The German Programme

	History: Key Stage 3
	BBC Schools Radio
	1992-1993
	History

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	BBC Schools TV
	1987-1991
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	BBC Schools Radio
	1987-1991
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📺ITV Schools, Channel 4 Schools

companyThames & independent companies

started3rd Nov 1980

ended11th Feb 1999

last rpt15th Jan 2002

22 school years

episodes45

duration20 mins

subject 💬LanguagesGerman Language

age rangeAge 11-13 & Age 13-16

languageen/deIn English & In German

10 images from The German Programme

ITV/C4 German

Previous series: Karl und Christa Next series: Wie Sagt Man...?

The German Programme is an ITV and later Channel 4 schools TV series from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, covering German Language for secondary school pupils.

A parent series for all of ITV's (and for a time also Channel 4's) German language programmes in the 1980s and 90s.

The episodes are all presenter-led and, from the very beginning, divided into short segments designed for video recording and playing back as the viewing teacher wishes. Many of them are intended to support preparation and revision for secondary school exams.

Some of the early programmes break into English for a while to explain certain points, but the majority of the language heard is in German.

In the 1980s a lot of programmes were made to support a language course called Partner being devised by Thames Television and Longman publishers. The books and other support materials for this course were finally released around 1987, just as the television broadcasts of Partner programmes came to an end.

When The German Programme started in 1980, ITV had not attempted to support German language studies for over a decade, since the Midlands company ATV's Karl und Christa in 1967 which had been received relatively poorly. London company Thames re-entered the subject after the success of its late 1970s French language series French Studies, which was renamed The French Programme. The German Programme started heavily modelled on successful broadcasts from The French Programme.

The German Programme title ceased to be used at the turn of the 21st Century, by which point Channel 4 had taken over independent schools broadcasts and started to put out successful free-standing language programmes such as Top! and Extra without an umbrella series title above them.

Locations

The units of The German Programme were based in various towns of north Germany.

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Units

Overview

Wie Sagt Man...?

#	Title	Broadcast
1.	In der Stadt	#1980-11-03-00-00-003 Nov 1980
2.	Bei Bekannten	#1980-11-10-00-00-0010 Nov 1980
3.	Einkaufen	#1980-11-17-00-00-0017 Nov 1980
4.	Im Café	#1980-11-24-00-00-0024 Nov 1980
5.	Auf dem Bahnhof	#1980-12-01-00-00-001 Dec 1980

Five clearly structured programmes supporting pupils preparing for their German language exams, and especially the oral part of the exams.

Partner Video Sequences

#	Title	Broadcast
1.	Programme 1	#1984-02-28-00-00-0028 Feb 1984
2.	Programme 2	#1984-03-06-00-00-006 Mar 1984
3.	Programme 3	#1984-03-13-00-00-0013 Mar 1984
4.	Programme 4	#1984-03-20-00-00-0020 Mar 1984
5.	Programme 5	#1984-03-27-00-00-0027 Mar 1984

A set of programmes for beginners studying German, mostly in the early years of secondary school, following a German family in their everyday life, with some explanations in English.

Partner TV1

#	Title	Broadcast
1.	Programme 1	#1985-02-26-00-00-0026 Feb 1985
2.	Programme 2	#1985-03-05-00-00-005 Mar 1985
3.	Programme 3	#1985-03-12-00-00-0012 Mar 1985
4.	Programme 4	#1985-03-19-00-00-0019 Mar 1985
5.	Programme 5	#1985-03-26-00-00-0026 Mar 1985

Five magazine-style programmes presented by young Germans in a studio in Germany with an audience of young Germans, with various features including documentary films, a dramatised section and studio-based games.

Partner TV2

#	Title	Broadcast
1.	Das Essen	#1986-02-10-00-00-0010 Feb 1986
2.	Das Reisen	#1986-02-24-00-00-0024 Feb 1986
3.	Freizeit und Hobbies	#1986-03-03-00-00-003 Mar 1986
4.	Tiere	#1986-03-10-00-00-0010 Mar 1986
5.	Einkaufen	#1986-03-17-00-00-0017 Mar 1986

A further five programmes presented by Brigitte and Lars (known as Dieter) in the Partnerklub studio linking a range of films, interviews and studio-based activities.

Partner TV3

#	Title	Broadcast
1.	Reiten	#1987-03-02-00-00-002 Mar 1987
2.	Im Zirkus Auftreten	#1987-03-09-00-00-009 Mar 1987
3.	Theaterspielen	#1987-03-16-00-00-0016 Mar 1987
4.	Windsurfen	#1987-03-23-00-00-0023 Mar 1987
5.	Segelfliegen	#1987-03-30-00-00-0030 Mar 1987

A third and final unit of magazine programmes entrely in German with young presenters Brigitte and Dieter (Lars) linking together a mix of filmed segments and studio-based games, this time supporting viewers studying towards level 3 graded tests.

Videothek GCSE

#	Title	Broadcast
1.	Personalien	#1989-10-31-00-00-0031 Oct 1989
2.	Lernen	#1989-11-07-00-00-007 Nov 1989
3.	In der Stadt	#1989-11-14-00-00-0014 Nov 1989
4.	Freizeit	#1989-11-21-00-00-0021 Nov 1989
5.	Umwelt	#1989-11-28-00-00-0028 Nov 1989

A series of short items - 25 altogether across five episodes - each showing a different aspect of life in modern Germany.

Willkommen!

#	Title	Broadcast
1.	Alles über uns	#1995-01-19-00-00-0019 Jan 1995
2.	Meine Familie und mein Heim	#1995-01-26-00-00-0026 Jan 1995
3.	Einkaufsparadies	#1995-02-02-00-00-002 Feb 1995
4.	Rund ums Essen	#1995-02-09-00-00-009 Feb 1995
5.	Wir feiren ein Fest!	#1995-02-16-00-00-0016 Feb 1995
6.	Freizeit!	#1995-03-02-00-00-002 Mar 1995
7.	Sport! Sport! Sport!	#1995-03-09-00-00-009 Mar 1995
8.	Auf dem Bauernhof	#1995-03-16-00-00-0016 Mar 1995
9.	Leben in der Großstadt	#1995-03-23-00-00-0023 Mar 1995
10.	In der Schule	#1995-03-24-00-00-0024 Mar 1995*

A group of trendy German teenagers present various features entirely in German to inspire intermediate learners. They sing and dance and reenact their everyday lives in comic sketches.

Channel Hopping auf Deutsch

#	Title	Broadcast
1.	Patricia in Berlin, Blind date, Oriental Hip-Hop	#1999-01-14-00-00-0014 Jan 1999
2.	Wildschweine, Flaschengeist, Ostalgie	#1999-01-21-00-00-0021 Jan 1999
3.	Boxen, strafe vermeiden, Schlager	#1999-01-28-00-00-0028 Jan 1999
4.	Moorleichen, Verrückte spiele, Neue Volksmusik	#1999-02-04-00-00-004 Feb 1999
5.	Fusball, Pubertät, Popmusik	#1999-02-11-00-00-0011 Feb 1999

A collection of short, irreverent documentary sequences exposing unusual aspects of life in German-speaking countries. There is a mix of clips from German television programmes, pop music, comedy sketches including a look at the stages of puberty, a word or phrase of the week, and specially shot material including a weekly slot for comedian John Moloney to look at culture such as the German love of the TV series Baywatch or the significance of toilets.

Termly broadcasts


Year	Autumn		Spring				Summer
1980-81	Wie Sagt Man...?						Wie Sagt Man...?
1981-82			Wie Sagt Man...?
1982-83			Wie Sagt Man...?
1983-84			Partner Video Sequences
1984-85			Partner Video Sequences		Partner TV1
1985-86			Partner TV1		Partner TV2
1986-87			Partner TV1	Partner TV2		Partner TV3
1987-88	Partner TV1	Partner TV3
1988-89	Partner TV2	Partner TV3
1989-90	Partner TV3	Videothek GCSE
1990-91	Videothek GCSE
1991-92			Videothek GCSE
1992-93	Videothek GCSE
1993-94	Videothek GCSE
1994-95			Willkommen!
1995-96			Willkommen!
1996-97			Willkommen!
1997-98			Willkommen!
1998-99			Channel Hopping auf Deutsch
1999-2000			Channel Hopping auf Deutsch
2000-01	Channel Hopping auf Deutsch
2001-02			Channel Hopping auf Deutsch

Broadcasts

Year	Term	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Channel	Details
1980-81	Autumn 1980	Monday, 10:40am				Friday, 10:15am	ITV
1980-81	Summer 1981					Friday, 9:30am	ITV
1981-82	Spring 1982		Tuesday, 11:39am	Wednesday, 10:16am			ITV
1982-83	Spring 1983		Tuesday, 11:39am			Friday, 10:35am	ITV
1983-84	Spring 1984		Tuesday, 10:21am		Thursday, 11:39am		ITV
1984-85	Spring 1985		Tuesday, 10:37am			Friday, 10:26am	ITV
1985-86	Spring 1986	Monday, 10:45am	Tuesday, 10:25am				ITV
1986-87	Spring 1987	Monday, 10:45am				Friday, 10:50am	ITV
1987-88	Autumn 1987		Tuesday, 10:21am				Channel 4	not Grampian/Scottish regions
1988-89	Autumn 1988		Tuesday, 10:21am				Channel 4
1989-90	Autumn 1989		Tuesday, 10:21am				Channel 4
1990-91	Autumn 1990		Tuesday, 10:21am				Channel 4
1991-92	Spring 1992		Tuesday, 10:21am				Channel 4
1992-93	Autumn 1992			Wednesday, 9:30am			Channel 4
1993-94	Autumn 1993		Tuesday, 10:02am				Channel 4
1994-95	Spring 1995				Thursday, 11:40am		Channel 4	ep10 first shown overnight
1995-96	Spring 1996				Thursday, 11:40am		Channel 4
1996-97	Spring 1997				Thursday, 11:40am		Channel 4
1997-98	Spring 1998				Thursday, 11:10am		Channel 4
1998-99	Spring 1999				Thursday, 11:10am		Channel 4
1999-2000	Spring 2000				Thursday, 11:40am		Channel 4
2000-01	Autumn 2000		Tuesday, 4:00am+				Channel 4
2001-02	Spring 2002		Tuesday, 4:00am+				Channel 4

Resources

More details of the resources are presented on the pages for each individual unit.

Teacher's Notes

Notes for teachers, and sometimes for pupils too, were available for every term.

Video

Across the years every single episode of The German Programme was released for schools to buy on video.

Related programmes

German programmes for secondary schools

ITV & Channel 4 Schools: Auf Deutsch (1962-64) • Wir Waren Vier (1964-67) • Karl und Christa (1967-71)

The German Programme (1980-2002):

Wie Sagt Man...? (1980-83)
Partner Video Sequences (1984-85)
Partner TV1 (1985-87)
Partner TV2 (1986-88)
Partner TV3 (1987-89)
Videothek GCSE (1989-93)
Willkommen! (1995-98)
Channel Hopping auf Deutsch (1999-2002)

Top! auf Deutsch (1997-2002) • Hennings Haus (2001-09) • Turbo (2001) • Extra auf Deutsch (2002-09) • Märchen und Geschichten (2002-07)

BBC Schools TV: Treffpunkt: Deutschland (1977-85) • Alles Klar (1982-85) • Unter Uns... (1984-86) • Treffpunkt: Österreich (1986-89) • Mach's Gut! (1986-90) • A Level German (1987-2001) • Lernexpress (1990-97) • The German Collection (1993-2001) • German Globo (1995-99) • Hallo aus Berlin (1996-2008) • Susanne (1998-2007) • D-Mag (1999-2008) • German Shorts (2007-09)

BBC Schools Radio: German Readings and Dialogues (1929-39) • Intermediate German (1946-72) • German for Sixth Forms (1961-69) • Frisch Begonnen... (1968-73) • Marsh! (1970-72) • Deutsch für die Oberstufe (1970-93) • Halb Gewonnen! (1971-72) • Da Sind Wir Wieder! (1973-83) • Hör Doch Mal Zu! (1979-82) • Hallo! Wie Geht's? (1983-86) • German: Graded Objectives (1983-87) • Deutscher Club (1985-93) • Deutsches Magazin (1985-88) • Help Yourself: Business German (1988-89) • 11-14 Project: Language Starters (1988-89) • Schalt Mal Ein! (1990-93) • Talking of Work: German (1990) • Working in German (1990-91) • Lernexpress im Radio (1990-92) • Wahnsinn! (1991) • The News From Europe (1991) • German 12-14 (1993-95) • Deutschlandspiegel (1993-96) • Bücherregal (1994)

Topics

School topics covered in this programme. Click to find other programmes covering the same topics, but bear in mind topics are a new addition to the site in 2023 and not many are set up yet.

German language

Intermediate language work

Keyword tags

Some features of this programme. Click to find other programmes with the same features, but bear in mind tags are also a new addition to the site in 2023 and not many are set up yet.

Documentary

Presenter

Umbrella series

Designed to be tape recorded

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