ORF premiere: A hospital in divided Berlin
Vienna (OTS) – An institution changing over time: The award-winning historical TV drama series “Charité” tells of groundbreaking medical research and enormous social upheavals that shape the Berlin hospital. The first season took place at the end of the 19th century, the second season during the National Socialist era and at the end of the Second World War – the three 90-minute episodes of the third season will air every Friday at 8:15 p.m. on ORF 2 from July 26, 2024 on ORF ON at the time of the construction of the Berlin Wall: scarcity economy, political appropriation, flight from the state – the Cold War has the Berlin Charité firmly in its grip. But despite the adverse circumstances, the hospital staff tries to remain true to their calling. The main roles are played by Nina Gummich, Nina Kunzendorf, “Everyman” Philipp Hochmair, Uwe Ochsenknecht, Max Wagner, Franz Hartwig, and many more. The film was directed by Christina Hartmann, who is also responsible for the script with Stefan Dähnert, Regine Bielefeldt and John-Hendrik Karsten.
More about the content of the individual episodes:
“Charité III: Iron Lung” (Friday, July 26th, 8:15 p.m., ORF 2 and ORF ON)
East Berlin in the summer of 1961: While numerous doctors and nurses leave the GDR to find better working conditions in the West, Dr. Ella Wendt (Nina Gummich), a young doctor, is transferred to the Charité. She is hoping for support from Prof. Otto Prokop (Philipp Hochmair) and access to his blood bank for her research on early cancer detection. But Prokop, a renowned serologist and forensic pathologist, is more interested in the autopsy of a mysterious death than in Ella’s research. The cancer treatment of the young patient Jasinski (Natalia Rudziewicz) makes Ella reflect on her own past, and she convinces surgeon Dr. Curt Bruncken (Franz Hartwig) to carry out a risky operation. Meanwhile, pediatrician Ingeborg Rapoport (Nina Kunzendorf) is fighting on the ward against polio, which has already claimed numerous victims in the West. When a newborn is admitted with acute jaundice and urgently needs a blood transfusion, the situation escalates: Dr. Rapoport clashes with her colleague Professor Dr. Kraatz (Uwe Ochsenknecht) gets into an argument when she criticizes the inadequate emergency routes between the stations. While Ella and Dr. As Bruncken get closer to each other, their world is shaken by the sudden start of construction of the Wall, which irrevocably separates East and West Berlin.
“Charité III: Limit Values” (Friday, August 2nd, 8:15 p.m., ORF 2 and ORF ON)
The abrupt construction of the Berlin Wall made the hospital the immediate border area between West and East Berlin. The reactions among the doctors are divided, but party secretary Lehmann (Nicholas Reinke) demands that the workforce commit to building the wall.
Dr. Ella Wendt treats the seriously injured Dr. Bruncken after a fall. Her results in cancer research are currently not productive, and it is only when her mentor Prof. Prokop returns from Vienna and offers her a permanent place in his laboratory that she gains new courage. At the same time, pediatrician Ingeborg Rapoport is struggling with the bureaucratic obstacles created by the wall, which make access to necessary medical care difficult. When the first “wall dead person” is found in Humboldthafen, Ella fears that it is Bruncken. Dr. Prokop autopsies the body in strict secrecy, but when the autopsy report is illegally confiscated, he fights determinedly for the truth. At the same time, patient Jasinski suffers a setback in her fight against stomach cancer, which further strengthens Ella’s commitment to cancer research. Dr. Alexander Nowack (Max Wagner) comes under pressure when he is courted by party secretary Lehmann, while Ella treats a patient with severe silicosis in the inner ward and encounters political resistance.
“Charité III: Sepsis” (Friday, August 9th, 8:15 p.m., ORF 2 and ORF ON)
Dr. After being promoted to senior physician, Alexander Nowack covers up an incident with a patient. This disappoints Ella, who is already dealing with the departure of Dr. Bruncken and the growing distance to her mentor Prof. Prokop. Dr. Ingeborg Rapoport continues to try in vain to improve cooperation between the departments. A tragic case of neonatal sepsis highlights the consequences of separate medical responsibilities. The situation also worsens on the inner ward when Ella contradicts Nowack’s diagnosis and carries out tests herself. Two patients urgently need penicillin, but the drug is in short supply. When Nowack seems unable to act, Ella decides for herself who will receive the last dose. Ella can represent Prokop at a research congress in West Berlin and present her latest results. Dr. Nowack vouches for her, even though it could jeopardize his job as senior physician if she doesn’t return. At the same time, Dr. Rapoport explains the psychological causes of the complaints of a young competitive gymnast. In the gynecology department, Prof. Prokop supports a birth during which he has to call Rapoport to his side for the first time in order to be able to act more quickly in an emergency. He finally recognizes the need to build a new women’s ward and integrate the children’s ward.