewery, celebrates his 60th birthday on the family's estate north of
Hamburg
Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
.
Shortly after, he dies in a car accident however, leaving behind his wife Christine with huge debts and the bitter realization that he had betrayed her with his Italian mistress Carina di Angeli for years. That relationship even produced an illegitimate son.
While Christine tries to save the family empire, she not only has to fight its worst enemies, the Balbecks, a nouveau riche clan owning a big brewery in Hamburg, but also her stubborn mother-in-law Hertha, the dowager countess; her estranged stepson Thomas; and Achim Lauritzen, her dysfunctional stepdaughter Evelyn's shady husband.
Cast and characters
*
Christiane Hörbiger as Christine Countess von Guldenburg
*
Brigitte Horney as Hertha Dowager Countess von Guldenburg (season 1-2)
*
Karl-Heinz Vosgerau
Karl-Heinz Vosgerau (Kiel, 16 August 1927 – 4 January 2021) was a German actor, mostly in television.
Selected filmography
* ' (1970, TV miniseries)
* ''Eight Hours Don't Make a Day'' (1972, TV series)
* '' World on a Wire'' (1973, TV film ...
as Martin Count von Guldenburg (pilot only)
*
Wolf Roth as Thomas Count von Guldenburg (season 1-2)
*
Iris Berben
Iris Renate Dorothea Berben (, born 12 August 1950) is a German actress.
Biography
Berben was born in Detmold, North Rhine-Westphalia. She grew up in Hamburg, where her parents ran a restaurant.
Berben has appeared in about 150 film and televi ...
as Evelyn Lauritzen
*Wilfried Baasner as Achim Lauritzen
*
Jochen Horst as Alexander 'Sascha' Count von Guldenburg (season 1-2)
*
Katharina Böhm as Susanne 'Nane' Countess von Guldenburg
*
as Dr. Max von Guldenburg (season 1)
*
Ruth Maria Kubitschek as Margot Balbeck
*Sigmar Solbach as Jan Balbeck
*
Susanne Uhlen as Kirsten 'Kitty' Balbeck
*
Friedrich Schütter as Kurt Kröger
*
Ingeborg Christiansen as Johanna Kröger
*
Alexander Wussow as Tobias Kröger
*
Sydne Rome as Carina di Angeli
*
Christopher Buchholz as Claudio Torres (season 3)
*
Stewart Granger
Stewart Granger (born James Lablache Stewart; 6 May 1913 – 16 August 1993) was a British film actor, mainly associated with heroic and romantic leading roles. He was a popular leading man from the 1940s to the early 1960s, rising to fame thr ...
as Jack Brinkley (season 1)
*
Ute Lemper as Peggy Brinkley (season 1)
*Monika Peitsch as Aenne Günther
*
Karl Schönböck as Count Steinfeld
*
Friedrich von Thun as Johannes von Merungen (season 2-3)
*
Bernhard Wicki as Friedrich von Guldenburg (season 3)
Trivia
*The majority of episodes were shot in
Hamburg
Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
and
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein (; ; ; ; ; occasionally in English ''Sleswick-Holsatia'') is the Northern Germany, northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical Duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of S ...
, but filming also took place in other European countries and even
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
. While Wotersen Castle was used for exterior shots of the fictional Guldenburg Castle, a mansion later belonging to music producer
Dieter Bohlen
Dieter Bohlen (; born Dieter Günter Bohlen on 7 February 1954) is a German songwriter, producer, singer and television personality. He first achieved fame as a member of the pop duo Modern Talking in the 1980s, and has since produced numerous G ...
served as the backdrop for the Balbeck estate.
*
Brigitte Horney died only two days after finishing the filming of season 2. As she played one of the leading characters, scripts for season 3 had to be rewritten.
*The show was a big ratings success for public network
ZDF
ZDF (), short for (; ), is a German public-service television broadcaster based in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate. Launched on 1 April 1963, it is run as an independent nonprofit institution, and was founded by all federal states of Germany ( ...
, garnering up to 18 million viewers, and is considered one of its last blockbusters before the rise of privately owned networks in Germany.
See also
*
List of German television series
The following is a list of television series produced in Germany:
Current
Drama
* ''4 Blocks (TV series), 4 Blocks'' (TNT Serie, 2017–2019)
* ''Alarm für Cobra 11 – Die Autobahnpolizei'' (RTL Television, RTL, 1996–present)
* ''Babylon B ...
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Erbe der Guldenburgs
German television soap operas
Television shows set in Hamburg
1987 German television series debuts
1990 German television series endings
German-language television shows
ZDF original programming