Our century

"Start, Fritz" - with this phrase, a conversation begins among friends. Helmut Schmidt and Fritz Stern have known each other for many years and sat down together in the summer of 2009 to discuss topics that matter to them: experiences and lessons from history, the shared century they have lived through, and the people they have encountered. The result is as stimulating as it is entertaining. The politician and the historian pass ideas back and forth, sometimes in agreement, sometimes in disagreement, always aiming for a pointed presentation of their own positions. The range of topics covered spans from Bismarck to Israel, from World War II to the rise of China, from reflections on the Bush era to the excessive bonuses for bankers - and anecdotes are not left out either. Directed by Hanns Zischler and Hans Peter Hallwachs.