In Germany in the mid-1970s there were two main television channels, Deutsches Fernsehen ("German television", now "Das Erste", founded in 1952 and regionally based) and ZDF ("second German television", since 1963 and operated as a single national channel). Both were funded by a television license and advertising. Colour television started in 1967, and by the 1970s was more widespread than most European countries, including the UK.
Beginning in August 1977 the station ZDF showed 17 Year One episodes and 13 Year Two episodes, once a fortnight on Sundays at 6:15pm (the series was named "Mondbasis Alpha 1"). Shown without commercials, lasting 45 minutes each (all were cut) . The satellite station PRO 7 broadcast episodes in 1989 and 1990 (now titled "Mondbasis Alpha"). .
The opening titles were shortened to 15 seconds and two pictures: the logo, and the episode title. Unlike UK/US Year One, these appeared before the "hook". The episode title is static; for the last 3 seconds the episode title disappears and the Eagle moves. There were no in-episode titles.
Most Year 1 episodes used the Gray theme as the main title and end title, until February 1978 when Matter Of Life And Death ("Rückkehr Der Toten") used the Meco disco version of Star Wars (from Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk, released in October 1977). The remaining 3 episodes of Year 1 used Jean-Michel Jarre's Oxygene II (1977). For Year Two, the Wadsworth theme was replaced by Jarre on all episodes.
While the original episodes finished with a freeze-frame and the caption "series created by", the German episodes cut directly to the 30 second end titles, which repeated the episode and series title. The end titles were just 30 seconds long, with a single picture (a freeze frame from the end of Force of Life).
In most episodes, the writer was credited with the story consultant, so Christopher Penfold's name appears prominently on many more episodes. Johnny Byrne is often credited as "Jonny".
Repeat runs (see listings)
Listing of a 1997 repeat transmission on SAT1 channel, 11:05am. "Several technicians are struck by a strange illness". Thanks to Richard Farrell. This repeat run was from 14th June 1997 to 27th December 1997.
German teen magazine Bravo made a poster featured on the cover of issue 44/1977, 20th October 1977. The poster also appeared in a Turkish magazine
These actors returned in 2004 to record dialogue for cut scenes and un-broadcast episodes.
John Koenig |
Manfred Schott |
Helena Russell |
Renate Pichler |
Victor Bergman |
Wolf Rahtjen |
Maya |
Katrin Schaake |
Tony Verdeschi |
Volker Brandt |
Alan Carter |
Joachim Richert |
Sandra Benes |
Heidi Berndt |
Dr. Mathias |
Wolfgang Kaven |
David Kano |
Henry König |
Paul Morrow |
Peter Kirchberger |
Simmonds |
Horst Stark |
Num | Prod Num | Date | German Title | Translation | Original Title | German Version | Theme music |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
1 |
7 Aug 1977 6:15pm |
Die Katastrophe ![]() |
The Disaster |
John Pauls-Harding |
Barry Gray |
|
2 |
21 |
21 Aug 1977 6:15pm |
Die Teufelmaschine ![]() |
The Devil Machine |
K. E. Ludwig |
Barry Gray |
|
3 |
18 |
4 Sep 1977 6:15pm |
Zwischen 2 Planeten ![]() |
Between 2 Planets |
John Pauls-Harding |
Barry Gray |
|
4 |
13 |
18 Sep 1977 6:15pm |
Auf gefährlichem Kurs ![]() |
On Dangerous Course |
John Pauls-Harding |
Barry Gray |
|
5 |
20 |
2 Oct 1977 6:15pm |
Wer programmiest Kelly? ![]() |
Who Programmes Kelly? |
K. E. Ludwig |
Barry Gray |
|
6 |
17 |
16 Oct 1977 6:15pm |
Angriff aus dem Weltall ![]() |
Attack From Space |
K. E. Ludwig |
Barry Gray |
|
7 |
15 |
30 Oct 1977 6:15pm |
Die Steinzeit-Falle ![]() |
The Stone Age Trap |
K. E. Ludwig |
Barry Gray |
|
8 |
12 |
13 Nov 1977 6:15pm |
Der Mann, der seinen Namen änderte ![]() |
The Man Who Changed His Name |
K. E. Ludwig |
Barry Gray |
|
9 |
11 |
27 Nov 1977 6:15pm |
Die Verwandlung ![]() |
The Change |
John Pauls-Harding |
Barry Gray |
|
10 |
9 |
18 Dec 1977 6:15pm |
Das blaue Licht ![]() |
The Blue Light |
K. E. Ludwig |
Barry Gray |
|
11 |
7 |
15 Jan 1978 6:15pm |
Koenig: 2 ![]() |
Koenig: 2 |
K. E. Ludwig |
Barry Gray |
|
12 |
8 |
29 Jan 1978 6:15pm |
Das Glück der Träumenden ![]() |
The Happiness Of Dreaming |
John Pauls-Harding |
Barry Gray |
|
13 |
6 |
12 Feb 1978 6:15pm |
Fast weider daheim ![]() |
Almost Back Again |
John Pauls-Harding |
Barry Gray |
|
14 |
2 |
26 Feb 1978 6:15pm |
Rückkehr der Toten ![]() |
Return Of The Dead |
John Pauls-Harding |
Meco/John Williams |
|
15 |
5 |
12 Mar 1978 6:15pm |
Captain Zantor ![]() |
Captain Zantor |
Wolfgang Schick |
Jean Michel Jarre |
|
16 |
4 |
26 Mar 1978 6:15pm |
Ein Ring von Licht ![]() |
A Ring Of Light |
Wolfgang Schick |
Jean Michel Jarre |
|
17 |
3 |
9 Apr 1978 6:15pm |
Die schwarze Sonne ![]() |
The Black Sun | Wolfgang Schick |
Jean Michel Jarre |
|
18 |
25 |
23 Apr 1978 6:15pm |
Die Metamorphose |
The Metamorph | Jean Michel Jarre |
||
19 |
26 |
7 May 1978 6:15pm |
Die Verstoßenen |
The Outcasts |
Jean Michel Jarre |
||
20 |
28 |
21 May 1978 6:15pm |
Der entscheidende Stoff |
The Decisive Material |
Jean Michel Jarre |
||
21 |
29 |
4 Jun 1978 6:15pm |
Schottische Geschichten |
Scottish Stories |
Jean Michel Jarre |
||
22 |
39 |
18 Jun 1978 6:15pm |
Die andese Seite |
The Other Side |
Jean Michel Jarre |
||
23 |
31 |
9 Jul 1978 6:15pm |
Rühr nicht die Pflanze an! |
Don't touch the Plant! |
Jean Michel Jarre |
||
24 |
38 |
23 Jul 1978 6:15pm |
Die Feuerwolke |
The Fire Cloud |
Jean Michel Jarre |
||
25 |
37 |
6 Aug 1978 6:15pm |
Das Spiegelwunder |
The Mirror Wonder |
Jean Michel Jarre |
||
26 |
44 |
20 Aug 1978 6:15pm |
Die Meuterei |
The Mutiny |
Jean Michel Jarre |
||
27 |
36 |
3 Sep 1978 6:15pm |
Gegen die Zeit |
Against Time |
Jean Michel Jarre |
||
28 |
35 |
17 Sep 1978 6:15pm |
Planet der Wastenden |
Planet Of Waiting |
Jean Michel Jarre |
||
29 |
40 |
1 Oct 1978 6:15pm |
Der böse Zauber |
The Wicked Magic |
Jean Michel Jarre |
||
30 |
47 |
15 Oct 1978 6:15pm |
Zoran's Schicksal |
Zoran's Fate |
Jean Michel Jarre |
||
|
|||||||
10 |
DVD only |
Das Alpha Kind |
Alpha Child |
||||
14 |
DVD only |
Ultima Thule |
Ultima Thule |
||||
16 |
DVD only |
Unsterblich |
|||||
19 |
DVD only |
Wütender Geist |
Furious Spirit |
||||
22 |
DVD only |
Das Notsignal |
The distress signal |
||||
23 |
DVD only |
Wächter des Todes |
Guard of Death |
||||
24 |
DVD only |
Das Vermächtnis der Arkadianer |
The legacy of the Arkadians |
||||
27 |
DVD only |
Das Androidenvolk |
The Android People |
||||
30 |
DVD only |
Der Händler |
The Dealer |
||||
32 |
DVD only |
Die Aussätzigen von Achanon |
|||||
33 |
DVD only |
Der Roboter |
The Robot |
||||
34 |
DVD only |
Der Schöpfer |
The Creator |
||||
41 |
DVD only |
Besuch von der Erde - Teil 1 |
Appearance From The Earth |
||||
42 |
DVD only |
Besuch von der Erde - Teil 2 |
Appearance From The Earth |
||||
43 |
DVD only |
Tödliche Strahlung |
Deadly radiation |
||||
45 |
DVD only |
Gestaltenwandler |
Shape Changer |
||||
46 |
DVD only |
Jagdspiele |
Hunt Games |
||||
48 |
DVD only |
Die Letzte ihrer Art |
The Last One of its Kind |
Copyright Martin Willey