Kudenow oder An fremden Wassern weinen

Toward the end of World War II, Kurt Marenke, a farm boy, is separated from his family while fleeing East Prussia. It is not until two years later that he is reunited with his mother and his sister Ella in the small village of Kudenow in Schleswig-Holstein. Their father is dead, and their brother Bruno is missing in Russia. The Marenkes live in the chicken coop of the large-scale farmer Fiete Kock. Other refugees live crammed together in the barn.

Directed by —, Kudenow oder An fremden Wassern weinen leans on a strong ensemble — Witta Pohl, Uwe Dallmeier, Edgar Bessen — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 1981.