ZDF-Magazin

• Gerhard Lowenthal (up to 1987)
• Fritz Schenk ( from 1987)

The ZDF magazine was from 1969 to 1988 every other week broadcasting TV program ZDF, which was led and moderated by Gerhard Lowenthal. Main content of the magazine were political reporting; known the show was because of their contributions over the communist regimes in Eastern Europe, especially about the GDR.

Content focus

Gerhard Lowenthal went in the ZDF magazine before decidedly and sometimes polarizing, so he got into the visor of the Ministry for State Security of the GDR. The show was highly controversial in the Federal Republic and was heavily criticized by the political left. Lowenthal again attacked the left and Willy Brandt's Ostpolitik. The ZDF magazine saw itself as a forum for GDR residents who are victims of the SED dictatorship were. Such in letters to the editors complaints or concerns expressed were of Lowenthal - including the sender's name and address - in the section entitled cries for help from the other side.

As co-host Fritz Schenk worked from 1971. On December 23, 1987 Lowenthal led for the last time through the show and was then - transferred to the 65th year in retirement - against his express wishes. The Ministry for State Security of the GDR celebrated this as a victory. In the following months until the last mission on 30 March 1988, the former co-host Fritz Schenk moderation and Bodo H. Hauser took over the management of the program. The theme music of the ZDF magazine came from the first sentence (" Intrada ") of the Concerto for Orchestra by Witold Lutoslawski.

The ZDF magazine was sent Wednesday in the weekly change registered D. Successor of the ZDF magazine was the broadcast studio 1

Cries for help from the other side

The reason for the series calls for help from the other side was the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE ), which was signed by the government in East Berlin. In the basket 3, inter alia, human rights were concerned, was also that " freer movement and contacts " between persons of the participating States should be allowed. Lowenthal was the text of the Final Act several times run across the screen, for the record for the inhabitants of the GDR. Then came the first cries for help, whose numbers rapidly increased and led to the broadcast of the same category.

After the show was canceled, led Gerhard Lowenthal and his staff continue their work as part of a club of the same name.