Die Kirschenkönigin

Ruth Goldfisch is 18 years young, self-confident, and determined. Even as a child, the daughter of a Berlin banker dreams of living on a farm with her own animals and growing vegetables and fruit. The opportunity arises when she meets the attractive officer Albert von Roll at a ball. She snatches up the impoverished landowner and marries him.

Directed by Rainer Kaufmann, Die Kirschenkönigin leans on a strong ensemble — Johanna Wokalek, Hilmar Eichhorn, Frank Giering — 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 drama titles of 2004.