Löwengrube – Die Grandauers Und Ihre Zeit
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''Löwengrube – Die Grandauers und ihre Zeit'' is a German television series first aired between 1989 and 1992, created by Willy Purucker and directed by Rainer Wolffhardt. It is set in
Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
and follows the lives of Ludwig Grandauer and his son Karl, both policemen, covering the years from 1897 to 1954. The TV show is based on Purucker's radio play series ''Die Grandauers und ihre Zeit (‘The Grandauers and their time’)''. The series’ main title ''Löwengrube'', meaning ''‘Lions’ Den’'', refers to the address of the Munich Police Headquarters inaugurated in 1913.


Cast

* Jörg Hube as ''Ludwig Grandauer'' (episodes 1–4) and as ''Karl Grandauer'' (episodes 5—32) * Sandra White as ''Agnes Grandauer'' (episodes 1–3) and as ''Luise Kreitmeier,'' born ''Grandauer'' (episodes 4–15) * Christian Mader as young ''Karl Grandauer'' (episodes 1–3) * Julia Gaßner as young ''Luise Grandauer'' (episodes 1–3) * Thomas Klietsch as young ''Adolf Grandauer'' (episodes 1–3) * Gundi Ellert as ''Franzi Gassner,'' born ''Reschreiter,'' widowed ''Fuchs'' (episodes 1–3) * Gerd Fitz as ''Rudolf Grüner'' (episodes 1—22) * Fred Stillkrauth as ''Lederer'' (episodes 1–10) * Marie Bardischewski as ''Frau Gschmeißner'' (episodes 1–5, 8–9, 11, 13, 15–16) * Gerhart Lippert as ''Herr Gassner'' (episodes 1–2) * Andreas Gepfert as ''Lichtl-Biwi'' (episodes 2–3) * Andreas Zappe as young ''Mezger-Willy'' (episode 2) * Jonas Vischer as ''Holzinger'' (episodes 4–14) * Georg Einerdinger as janitor at the Munich police headquarters (episodes 4–32) * Andreas Hufnagl as young ''Adolf Grandauer'' (episode 4) *
Peter Weiß Peter Weiß (born 12 March 1956) is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) who served as a member of the Bundestag from the state of Baden-Württemberg from 1998 until 2021. Early care ...
as ''Lichtl-Biwi'' (episode 4) * Werner Rom as ''Max Kreitmeier'' (episodes 5–32) * Christoph Krix as ''Toni Schöpf'' (episodes 5–11) *
Christine Neubauer Christine Neubauer (born 24 June 1962 in Munich) is a German actress and author. Life and work Background and education Christine Neubauer is the daughter of a printer. Her ancestors came from Munich, Lower Bavaria and Swabia. She attended M ...
as ''Traudl Grandauer,'' born ''Soleder'' (episodes 5—32) * Walter Fitz as ''August Soleder'' (episodes 5–7) * Sepp Schauer as a butcher (episodes 5, 8) * Alexander Duda as ''Adolf Grandauer'' (episodes 6—21, 26–32) * Franziska Stömmer as ''Adelgunde Soleder'' (episodes 6—32) * Michael Lerchenberg as ''Kurt Soleder'' (episodes 6—29, 32) * Gisela Freudenberg as ''Sara Soleder,'' born ''Kampensi'' (episodes 7—29, 32) * Erich Hallhuber as ''Metzger-Willy'' (episodes 7, 13, 17, 28) * Florian Reinheimer as ''Max Grandauer'' (episodes 10–21) * Florian Büse-Böhm as ''Rudi Grandauer'' (episodes 10–21) *
Stefan Reck Stefan Reck (born 1954, in Lippstadt) is a German television actor. Currently he lives in Berlin. His acting training stretching among others graduated from the "Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst" in Hamburg. He played among others in ...
as ''Hampel'' (episodes 10–13, 16) * Gerd Anthoff as ''Walter Deinlein'' (episodes 11–32) * Hansi Kraus as ''Kargus'' (episodes 11–32) * Peter Pius Irl as ''Block Warden Uhl'' (episodes 11–13, 15) * Volker Prechtel as ''Waldhauser'' (episodes 11–12) * Mona Freiberg as ''Kathi Kreitmeier,'' widowed ''Lipp'' (episodes 16–32) *
Thomas Darchinger Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...
as ''Max Grandauer'' (episodes 24–32) Sandra White, who had been playing Luise Kreitmeier, born Grandauer since episode 4, died unexpectedly at age 26 during the production of the second season. Mona Freiberg was then cast as a substitute, playing the new but similar role of Kathi Lipp.


Music

The opening and end theme was composed by Peter Sandloff and played by the
Pasadena Roof Orchestra The Pasadena Roof Orchestra (PRO) is a contemporary band from England that specialises in the jazz and Swing music, swing genres of music of the 1920s and 1930s, although their full repertoire is considerably wider. The orchestra has existed s ...
, recording numerous variations to match the tone of the individual episodes.


Episodes


Season 1 (1989/90)

# ''Charivari (‘
Charivari Charivari (, , , alternatively spelled shivaree or chivaree and also called a skimmington) was a European and North American folk custom designed to shame a member of the community, in which a mock parade was staged through the settlement accompa ...
’)'' #:Spring 1897: In a village near
Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
, local policeman Ludwig Grandauer marries Agnes, with whom he already has a three-year-old son. During the wedding reception, Mr. Gantner, the overbearing leaseholder of a hunting ground in the woods nearby, is annoyed by pedlar Eccell’s singing and yells at him. When Gantner is reported missing the next morning, and a farmer interviewed by the police tells them that his daughter saw Eccell going after Gantner the night before, Eccell is arrested, holding a considerable amount of money as well as Gantner’s Charivari in his possession, but keeps insisting that he found it lying on the ground at the edge of the forest. One of the policemen unsuccessfully tries to make him confess by punching him in the mouth hard; afterwards, Ludwig Grandauer has to take Eccell to the Munich police department, where he is held in custody for further investigation. Only years later, Grandauer learns that Eccell hanged himself in his cell after being kept prisoner for almost nine months despite the apparent lack of sufficient evidence against him. #:1907: Grandauer, now a constable in the city of Munich, is called to the site of a murder, where he finds a precious pocket watch, that looks exactly like the one Gantner was showing him right before the quarrel at his wedding ten years earlier. After some initial backlash, his superiors follow the trail, and are able to backtrack the watch to a pawnshop, where it was hocked in April 1898 by a man presumably using a false name, having emended his signature to match the initials ''F. G.'' engraved into the lid, after first writing an ''S''. Agnes then points out to her husband that the legal family name of the farmer having testified against Eccell, though commonly known by their house name Tannhauser, is actually Schober, and that his son emigrated to America in 1898, not long after the watch was brought to the pawnshop. When the police come to investigate the farm, the daughter admits that Gantner is buried right next to their stable, and accuses her father of the killing, who in turn blames her and her brother, whom they would not find anyway now, eventually revealing that it had been all about his daughter's supposed pregnancy after her having an affair with Gantner. # ''Abgründe (‘Chasms’)'' #:May 1909: One evening while out watching a match of women’s wrestling with two friends of his, Metzger-Willy and Lichtl-Biwi, young Karl Grandauer’s bicycle is stolen, but he dare not tell the police nor his father Ludwig. Willy and Biwi convince him to try and win the money for a new bike at the horse race; when Karl loses, Willy persuades him to take some equipment from the photographer he works for as an apprentice, and use it to produce erotic images of a young woman he will bring in. Following a minor accident with Biwi’s bicycle, a policeman discovers and confiscates the pictures, leaving Karl frightened that his father will know. When he confesses to his mother, she first goes with him to the police and successfully asks for the photographs to be given to her without informing her husband; then she takes her son to the photographer’s shop to make him apologize to his master, who turns out to be rather amused by the whole matter. #:Meanwhile, Ludwig Grandauer and his colleague Mr. Lederer are busy investigating the suicide of a
finishing school A finishing school focuses on teaching young women social graces and upper-class cultural rites as a preparation for entry into society. The name reflects the fact that it follows ordinary school and is intended to complete a young woman's ...
’s headmaster, Dr. von Mandel, who had allegedly been caught up in a love affair, but is defended by one of the teachers, who accuses the headmaster’s wife of being responsible for his death. Grandauer subsequently finds out that she actually did set a trap in order to get rid of her husband by hiring a former prostitute to enter his bedroom, and a private detective to document the incriminating scene. #:Agnes Grandauer shows symptoms of a persistent lung disease, and is urged by Ludwig to go to a doctor. # ''Herrenfahrer (‘Gentleman Driver’)'' #:December 1910: A dead man found on a road has apparently been killed by a collision with a car, that lost a metal ring from one of its head lamps at the scene. When examining the house of the deceased man, who worked as a
taxidermist Taxidermy is the art of preserving an animal's body by mounting (over an armature) or stuffing, for the purpose of display or study. Animals are often, but not always, portrayed in a lifelike state. The word ''taxidermy'' describes the process ...
, Constable Ludwig Grandauer and Inspector Rudolf Grüner find traces of blood beside his bed, and a hammer lying on the floor. When Grandauer interrogates the taxidermist's journeyman, who is living in miserable circumstances with his wife and children, he admits that he got into a fight with his master over some unpaid wages, and hit him in the head with a hammer, then taking his money before escaping. The metal ring from the car eventually leads to retired Major General von Hagen from
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
, who acts very dismissive when Grandauer tries to interrogate him, and denies having anything to do with the accident. #:Agnes Grandauer suffers form tuberculosis, and her daughter Luise has to take care of her and do most of the housework. One day, a friend of Agnes’ son Karl, Lichtl-Biwi, brings in a gramophone to play some music for her, and she takes great delight in listening to it; the same evening, Ludwig announces to his children that their mother needs to enter a sanatory soon, likely before Christmas. # ''Wachablösung (‘Changing of the Guard’)'' #:March 1914: The Munich police has moved into its new headquarters.
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
, a young painter from Austria, comes in to have his permit of residence extended. Lederer and novice Dannenberger are detached to monitor a speech held by socialist
Rosa Luxemburg Rosa Luxemburg ( ; ; ; born Rozalia Luksenburg; 5 March 1871 – 15 January 1919) was a Polish and naturalised-German revolutionary and Marxist theorist. She was a key figure of the socialist movements in Poland and Germany in the early 20t ...
. #:June 28, 1914: Ludwig Grandauer goes to visit his late wife's grave on the first anniversary of her death with his daughter Luise and his younger son Adolf, while his elder son Karl is doing military duty; at the cemetery they meet Inspector Rudolf Grüner and his wife, who have lost their seven-year-old daughter a few years earlier; Grüner invites the Grandauers to a beer garden in the evening. Lichtl-Biwi, a friend of Karl's also serving in the army, comes to see the Grandauers while on his leave, and goes along with them and the Grüners. When he asks for a dance with Luise, Ludwig very reluctantly gives permission, but after only a few moments on the dancing-floor, the music stops for the announcement of the message that
Archduke Franz Ferdinand Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria (18 December 1863 – 28 June 1914) was the heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary. His assassination in Sarajevo was the most immediate cause of World War I. Fran ...
, heir presumptive to the throne of
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
, and his wife
Sophie Sophie is a feminine given name, another version of Sophia, from the Greek word for "wisdom". People with the name Born in the Middle Ages * Sophie, Countess of Bar (c. 1004 or 1018–1093), sovereign Countess of Bar and lady of Mousson * Soph ...
have been
assassinated Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...
at
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. #:In August, after the beginning of the
war War is an armed conflict between the armed forces of states, or between governmental forces and armed groups that are organized under a certain command structure and have the capacity to sustain military operations, or between such organi ...
, the Grandauers receive a letter from Karl, reporting that he is alive and well, even though it is scary when the bullets fly around one's ears. When they go out afterwards for another visit at Agnes’ grave, they have a short talk with one of their neighbors, Mrs. Gschmeißner; just as they are about to proceed, she asks how they feel about Lichtl-Biwi's death on the very first day of combat, leaving Luise heart-broken about the news. # ''Heimkehr (‘Coming Home’)'' #:December 1918: Germany has lost the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, food is running short, and the
Spanish flu The 1918–1920 flu pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or by the common misnomer Spanish flu, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 subtype of the influenza A virus. The earliest docum ...
keeps killing large numbers of people. When Karl Grandauer comes back to Munich, he finds his family's old apartment inhabited by strangers; his father Ludwig has died from stomach ulcers, his brother Adolf has joined a free corps, and his sister Luise is married to baker Max Kreitmeier, who lost a leg in combat. The couple gives Karl a warm welcome, Max opens a bottle of wine, and they invite him to stay with them as long as necessary. #:Late Ludwig Grandauer's superior, Chief Inspector Rudolf Grüner, who is a regular customer of the Kreitmeiers’, offers Karl a job in the police force. Karl meets a young woman, who seems to be a saleslady in a music store, but turns out to be the owner's daughter; when her father tells him she is engaged, Karl stops wooing her. #:The tumults in Bavaria keep going on: Minister-president
Kurt Eisner Kurt Eisner (; 14 May 1867 21 February 1919)"Kurt Eisner – Encyclopædia Britannica" (biography), ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 2006, Britannica.com webpageBritannica-KurtEisner. was a German politician, revolutionary, journalist, and theatre c ...
is assassinated on February 21, 1919; on April 6 the
Bavarian Soviet Republic The Bavarian Soviet Republic (or Bavarian Council Republic), also known as the Munich Soviet Republic (), was a short-lived unrecognised socialist state in Bavaria during the German revolution of 1918–1919. A group of communists and anarchist ...
is proclaimed. A few weeks later, the
police headquarters The police are a constituted body of people empowered by a state with the aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public order as well as the public itself. This commonly includes ensuring the safety, health, and possessions of citizens ...
is seized by troops of the Bavarian Red Army, and the whole class of police cadets taught by Grüner is taken prisoner; they fear to be shot against the wall, but are set free when the Reds flee from the advancing free corps. # ''Konsequenzen (‘Conclusions’)'' #:October 1920: A dead woman is found at the side of a small road, with a sign labelling her a traitor to her fatherland. During investigation, Karl Grandauer comes across Traudl Soleder again, the woman he had met more than one and a half years earlier, for whose family the murdered woman had been working as a maid for a few weeks. The latter's boyfriend, a blind war veteran, tells the police that she had reported her former employer, Baron von Treuenthal, for illegally stashing weapons; a network of armed right-wing groups is revealed, among others comprising the Civil Guards and the
National Socialists Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
. Because of Seargent Holzinger's rash proceeding, the main suspect of the actual murder in question is warned and can easily escape, with some aid by
Wilhelm Frick Wilhelm Frick (12 March 1877 – 16 October 1946) was a German prominent politician of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and convicted war criminal who served as Minister of the Interior in Adolf Hitler's cabinet from 1933 to 1943 and as the last governor ...
, head of the political police, and by
Ernst Pöhner Ernst Pöhner (11 January 1870 – 11 April 1925) was Munich's Chief of Police ('Green' Police President) from 1919 to 1922. He was a vigorous anti-communist and anti-Semite who was in office when Bavarian Minister President Gustav Ritter vo ...
, president of the Munich Police department, who repeatedly tried to curb the investigation. Chief Inspector Grüner, frustrated with his superiors’ corruption, considers quitting the service. # ''Polterabend (‘Wedding Eve’)'' #:May 1923: Traudl Soleder and Karl Grandauer are preparing for their wedding, but money keeps losing its value, and things like clothing are hard to come by. Karl runs into Metzger-Willy, an old acquaintance of his, who promises to provide him a Sunday suit and some good shoes. While Karl is at Willy's pompous apartment to fetch the shoes, the police come to the door, and Willy rushes out thru the back entrance, taking Karl's coat with his police badge in its pocket; the police find a storage room with some stolen goods; Karl is temporarily arrested, but released in time for his wedding eve party at the Soleders’. Traudl's mother Adelgunde is upset by the manners and revealing dress of her son Kurt's girlfriend Sara, a Jewish woman from
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
, and moans about the Jews’ alleged disrespect for her catholic faith when she asks the priest for a dance. #:Meanwhile, the family's music store is failing, with Traudl's father August facing bankruptcy. During the party, he leaves the house and goes missing; he is eventually found dead in the water. The wedding is called off. # ''Umzüge (‘Movements’)'' #:November 9, 1923: The Soleders are moving out of their expensive apartment into police seargent Karl Grandauer's new official residence, but streets are blocked due to the ongoing
Beer Hall Putsch The Beer Hall Putsch, also known as the Munich Putsch,Dan Moorhouse, ed schoolshistory.org.uk, accessed 2008-05-31.Known in German as the or was a failed coup d'état by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler, Erich Ludendorff and other leaders i ...
, that started the night before, and Karl is prevented from leaving the police headquarters for some time. When he is able to get out at last, knowing that the police is under order to shoot at the revolters, he is heading for the
Feldherrnhalle The Feldherrnhalle ("Field Marshals' Hall") is a monumental loggia on the Odeonsplatz in Munich, Germany. Modelled after the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence, it was commissioned in 1841 by King Ludwig I of Bavaria to honour the tradition of th ...
to save his brother Adolf, an ardent
Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
and SA-member; he arrives just in time to get him out of the crowd as fire is opened. Karl gives Adolf his coat and hat to cover his SA-uniform and thus avoid immediate prosecution, and his sister Luise takes him in for a few days until the situation has calmed down. Later at night, Karl tells Luise about the ruthless actions of the revolters, illegally arresting opponents, and handing out death warrants. # ''Schlafzimmergeschichten (‘Bedroom Stories’)'' #:October 22, 1929: Kurt Soleder is working as a presenter at the Munich radio station, when one of his musicians is coming in late due to some sudden sickness; minutes later the man is dead. Police finds out that he died from
cyanide poisoning Cyanide poisoning is poisoning that results from exposure to any of a number of forms of cyanide. Early symptoms include headache, dizziness, fast heart rate, shortness of breath, and vomiting. This phase may then be followed by seizures, slo ...
after eating some of the
marzipan Marzipan is a confectionery, confection consisting primarily of sugar and almond meal (ground almonds), sometimes augmented with almond oil or extract. It is often made into Confectionery, sweets; common uses are chocolate-covered marzipan and ...
potatoes he got from the girl with whom he had spent the night. When questioned by Chief Inspector Rudolf Grüner and Seargent Karl Grandauer, she declares that she found the confections in her mail, with a note saying: “From a grateful customer.” The police then focus upon one of the lady's neighbors, a spinster who shows utter disgust about the young woman's many affairs, and who happens to regularly buy the same kind of marzipan potatoes that were found in the deceased man's pocket. #:Meanwhile, Traudl Grandauer, now a mother of two little sons, wants to replace their old and creaky double bed; but money is tight, and her husband Karl is too caught up in the murder investigation to go shopping. One day, Traudl takes the chance and sells their bedroom suite to an elderly couple to buy a new one without telling Karl, who is rather indignant over the surprise. Eventually Traudl's mother Adelgunde comes home, upset by the news she heard about the Wall Street Crash. # ''Notpolizei (‘Vigilante Police’)'' #:Autumn 1931: A young man distributing the communist newspaper ''
Die Rote Fahne ''Die Rote Fahne'' (, ''The Red Flag'') was a German newspaper originally founded in 1876 by Socialist Worker's Party leader Wilhelm Hasselmann, and which has been since published on and off, at times underground, by German Socialists and Commun ...
'' is beaten up and deadly injured by two vigilantes, who claim that they caught him while breaking a shop-window to steal a radio, and that they only used violence when the alleged burglar put up a fight while being arrested. Inspector Karl Grandauer is not convinced, but the suspects, both SA-members, receive protection from various persons; even Karl’s brother Adolf, working as an attorney at the state’s court, comes in to influence the course of the investigation. Meanwhile, People in the street are discussing
Geli Raubal Angela Maria "Geli" Raubal (; 4 June 1908 – 18 September 1931) was an Austrian woman who was the half-niece of Adolf Hitler. Born in Linz, Austria-Hungary, she was the second child and eldest daughter of Leo Raubal Sr. and Hitler's half-s ...
’s death in
Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
’s apartment at
Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
. At home, Adelgunde Soleder, while preparing for going to an operetta, is confronted with her son Kurt’s having married his long-time girlfriend Sara, a Jewisch woman from
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
. # ''Kehraus (‘Clean-up’)'' #:January 30, 1933:
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
is appointed
Chancellor of Germany The chancellor of Germany, officially the federal chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, is the head of the federal Cabinet of Germany, government of Germany. The chancellor is the chief executive of the Federal Government of Germany, ...
by
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
Paul von Hindenburg Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg (2 October 1847 – 2 August 1934) was a German military and political leader who led the Imperial German Army during the First World War and later became President of Germany (1919 ...
. Chief inspector Grüner is leaving to spend a few weeks in a health resort, and replaced for the time by inspector Walter Deinlein, who fears to have irritated district attorney Adolf Grandauer by uttering a condescending comment about the new cabinet. Kurt and Sara Soleder come to visit Adelgunde on her
name day In Christianity, a name day is a tradition in many countries of Europe and the Americas, as well as Christian communities elsewhere. It consists of celebrating a day of the year that is associated with one's baptismal name, which is normatively t ...
, while Sara is heavily pregnant. Adolf Grandauer offers his sister Luise to convey substantial orders for the
Nazi party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party ( or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported the ideology of Nazism. Its precursor ...
to her husband's bakery, but advises them to get rid of their journeyman Toni, a leftist who has been caught up in street fights with the SA. #:February 28, 1933: Traudl Grandauer persuades her husband Karl to go to Kurt and Sara's
Shrove Tuesday Shrove Tuesday (also known as Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day) is the final day of Shrovetide, which marks the end of the pre-Lenten season. Lent begins the following day with Ash Wednesday. Shrove Tuesday is observed in many Christian state, Ch ...
party; when they come back home in the early morning, they receive news that Grüner is in hospital after suffering a stroke. Meanwhile, the Dutch communist
Marinus van der Lubbe Marinus van der Lubbe (; 13 January 1909 – 10 January 1934) was a Dutch communist who was tried, convicted, and executed by the government of Nazi Germany for setting fire to the Reichstag building—the national parliament of Germany—on ...
is presented as the culprit for the
Reichstag fire The Reichstag fire (, ) was an arson attack on the Reichstag building, home of the German parliament in Berlin, on Monday, 27 February 1933, precisely four weeks after Adolf Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany. Marinus van der Lubbe, ...
, and Hindenburg promptly issues the Decree for the Protection of People and State, massively curtailing people's personal freedoms, including the right to express one's opinion, freedom of the press, the right to organize and assemble, and the privacy of postal, telegraphic, and telephonic communications. # ''Volkswille (‘Will of the People’)'' #:March 1933: Two policemen come to the Kreitmeiers’ bakery with a search warrant for the room of their journeyman, confiscating
brass knuckles Brass knuckles (also referred to as brass knucks, knuckledusters, iron fist and paperweight, among other names) are a melee weapon used primarily in Hand to hand combat, hand-to-hand combat. They are fitted and designed to be worn around the kn ...
and some communist propaganda posters. Inspector Karl Grandauer is called to a gravel pit, where a dead boy with a bullet in his head has been found. His father, a wealthy industrial and member of the
Nazi Party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party ( or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported the ideology of Nazism. Its precursor ...
, has repeatedly been threatened by some of his workers, and immediately suspects his son has been killed by his political adversaries. Later, a mute swill dealer is arrested while carrying the gun the deadly shot was fired from. Mr. Hampel, Grandauer's former subordinate, who has just been transferred to the political police, gets a written confession out of the man, who previously claimed to have found the weapon on the ground. Eventually, one of the deceased boy's comrades from the
Hitler Youth The Hitler Youth ( , often abbreviated as HJ, ) was the youth wing of the German Nazi Party. Its origins date back to 1922 and it received the name ("Hitler Youth, League of German Worker Youth") in July 1926. From 1936 until 1945, it was th ...
comes forward, admitting that he had taken his father's old army pistol to practice shooting in the gravel pit, where he accidentally killed his friend, leaving the gun behind. #:Meanwhile, Troops of the SA and SS ravage the editorial office of the Münchener Post, the social democrats’ newspaper, abusing and arresting its staff. The Bavarian cabinet around minister-president
Heinrich Held Heinrich Held (6 June 1868 – 4 August 1938) was a German Catholic politician and Minister President of Bavaria. He was forced out of office by the Nazi takeover in Germany in 1933. Biography Heinrich Held was born in Erbach in the Taunus, ...
is replaced by
Reichskommissar (, rendered as "Commissioner of the Empire", "Reich Commissioner" or "Imperial Commissioner"), in German history, was an official governatorial title used for various public offices during the period of the German Empire and Nazi Germany. Ger ...
Franz Ritter von Epp Franz Ritter von Epp (born Franz Epp; from 1918 as Ritter von Epp; 16 October 1868 – 31 January 1947)Lilla, Joachim: Epp, Franz Ritter v.'. In: Staatsminister, leitende Verwaltungsbeamte und (NS-)Funktionsträger in Bayern 1918 bis 194 ...
;
Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician and military leader who was the 4th of the (Protection Squadron; SS), a leading member of the Nazi Party, and one of the most powerful p ...
is appointed president of the police,
Reinhard Heydrich Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich ( , ; 7 March 1904 – 4 June 1942) was a German high-ranking SS and police official during the Nazi era and a principal architect of the Holocaust. He held the rank of SS-. Many historians regard Heydrich ...
is made head of the political police. Constable Waldhauser is suspended from duty after making some taunting remarks against Hampel and the Nazis in general. # ''Frühlingsanfang (‘First Day of Spring’)'' #:March 21, 1933: An elderly Jewish man has killed himself by opening the gas-tap in his apartment, apparently in despair of the rampant antisemitic agitation in Germany; the Grandauers take care of his surviving dog. While many people are listening to President Hindenburg's and Chancellor
Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
’s speeches broadcast from the
Day of Potsdam Potsdam Day, also known as the Tag von Potsdam or Potsdam Celebration, was a ceremony for the re-opening of the Reichstag following the Reichstag fire, held on 21 March 1933, shortly after that month's German federal election. Selection of si ...
, Sara Soleder gives birth to a daughter. #:Baker Max Kreithmeier’s journeyman Toni, a staunch leftist, is imprisoned in the new established
Dachau concentration camp Dachau (, ; , ; ) was one of the first concentration camps built by Nazi Germany and the longest-running one, opening on 22 March 1933. The camp was initially intended to intern Hitler's political opponents, which consisted of communists, s ...
. Adolf Grandauer asserts his brother Karl that the prisoners there are treated well; when they come to talk about Sara and Kurt’s child, he points out
Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician and military leader who was the 4th of the (Protection Squadron; SS), a leading member of the Nazi Party, and one of the most powerful p ...
recently declared that “to him, any citizen of Jewish faith is as good a citizen as that of non-Jewish faith.” #:April 1933: The Soleders have decided to have their child baptized, but postpone the ceremony, worrying that Sara's Jewish parents would not leave their store as long as the
Nazi boycott of Jewish businesses The Nazi boycott of Jewish businesses () in Germany began on April 1, 1933, and was claimed to be a defensive reaction to the anti-Nazi boycott, which had been initiated in March 1933. It was largely unsuccessful, as the German population conti ...
is lasting. The child's grandmother Adelgunde is upset by the delay; Adolf, not having been informed of the deferment, comes to visit the couple anyway, and ends up drinking too much. At the police canteen, Inspector Hampel publicly confronts Grandauer about his wife's insinuating to one of her neighbors that his sudden promotion is due to his political alignment rather than to his competence.


Season 2 (1991)

# ''Bartholomäusnacht (‘ St. Bartholomew’s Night’)'' #:June 30, 1934: News are coming in about the
Night of the Long Knives The Night of the Long Knives (, ), also called the Röhm purge or Operation Hummingbird (), was a purge that took place in Nazi Germany from 30 June to 2 July 1934. Chancellor Adolf Hitler, urged on by Hermann Göring and Heinrich Himmler, ord ...
. Chief Inspector Deinlein informs his staff that the president of the Munich Police Department,
August Schneidhuber Ludwig Ernst August Schneidhuber (8 May 1887 – 30 June 1934) was a German military officer and an SA-''Obergruppenführer'' in the ''Sturmabteilung'' (SA), the Nazi Party's paramilitary organization. He held several high-level SA commands and ...
, has been executed by a firing squad; the summer party of the police planned for the evening is postponed by a few days. Kurt Soleder is reproved for playing Jazz and spoofing the regime's debasing rhetoric in his radio program; his Jewisch wife Sara implores him to be more cautious, now being a father. Karl Grandauer is heading to
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
to attend an advanced training course, but tries to pretend going to
Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...
, so he is not expected to visit Sara's parents. #:While Karl is absent, his wife Traudl goes to the party with retired Chief Inspector Grüner, but ends up dancing with her husband's young and attractive colleague Walter Toussaint. Meanwhile, a rumor is spreading about Toussaint's alleged homosexuality, swiftly ruining his career and reputation. Traudl and Toussaint have a meeting (without an intention of an affair on her part, but still in secret), where he bids her farewell stating he was "going on a long journey". Not much later he is run over by a
tram A tram (also known as a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit in which Rolling stock, vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some ...
, presumably having committed suicide. # ''Heimtücke (‘Treachary’)'' #:Autumn 1935: Sara Soleder is distraught after block warden Uhl confronts her with some tenants’ complaints about her little daughter Gerti allegedly soiling the sandbox; Uhl then advises her she should rather go to places where nobody knows she is Jewish whenever leaving her apartment. The same day she learns that her husband Kurt has been summoned to appear at the police station and arrested upon arrival, for unwarily remarking that
German rearmament German rearmament (''Aufrüstung'', ) was a policy and practice of rearmament carried out by Germany from 1918 to 1939 in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, which required German disarmament after World War I to prevent it from starting an ...
means war in front of an external functionary visiting the radio studio. He is sentenced to six months in prison under the Treachery Act of 1934 for causing distrust in the German government by a
special court An extraordinary court, or special court, is a type of court that is established outside of ordinary judiciary, composed of irregularly selected judges or applying irregular procedure for judgment. Since extraordinary courts can be abused to infr ...
, allowing no appeal. The family tries to hide Kurt's legal trouble from the neighbors, and from his mother Adelgunde, who is devastated when she finally finds out. In Kurt's absence, his wife Sara receives a letter from their landlord, saying that their rental agreement will be terminated by the next date possible; Sara and Gerti are subsequently taken in by the Kreithmeiers. #:Meanwhile, Karl and Traudl Grandauer's son Rudi is becoming an avid member of the
Hitler Youth The Hitler Youth ( , often abbreviated as HJ, ) was the youth wing of the German Nazi Party. Its origins date back to 1922 and it received the name ("Hitler Youth, League of German Worker Youth") in July 1926. From 1936 until 1945, it was th ...
; Adolf Grandauer announces to his brother Karl that his girlfriend is pregnant. # ''Tauwetter (‘Thawing’)'' #:February 1936: Due to the upcoming
Winter Olympics The Winter Olympic Games (), also known as the Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held i ...
at
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Garmisch-Partenkirchen (; ) is an Northern Limestone Alps, Alpine mountain resort, ski town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the seat of government of the Garmisch-Partenkirchen (district), district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen (abbreviated ...
, putting Germany into international focus, discrimination against Jews and other minorities is toned down a little; tags designating park benches as “only for
Aryans ''Aryan'' (), or ''Arya'' (borrowed from Sanskrit ''ārya''),Oxford English Dictionary Online 2024, s.v. ''Aryan'' (adj. & n.); ''Arya'' (n.)''.'' is a term originating from the ethno-cultural self-designation of the Indo-Iranians. It stood i ...
” are removed. During the Games, even the policemen supposed to be working in their offices are spending much listening to the radio, even though they are caught up in an extensive investigation on a possible serial killing. When Sara Soleder, now working in the Kreitmeiers’ shop, receives news that her mother has died, Traudl Grandauer goes along with her to attend the funeral in
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
. #:March 7, 1936: Kurt is released from
Stadelheim Prison Stadelheim Prison (), in Munich's Giesing district, is one of the largest Prisons in Germany, prisons in Germany. Founded in 1894, it was the site of many executions, particularly by guillotine during the Nazi period. Notable inmates *Ludwig Thom ...
, but finds himself permanently banned from working in broadcasting or any other kind of media; Max Kreithmeier offers him to work as his journeyman at the bakery. When they turn on the radio, a presenter is enthusiastically reporting on the German forces’ entering the Rhineland.summary of episode 16
on the BR’s website. # ''Veränderungen (‘Changes’)'' #:October 1936: Karl Grandauer is appointed deputy chief inspector. His colleague Inspector Schäfer is following a lead provided by an anonymous woman calling from a telephone booth, incriminating an SS-
squad leader ''Squad Leader'' is a tactical level board war game originally published by Avalon Hill in 1977. It was designed by John Hill and simulates on infantry combat in Europe during World War II. One of the most complex war games of its time, ''Squ ...
of having assaulted her. When this turns out to be a false accusation, Schäfer and Chief Inspector Deinlein are strongly dispraised by
Gestapo The (, ), Syllabic abbreviation, abbreviated Gestapo (), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of F ...
-officer Hampel. Deinlein, who entered the
Nazi Party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party ( or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported the ideology of Nazism. Its precursor ...
to avoid drawbacks to his career, feels disgusted with his own cowardice for not defending his staff nor himself. The next day, Schäfer suffers a minor break-down, tossing around files in his bureau and loudly calling out the regime as a bunch of criminals. #:Max Kreithmeier is still devastated about his wife Luise's unexpected death in hospital after breaking her foot in spring. His distant cousin Kathi, who came to help him out with his baker's shop, is leaving for Max’ continuous hostile behaviour and his spending much time out drinking. # ''Gewalttäter (‘Violent Offender’)'' #:November 1938: Another woman has been attacked by a suspected serial killer, but the surviving victim can only remember the perpetrator's voice, and the investigation keeps stalling. One evening while walking home, Traudl and Adelgunde Grandauer see a mob wrecking a Jew's store, turning away in horror. When Inspector Karl Grandauer comes across a similar incident with his car, he asks a bystanding constable why they are not intervening; as he is told that the matter is taken care of by higher authorities, Grandauer orders his driver to take him away from the scene. # ''Sommerfrische (‘Summer Holidays’)'' # ''Vorsehung (‘Destiny’)'' # ''Wehrkraftzersetzung (‘Demoralization of the Armed Forces’)'' # ''Fasanenjagd (‘Pheasant Shooting’)'' # ''Erbschaft (‘Inheritance’)'' # ''Abrechnung (‘Reckoning’)'' # ''Funkstille (‘Radio Silence’)'' # ''Kopfgeld (‘ Bounty’)''


Season 3 (1992)

# ''Milchkaramellen (‘Fudge Cookies’)'' # ''Tigerbande (‘Tiger Gang’)'' # ''Mütter (‘Mothers’)'' # ''Barfrau (‘Barmaid’)'' # ''Unschuld (‘Innocence’)'' # ''Abschied (‘Farewell’)''


References


Further reading

* Rolf Ulrici: ''Willy Puruckers Löwengrube. Die Grandauers und ihre Zeit 1897 – 1933'', München 1989,


External links


Löwengrube
on the BR's website.
Description and review
by Harald Kloth.
Löwengrube
on the Internet Movie Database. {{DEFAULTSORT:Lowengrube - Die Grandauers und ihre Zeit Historical family drama television series German crime television series 1980s police procedural television series 1990s police procedural television series 1989 German television series debuts 1992 German television series endings Television shows set in Munich Television series set in the 1890s Television series set in the 1900s Television series set in the 1910s Television series set in the 1920s Television series set in the 1930s Television series set in the 1940s Television series set in the 1950s