Either Broder - The Germany Safari Season 1 - DVD

Content: Polish Jew Henry M. Broder and Egyptian Muslim Hamed Abdel-Samad have teamed up to embark on a very special journey across their native Germany. They want to get to the bottom of the question of whether they are really integrated. And what is integration actually? What is typically German? What does peace and freedom mean in Germany? To get answers to these and many other questions, the two journalists and authors travel across Germany in a not exactly inconspicuous car, visit an NPD event in Berlin-Neukölln, meet with former employees of various GDR authorities, visit the draftsman of the controversial Mohammed cartoons or discuss with a group that calls itself Grandmothers Against War. They interview the left-wing politician Norman Peach, take part in a very special peace demonstration or meet a woman who has made it her life's work to remove xenophobic or offensive graffiti.

Entweder Broder - Die Deutschland-Safari is satire of a particularly nasty and at the same time frighteningly revealing kind. What makes the series so successful is the very clever pairing of the provocative Henry M. Broder and the more moderate Hamed Abdel-Samad. While both have not always made friends with their views in the past, they have completely different ways of expressing their views. Especially in the conversations they have on their journeys, this makes for extremely high entertainment value. Also extremely well done is the interview technique of the two. Although there is also the one or other discussion, but primarily Broder and Abdel-Samad simply listen to their counterparts and elicit them so statements that are sometimes unintentionally funny, sometimes frightening or absolutely exposing.

So it is actually no wonder that just many celebrities from politics and show business have refused to meet with the two - which is for Broder all the more a reason to read out all the names of these interview refusers. But even the attempt to visit one of the largest mosques in Germany failed due to the last-minute cancellation of those responsible. The interesting thing about this case is that funds were made available by the state for the construction, as language courses and other offers that could be helpful for integration were to be offered in the mosque - a promise that was cancelled after the funds were received. Yet, as Broder and Abdel-Samad learn during a visit to the neighborhood barbershop, the desire for such offerings is certainly present among the neighborhood's Muslim population.

What sets Entweder Broder - Die Deutschland-Safari apart is that while the two booty Germans are clear about their positions, they avoid one-sided reporting. Rather, the series makes it clear that there are open-minded, cosmopolitan, but also frighteningly stupid and narrow-minded people in every religion, in every political persuasion. It's not always pretty to watch, but it's also what makes our country so diverse. A very entertaining satire show that is biting, intelligent and funny in a sometimes frightening way. Worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The technical realization is on a very good level for a documentary TV show. The picture is clean and in most scenes also pleasantly sharp. The stereo sound is rather unspectacular overall, with dialogue and occasional incidental music dominating the action. Good!

Extras: Bonus material is unfortunately not present on the DVD.

Finazit: Either Broder - The Germany Safari is TV satire of the very particularly biting kind. Even if the laughter is stuck in the throat so many times, this Germany tour of the very special kind is provocative, clever and very entertaining. The DVD is technically on a good level, only bonus material is missing. Nevertheless: the five episodes offer enough good reasons to buy this DVD. Therefore: for lovers of intelligent and wicked satire absolutely recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp