Hi folks,

in an early post-war factory with canvas covered workbenches, women soldered old-fashioned tv sets on the desks. Alexandra Neldel is featuring the technophile Lena Berkow which grew up in the top-secret labour of the Hakeburg near Berlin, where the E1 was developed in the third reich. In postwar Germany, she could convince the family run concern Sattler, not only manufacturing radios but television sets too. The attempt failed, to restart the production of the E1 after the war due to the very delicate issue of the rectangular and flat picture tube. Since Lena penetrates in a male dominated area, she does not fit into the conservative world view of the 1950's. But she goes her way and does not surrender in suffering private and commercial setbacks.

This is the first tv show which deals with vintage radio and television technique in Germany. The film will be aired in three parts, each of 90 minutes on January, 5th, 7th and 11th, 2009 on ZDF. For us in Germany, this is an unique chance to get some million people interested in early television like it never happened before. My RCA 9-T-246, the anniversary model, will be demonstrated in this tv show, one can see a trailer on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAadX-Uu1iA

In another trailer, one can see my RCA set exploding:

http://www.zdf.de/ZDFmediathek/content/652918?inPopup=true

But don't worry, this was only an artificial SFX effect.

Meanwhile, the RCA tv set and other sets returned to me (see photo).

More informations on

http://rebellin.zdf.de/

Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Eckhard

Did any of the television cameras used at 1936 Berlin Olympic Games survived?

Hello,

Did any of the television cameras used at 1936 Berlin Olympic Games survived?

I know only one survived German prewar television camera. It is demonstrated in the documentary "Television under the Swastica". You can see this camera on

http://smashingtelly.com/2008/07/14/television-under-the-swastika/

Start the video and forward to 29 minutes.

This camera was built in 1939 by Telefunken.

Kind regards,
Eckhard

At 11:40 minutes...."she can tie me up in her lasso any time!" Very entertaining. Thanks. :)

Hello Eckhard!
Thank you for posting the preview for this interesting film. I will definitely watch it on TV. Do you you if this film will be available on DVD too?
The second video about the Nazi Fernsehen is also very impressiv. Many german prewar sets are visible switched on and working.

Greetings Josef

Hi Eckhard,
Nice to see some of your sets used in this production.

What was the context of the scene where your 9-T-246 "blew up"? Were they using an American television as comparison for their designs?

Darryl

Cool stuff, Eckhard ! Thanks for posting...

Hi Darryl,

Hi Eckhard,
Nice to see some of your sets used in this production.
What was the context of the scene where your 9-T-246 "blew up"? Were they using an American television as comparison for their designs?

No. The scene reflects the time when television was prohibited in Germany after the war. In these days of the late 1940s, no tv sets were produced, and one has to import them to Germany. This one was imported from the U.S., and due to the different mains plug of the set, the U.S. plug was cut and replaced with a 220V mains plug for the German mains. When the set was operated with 220V, it was "blew up" due to the higher mains voltage. That's the story behind this scene.

BTW: the film crew really has cut the mains plug of this set without asking me. Steve McVoy is so kind to send me a spare power cord with the original American mains plug and the missing screws.

Kind regards,
Eckhard

Hi,

tonight the first part of the early television tv show was aired in Germany. The aired tv show can be seen on the internet until January, 12th:

http://www.zdf.de/ZDFmediathek/content/663856?inPopup=true

Unfortunately, it is in German language. But perhaps the pictures might be convincing. The story begins with a dream of a father and her daughter in Berlin, once in a lifetime to stand on the Empire State Building in New York...

Part 2 and 3 will be aired on Wednesday and Sunday.

Kind regards,
Eckhard

Hello Eckhard,

This is wonderful news! Congratulations!

Speak of starting off 2009 with a Bang!

At least SOME countries are interested in TV history with people like you to help it happen.

I will watch the 2 airings as i receive ZDF via the Astra satellites here in Paris.
will try to record on S-VHS/PAL, i don't trust DVD recorders.

I am hoping ARTE will air it later with a French dubbed soundtrack.

Please keep us informed about DVD availability as these usually have 2 or 3 language soundtracks.

BTW, a nice picture of you and ... i nearly forgot:

Fröhliche Neu Jahr!

Best Regards

jhalphen