Ein Platz für Tiere: A Place For Animals
(1956)
Also known as: Programme 1
A highly engaging live animal show, Ein Platz für Tiere (A Place For Animals) was, for many years, the highest rated programme on German television. Created, scripted and presented by the renowned zoologist and passionate conservationist Bernhard Grzimek, the series ran for over three decades.
Often featuring film sequences by well-known filmmakers such as Heinz Sielmann, the show introduced a whole generation to a huge variety of animals, their behaviour and the pressing need for their preservation. Introducing the opening episode of this long-running series, Gzrimek sits behind the desk that became familiar to millions and utters his opening statement “Good evening, my dear friends” for the first of many times.
Hugely popular, this forty five minute show paved the way for Grzimek’s successful series which, as well as educating people about animal welfare, raised a fortune for important nature projects around the world. At the end of each show he solicited donations to his fund 'Grzimek's Help for Threatened Wildlife', which formed the basis for the further work of the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS).
Heinz Sielmann
