On June 11th at 8:15 p.m. on ORF 2
Vienna (OTS) – When the European Football Championship begins on June 14, 2024 (details on ORF broadcasts at presse.ORF.at), all eyes will be on Germany. But what does the host have to offer beyond the stadiums? A feature-length “universe” will show “Germany’s Natural Treasures – From the Alps to the North Sea” in breathtaking images on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at 8:15 p.m. on ORF 2. The film was created as a co-production between ORF and NDR Doclights.
Germany is a country of contrasts. From the Zugspitze, the highest mountain, to the deepest lake, from the smallest Hallig to the largest island of Rügen with its spectacular chalk cliffs. The new “Universe” documentary by Beatrix Stoepel portrays the diversity of habitats of our northern neighbor, presents its animal world in emotional stories, and presents world-famous sights as well as unknown natural gems. The film follows the country’s superlatives. From the Wadden Sea of the North Sea, the largest national park, to the striking rocks of Saxon Switzerland – Germany’s richly formed low mountain range. Here, gorges, plains and bizarre rocks form an ideal breeding ground for the peregrine falcon – the fastest animal in the world. It is considered a success story of nature conservation. The birds had become extremely rare in the 1970s. They were hunted and their eggs were made fragile by the use of the insecticide DDT. Thanks to consistent protective measures, around 1,500 pairs are now breeding again in Germany. The Harz, in turn, is the only region in Germany where the shy wildcat has never become extinct and regularly provides offspring. And this despite the fact that every year over a million tourists storm Northern Germany’s highest peak – the Brocken – at over 1,140 meters. It is known as “Blocksberg”. Walpurgis Night is celebrated here at the end of April. Then all the witches should gather. An ancient folk belief that continues to this day.
Germany is a country of legends and myths. Whether the Devil’s Table in the Palatinate Forest or the Hermann Monument in the Teutoburg Forest, which commemorates the battle against the Romans. The Blautopf in southern Germany is said to have inspired Eduard Mörike to write his “History of the Beautiful Lau”. The statue of a water mermaid is a reminder of this. The karst spring is also the gateway to a huge cave system. It wasn’t until the 1950s that divers reached the 22 meter deep bottom and discovered the entrance. Fascinating stalactite caves and an underground lake opened up to you.
East Frisia exudes a much more austere charm, where nature and its inhabitants are exposed to the whims of the North Sea. In one place it takes land, in another it rebuilds it. Each sandbank can therefore be the starting point for a new island. The seven East Frisian Islands also emerged in this way – thousands of years ago. Kniepsand on the North Frisian island of Amrum is Germany’s widest beach and an important refuge for harbor seals and gray seals. It is not flooded during high tide and thus forms a natural flood protection.
Away from the beach idyll, Germany’s megacities pulsate. Wild animals have also found a home in these worlds of steel and concrete. In Hamburg, a father swan exclusively looks after the well-being of the proud water birds and foxes raise their young in the shadow of the Brandenburg Gate. It’s not without reason that the clever animals have settled in the middle of the big city. There is an extremely rich food supply. Berlin is home to around eight million rats and a similar number of mice – more than enough to feed up to 15,000 foxes.
In winter, it’s not just many Munich residents who are drawn to the Zugspitze – Germany’s highest mountain at just under 3,000 meters, located on the border with Austria. The Watzmann is only 250 meters lower in the southeastern tip of the country. It is the only German Alpine national park and offers ideal conditions for an animal that is made for mountains and cold: the chamois. If you look at Königsee, Bavaria’s deepest lake, at the foot of the Watzmann from above, you might think it is a Norwegian fjord. To protect the unique flora and fauna, it is now strictly forbidden to walk around the lake.
Our neighboring country Germany also has a lot to offer off the beaten track – fascinating wildlife, impressive natural spectacles, but above all an astonishing diversity.
The program and other editions of the nature film series “Universum” are available on ORF ON.