Tod eines Schülers
German TV series or program
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tod eines Schülers (A student's death) is a German television series directed by Claus Peter Witt, based on a script by Robert Stromberger.[1] The premiere took place in 1981 on the ZDF television channel.[2]
Ursula Körösi
| Tod eines Schülers | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Robert Stromberger |
| Country of origin | Germany |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Camera setup | Rudolf Körösi Ursula Körösi |
The series is about the fictional suicide by train of student Claus Wagner. Each episode begins with Wagner's death, looking into the subject from different points of view.
Cast
Source:[3]
- Till Topf: Claus Wagner (main character)
- Günter Strack: Horst Wagner (Claus Wagner's father)
- Eva Zlonitzky: Yvonne Wagner (Claus Wagner's mother)
- Hans Helmut Dickow: Löschner (the investigating police inspector)
- Ute Christensen: Inge Reitz (Claus Wagner's girl-friend)
Episodes
| Episode | title (translated) | Original title | Television premiere |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The missing motive | Das fehlende Motiv | 18.01.1981 |
| 2 | The parents | Die Eltern | 25.01.1981 |
| 3 | The teachers | Die Lehrer | 01.02.1981 |
| 4 | The fellow students | Die Mitschüler | 08.02.1981 |
| 5 | The girlfriend | Die Freundin | 16.02.1981 |
| 6 | Claus Wagner | Claus Wagner | 22.02.1981 |
Accolades
Goldene Kamera in 1981.
Consequences
Even though the series received positive reviews, and is still considered a milestone in German television history, it was denounced by parents' associations. A major allegation was the possibility of inducing copycat suicides.
According to a study conducted by the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, during the 70 days following the first broadcast of “Tod eines Schülers”, the suicide rate among adolescents aged 15–19, using the same method depicted in the television series,[4] increased by 175%.[5]
Eighteen months later, after the series was rebroadcast, another sharp rise in suicides was recorded among the same age group, involving the same method—an increase of 115%.[6]
Subsequently, ZDF commissioned two additional studies, which concluded that a connection between the television series and adolescent suicides could not be established. Nevertheless, the broadcaster refused to release the series for retail sale on home video for nearly 30 years. It was finally released on DVD on August 7, 2009.[7]
