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Schloss Einstein is a long-running, popular German television series which is designed as a teenage soap opera. It portrays the lives of teenagers in Schloss Einstein (Castle Einstein), a fictional boarding school. The intended audience is 10- to 14-year-olds.
The series combines the genres of comedy, action, drama (e.g., first love, problems with parents and schoolmates), and natural science. Scripts for the series are written by prominent television script writers.
Current air times
New episodes of Schloss Einstein are currently shown on Mondays at 8:10p.m. on channel KiKA. Older episodes are shown regularly from Monday to Friday at 2:10p.m. on KiKA.
Because the show has its own genre as a Kinder-Weekly (children's weekly), the producers had had no experience with this kind of series. Originally, only 76 episodes were planned. ARD went to yearly sequels after they knew it was a success. Since then, each season of production has consisted of 52 episodes, which are shot in 13 blocks of four episodes each.
The first episode was aired September4, 1998, on channel KiKA. Prior to the show's eleventh season (which began in January 2008), a total of 480 episodes had been produced. Episode 480 was the last episode that was set in the fictional village of Seelitz.
Up to March 2016, a total of 870 episodes in 19 seasons had aired. This was a milestone in German television programming. Worldwide, Schloss Einstein is the longest-running fictional children's television series (among those that employ child actors).[1]
Concept
Schloss Einstein is a television show intended for an audience of children. The show guides its viewers through the entire school year and offers characters with whom children can identify. Because the actors are the same age as their viewers, their actions look authentic.
In its representation of classroom lessons, real knowledge is taught. Thus the show provides both entertainment and instruction. It provides education in a relaxed way. Because it has implemented this concept, Schloss Einstein is unique worldwide and has been made the object of several scientific studies.
Storyline
Dr. Stollberg realizes a dream. He establishes a private school in an old castle and names his school “the Albert-Einstein-Gymnasium, Internat Schloss Seelitz.” The school bears the name of the founder of the theory of relativity because it teaches natural science. Its students shorten the long name, and it is thereafter known as “Schloss Einstein.”
Dr. Stollberg wants to provide an education for his students by using his best strength— personal tutoring. Violence is forbidden in the school. Problems that arise must be solved peacefully and, if possible, by the children themselves. Newcomers are given an older student who acts as a “godparent.” Of course, this does not always go smoothly, but the teachers and students must master their everyday life under a common roof.
At the center of the show are the personal responsibilities of teenagers from class 6 to class 8. Because there are no parents present, the children must make decisions for themselves and be prepared for the consequences. A few adults appear as advisers or counselors.
The students experience problems such as grades, cliques, envy, friendships, puberty, first love, career hopes, alcoholism, and the divorce or unemployment of their parents.
In many episodes, the students have adventures and learn how to manage conflicts. They also have fun with all kinds of jokes and pranks. There is tension between the Schloss Einstein students and the students who attend public schools. They do not like each other but have to get along. Compromise and tolerance are important in these relationships.
In the later episodes, which are set in the city of Erfurt, no public school students are present. However, students who attend other private schools are present from time to time.
The first ten seasons were set in the fictional village of Seelitz, near Berlin. With the advent of the eleventh season on January 5, 2008, (episode 481) the setting was transferred to the real city of Erfurt.
In Seelitz
Schloss Einstein was shot from 1998 to 2007 (episodes 1–480) on the grounds of the Babelsberg Studios in Potsdam. The Jagdschloss Grunewald in Berlin served as backdrop. Outdoor filming was done in the Klein Glienicke quarter of Potsdam and in surrounding villages.
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(October 2021)
Since September 2007, Schloss Einstein is produced by Saxonia Media Filmproduktion and filmed at the Kindermedienzentrum Erfurt.
The school has two different buildings: the school building and the dormitory building. The Kindermedienzentrum Erfurt contains all the sets for the school.
The set for the school building has classrooms, a cafeteria, hallways, stairs, and a gymnasium. It also contains all the sets used for the dormitory building. Outside filming is done in the egapark[de], in other places in Erfurt, and in Schlosspark Arnstadt.
In March 1999, a jury of 32 children awarded it the Goldener Spatz (Golden Sparrow) in the category Fiktion kurz (short fiction). This was at the eleventh Deutsches Kinder-Film und Fernseh-Festivals (German Children's Film and Television Festival).
In July 1999, Schloss Einstein won the Goldener Telix from the TV guide Gong in the category Serie oder Film mit Schauspielern (television series or film with actors).
In 2010, it won the Goldener Spatz award again in the series category.
The popular success of the show has resulted in high TV ratings. Schloss Einstein is shown not only in Germany but also in many other countries: in Norway, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Belgium, and the Netherlands.[citation needed] A textbook for use in German schools, containing themes from Schloss Einstein, has been published.
Opening credits
From the first season to the end of the eighth season, there were always new, but similar, opening credits.
In all opening credits, some current actors who play the students are shown with their respective character names. In the background, the viewers can hear the song “Die Einsteins feat. Julian— Alles ist relativ.”
All opening credits until the end of the fourth season had a duration of 47 seconds. As of the fifth season, the opening credits and background music were prolonged by seven seconds to a total length of 54 seconds. This was done so that a few more actors could be presented.
The ninth season featured a completely redesigned opening credits sequence, which lasts 54 seconds. The 19 main characters from classes 6 to 9 are presented on-screen in 13 short scenes, which show several characters at once. Teachers, other adults, and children who are not students at Schloss Einstein are omitted.
Current opening credits
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(October 2021)
Starting with the tenth season, completely new opening credits were again developed. The background music was slightly modified, and the duration of the credits was lengthened. All main characters are presented along with their character names.
Seasons of production
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(October 2021)
Season
Episodes
Total Episodes
Date of First Broadcast
1
1–76
76
Friday, 4 September 1998 until Friday, 18 February 2000 (5:05pm)
2
77–116
40
Friday, 25 February 2000 until Friday, 24 November 2000 (5:05pm)
3
117–168
52
Friday, 1 December 2000 until Friday, 2 March 2001 (5:05pm) Saturday, 10 March 2001 until Saturday, 24 November 2001 (6:00pm)
4
169–200
32
Saturday, 1 December 2001 until Saturday, 6 July 2002 (6:00pm)
5
201–232
32
Saturday, 13 July 2002 until Saturday, 15 February 2003 (6:00pm)
6
233–272
40
Saturday, 22 February 2003 until Saturday, 22 November 2003 (6:00pm)
7
273–336
64
Saturday, 29 November 2003 until Saturday, 12 February 2005 (6:00pm)
8
337–392
56
Saturday, 19 February 2005 until Saturday, 27 August 2005 (6:00pm) Saturday, 3 September 2005 until Saturday, 25 March 2006 (5:20pm)
9
393–428
36
Saturday, 1 April 2006 until Saturday, 16 September 2006 (5:20pm) Saturday, 23 September 2006 until Saturday, 2 December 2006 (5:15pm)
10
429–480
52
Saturday, 9 December 2006 until Saturday, 1 December 2007 (5:20pm)
11
481–532
52
Saturday, 5 January 2008 until Saturday, 23 February 2008 (2 Episodes, 4:50 and 5:15pm) Saturday, 1 March 2008 until Saturday, 12 July 2008 (5:15pm) Saturday, 30 August 2008 until Saturday, 13 December 2008 (5:15pm)
12
533–584
52
Saturday, 3 January 2009 until Saturday, 31 January 2009 (2 Episodes, 4:45pm und 5:10pm) Saturday, 7 February 2009 until Saturday, 21 November 2009 (5:10pm)
13
585–636
52
Saturday, 2 January 2010 until Saturday, 25 December 2010 (5:10pm)
14
637–688
52
Saturday, 8 January 2011 until Saturday, 7 May 2011 (5:10pm) Saturday, 14 May 2011 until Saturday, 1 October 2011 (2:10pm) Saturday, 8 October 2011 until Saturday, 24 December 2011 (2:35pm) Saturday, 31 December 2011 (7:50pm) (New Year's Eve Special)
15
689–740
52
Saturday, 7 January 2012 until Saturday, 15 December 2012 (2:35pm) Saturday, 22 December 2012 (2 Episodes, 2:35 and 3:00pm)
16
741–792
52
Saturday, 5 January 2013 until Saturday, 28 December 2013 (2:35pm)
17
793–818
26
Saturday, 4 January 2014 until Saturday, 28 June 2014 (2:35pm)
18
819–844
26
Saturday, 3 January 2015 until Saturday, 4 July 2015 (2:35pm)
19
845–870
26
Tuesday, 9 February 2016 until Tuesday, 15 March 2016 (Daily episodes, 2:35pm)
20
871–896
26
Tuesday, 14 February 2017 until Tuesday, 21 March 2017 (Daily episodes, 2:35pm)
Events
At irregular intervals, events featuring the actors of Schloss Einstein take place in Germany.
Among these events were:
the Gi’me-5-KI.KA-Party (day for friendship and tolerance, August31, 2003)
the international children's party (23 Nisan) in Berlin (April24, 2004)
the KI.KA-Party for the 300th episode of Schloss Einstein (June7, 2004)
the Schloss-Einstein-Sommerparty (Schloss Einstein summer party, June27, 2005)
the KiKA summer tours, which take place annually
On June10, 2007, there was a ceremony in Potsdam-Babelsberg on the occasion of the last shooting day.
Books
In 2000, the book Schloss Einstein— Das Klassenbuch: 100 Folgen Schloss Einstein (Schloss Einstein— The Classbook: 100 Episodes of Schloss Einstein) was published. It presents the main actors in the show and the contents previous episodes. It was published by vgs verlagsgesellschaft. A poster book and an autograph book have also been published.
In 2003, a cookbook Schloss Einstein— Kochen mit Einstein (Cooking with Schloss Einstein) was published. It was written by Peter Brandt and Dieter Saldecki, and published by vgs verlagsgesellschaft.
Sixteen novels about Schloss Einstein have been published.
Volumes 1 to 5 were written by Simon Hauser
Volumes 6 to 11 and 15 were written by Uschi Flacke
Volumes 12 to 14 and 16 were written by Dana Bechtle-Bechtinger
The titles of the novels are:
Band 1: Die Rivalin
Band 2: Ein seltsamer Gast
Band 3: Sie liebt ihn, sie liebt ihn nicht
Band 4: Blaue Haare für Sven Weber
Band 5: Alberts Enkel
Band 6: Schmetterlinge im Bauch
Band 7: Der gestohlene Hit
Band 8: Spiel mit dem Feuer
Band 9: Skandal am Faulen See
Band 10: Ein Traum in Chrome
Band 11: Date mit einem Superhirn
Band 12: Der Schatz von Seelitz
Band 13: Die Paten
Band 14: Kurz und Kleinstein
Band 15: Love Story
Band 16: Anna in Love
Besides the novels, there are three Schloss Einstein Exklusiv books in which the further histories of the main actors of the first season are told. These were written by Uschi Flacke and published by vgs verlagsgesellschaft. They are:
Katharina— Modelträume werden wahr
Kleine Prinzen
Nadines Story
Other media
In 2004, a music album was published, which included many bands.
A "Best of" DVD, several radio dramas on cassettes and CDs, and a magazine about the show covering the years 2001 to 2003, have also been released.
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