One Night in June (1/6)

One Night in June (1/6)

During a routine night-time traffic inspection in East Berlin in Summer 1980, police officer Martin Kupfer meets beautician Julia Hausmann. And before the questioning is over, Martin has fallen in love with Julia. Martin lives with his parents, separated from his ex-wife and his seven-year-old daughter. Julia is actually engaged to the German-American Robert Schnyder, who visits her almost daily, Julia's mother is the singer-songwriter Dunja Hausmann, who is critical of the regime and doesn't approve of her daughter's relationship. What Martin and Julia do not know: Dunja was the young flame of Martin's father, Hans Kupfer, who, in his position as a senior officer at the Ministry for State Security (the Stasi secret police), used every means in his power to protect the dissident artist from the clutches of his colleagues. But the night-time traffic inspection has brought Dunja's daughter Julia and her American boyfriend to the Stasi's attention. Hans has no choice but to have the couple placed under surveillance. Martin's brother Falk, also a member of the Ministry, throws himself into the case with great enthusiasm. He is angling for a position as department head and is hoping to win the necessary support from his father. But when he sees his brother Martin looking to make contact with Julia, Falk is shocked. His Stasi superior, Gaucke, threatens to derail Hans' and Falk's careers if Hans does not get his youngest son under control. On learning that Julia is Dunja's daughter, Hans is thrown back on his heels. He presumes he could be her natural father and, 25 years on, reappears in Dunja's life. She owes him an answer, but uses all her means to prevent her daughter having anything to do with the Kupfers. Julia is torn. After meeting with Martin in Weissensee, she too has fallen in love. But then there is also Robert, who wants to smuggle her to the West in a hidden compartment in his Mustang coupé. Julia has to decide between Martin and Robert, between staying and going.

Taking its name from the locality in the then divided city that houses the notorious Stasi secret police-run Hohenschönhausen prison, the series tells of young police officer Martin, from a loyal Party family, who falls in love with the beautiful young and rebellious Julia, from a family of dissidents: a Romeo & Juliet saga of two lovers struggling against prejudices and the social and political odds.

Grimme Award 2016
German Screen Actors Award 2014
German TV Award 2011 for Best Series
Nominated for Prix Europa 2011  
The first 6 episodes to be screened at Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) New York in April 2011.

PRESS REVIEWS

• Family saga Weissensee recounts what life in East Germany was like, in a DALLAS style. (Der Spiegel, Sept. 13, 2010)
• Weissensee (...) is simply a well-made drama, which profits from a tight story arc, a superb cast and terrific set design. (Süddeutsche Zeitung, Sept. 14, 2010)
• Behind the surface story of two families in 1980s Socialist East Germany - replete with romance, intrigue and betrayal - a piece of real life emerges: authentic, dramatic. (Welt Online, Sept. 14, 2010)
• A courageous effort - which pays off handsomely. Beneath the soap opera plot, a complex web of desires and wishes emerges, of self-deception and patronizing. (Spiegel Online, Sept. 14, 2010)
• A highly original TV series. (Leipziger Volkszeitung, Sept. 6, 2010)
• Germany's biggest newspaper BILD headlined "The most spectacular TV series of the year." (Sept. 11, 2010)