1982-1998 — reign of Helmut Kohl as Chancellor of Germany. He saw the destruction of the Berlin Wall (November 9, 1989) and the formal unification of West and East Germany (October 3, 1990). At the age of 82, Maria Simon dies. The entire family, including Paul, attends the funeral and traditional feast in Maria’s honor. There are some real divisions among the three sons of Maria, but at the street fair they smooth over some of the hardest feelings. Upset by the death of so many of his friends, but especially over the death of Maria, Glasisch dies. Good movie….
1968 — there are student demonstrations and unrest in West Germany as in the rest of the West. 1969 — Chancellor Willy Brantd opens negotiations with East Germany. He is also the man who introduced color television to West Germany. A Dutch multi-national company was to buyout Anton’s optical factory. Anton seeks business advice from his father Paul when he learns that Paul is back in Germany. Anton travels to the city where his father is working and surprises his father. But the bigger surprise comes to Anton when he sees Hermann with his father. Anton not only realizes that…
1955 — West Germany joins NATO, while East Germany joins the Warsaw Pact. Maria absolutely dotes on her son Hermann. She has great plans for him, wanting him to become very educated. He is actually the first member of the family even to receive a grammar school education. He is somewhat of a poet and wants to become a music composer. The young Hermann is at the girl-crazy stage of his life. He flirts a lot with the two women who live in the family home: Lotti and Klarchen. He persistently and annoyingly pesters the two young women. He is…
