When Bernhard Grzimek (Ulrich Tukur) takes over the management of the destroyed Frankfurt Zoo after the Second World War, its closure is actually already sealed by the American occupying forces. But the veterinarian and behavioral scientist Grzimek fights for his great passion and successfully rebuilds Frankfurt Zoo along with all its exotic animals. Grzimek remained faithful to his duties as zoo director for 32 years. On numerous research trips, he also became increasingly committed to preserving the last African animal paradises and, with his incredible thirst for knowledge and determination, to protecting Africa’s wildlife from poachers and destruction. Extremely successful as a conservationist and researcher, Grzimek, a private man, suffered a great blow from which he would not recover for the rest of his life: During the filming of his Oscar-winning movie “Serengeti Must Not Die”, his son, professional partner and best friend Michael Grzimek (Jan Lennart Krauter) dies in a tragic plane crash at the age of just 24. The loss of their son plunges Bernhard and Hildegard Grzimek’s (Barbara Auer) marriage into a deep crisis. While the couple gradually grew apart, Bernhard Grzimek began a relationship with his daughter-in-law Erika (Katharina Schüttler), the widow of his son Michael, whom he married for the second time in 1978. The suicide of his adopted son Thomas (Jerry Hoffmann) in 1980 caused Bernhard Grzimek to suffer another personal setback. He then fell into a severe depression, which accompanied him until his death in 1987.

The two-parter “Grzimek” is a UFA FICTION production commissioned by ARD Degeto for Das Erste in cooperation with Global Screen, Universum and Two Oceans Production. The producers are Nico Hofmann, Jochen Laube and Sebastian Werninger (UFA FICTION). The producer is Fabian Maubach (UFA FICTION). Christine Strobl and Roman Klink (ARD Degeto) are in charge of the editorial side. The screenplay was written by Marco Rossi. The camera was directed by Stefan Unterberger. Filming took place in Berlin, Frankfurt and South Africa.