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IMDbPro

Schimanski

  • TV Series
  • 1997–20131997–2013
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
352
YOUR RATING
Götz George in Schimanski (1997)
CrimeDramaThriller
A German TV series about Horst Schimanski, a spin-off from the popular TV crime series Tatort.A German TV series about Horst Schimanski, a spin-off from the popular TV crime series Tatort.A German TV series about Horst Schimanski, a spin-off from the popular TV crime series Tatort.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
352
YOUR RATING
  • Stars
    • Götz George
    • Denise Virieux
    • Julian Weigend
  • Stars
    • Götz George
    • Denise Virieux
    • Julian Weigend
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1User review
    • 1Critic review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Episodes17

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated
    1 Season

    Photos30

    Sünde (2005)
    Sehnsucht (1999)
    Blutsbrüder (1997)
    Das Geheimnis des Golem (2004)
    Kinder der Hölle (2001)
    Asyl (2002)
    Tödliche Liebe (2000)
    Schimanski muß leiden (2000)
    Muttertag (1998)
    Rattennest (1998)
    Geschwister (1998)
    Die Schwadron (1997)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Götz George
    Götz George
    • Horst Schimanski…
    Denise Virieux
    Denise Virieux
    • Marie-Claire…
    Julian Weigend
    Julian Weigend
    • Hunger…
    Chiem van Houweninge
    • Hänschen
    Matthias Redlhammer
    • Krieger
    Robert Viktor Minich
    • Scholl
    Steffen Wink
    Steffen Wink
    • Tobias Schrader
    Suzanne von Borsody
    Suzanne von Borsody
    • Julia Schäfer…
    Geno Lechner
    Geno Lechner
    • Ilse Bonner
    Johan Leysen
    Johan Leysen
    • Daniel Laroc…
    Hannes Jaenicke
    Hannes Jaenicke
    • Ewers…
    Bernd Tauber
    Bernd Tauber
    • Paul Hinz
    Anica Dobra
    Anica Dobra
    • Uta Maubach
    Nina Petri
    Nina Petri
    • Regina Maubach
    Traute Hoess
    Traute Hoess
    • Frau Fränckel
    Michael König
    • Polizeipräsident
    Susanne Bredehöft
    Christoph Waltz
    Christoph Waltz
    • Klaus Mandel
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Tatort
    7.0
    Tatort
    Scene of the Crime: A Tooth for a Tooth
    6.4
    Scene of the Crime: A Tooth for a Tooth
    A Good Summer
    7.0
    A Good Summer
    Frau2 sucht HappyEnd
    6.6
    Frau2 sucht HappyEnd
    Police Call 110
    6.4
    Police Call 110
    Mutter muss weg
    5.8
    Mutter muss weg
    Under Suspicion
    7.6
    Under Suspicion
    Gomez - Kopf oder Zahl
    7.1
    Gomez - Kopf oder Zahl
    Zabou
    6.1
    Zabou
    KDD - Kriminaldauerdienst
    8.3
    KDD - Kriminaldauerdienst
    Bloch
    7.5
    Bloch
    Windland
    5.5
    Windland

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Connections
      Referenced in Alarm für Cobra 11 - Die Autobahnpolizei: Der Kommissar (2005)

    User reviews1

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    More than just a TV-policeman but rather a symbol of an era
    When the figure of Horst Schimanski (Götz George) first appeared in the late 1970s in his first episodes of German TV-crime-show "Tatort", it had almost something of a revolution. Until then TV-policeman like "Derrick", "Der Alte" or countless other, often interchangeable officers were all clean-cut, middle-class bureaucrats, who would solve crimes through their wits and the general stupidity of the criminals. Then came Schimanski: A hulking proletarian, who would wake up more often than not with a hangover, who cared little to none about etiquette, manners or personal appearance and who would often solve his cases with muscle-power and a big mouth. His favorite food would consist of curry-sausage (the German counterpart of hot dogs) and beer, and his favorite word would be (IMDB won't allow me to use the real word) "excrements". This would also mark the first time that policemen on German TV were allowed to swear. Sometimes the only thing that would distinguish Schimanski from the people he was arresting was his badge. At the same time Schimanski was a "macho with a golden heart".

    This would mark the beginning of a new era in German-Thriller-TV. Today, swearing isn't only common in your average "Tatort"; it's almost a requirement. Detectives would solve crimes more often than not with brawn and every second TV-policeman is styled after the "Schimanski-formula". But none would ever reach the cult-factor of the original.

    What made the old Schimanski-"Tatorts" so enjoyable was not only Georges roughhousing, but also the chemistry between him and his partners: conservative, blue-collar cop Thanner (Eberhard Feik), with whom Schimanski shared a love-hate-relationship, the ever disgruntled superior Königsberg (Ulrich Matschoss), whom Schimanski would lovingly call 'Klops', thanks to his association with Königsberger Klopse, a traditional dish of meatballs in white caper-sauce. And then there would be Hans Scherpendeel (Chiem van Houweninge), their Dutch partner and often comic relief, who would only be called "Hänschen", since nobody could pronounce his Dutch name anyway. Duisburg, an industrial center, that did look (and still does today) look like a post-apocalyptic steel-desert, was the perfect setting for Schimanskis hard-hitting cases and gave the shows the advantages, to often shift between Germany and the nearby Netherlands.

    Also a first: Where the "Tatorts" prior would resort to the well-known jingles and a score dating way back then from granddad's time, the "Schimanski"-episodes would have a soundtrack that employed contemporary Rock- and Pop-Artists, who where either successful at the time or would become successful due to having been played on "Schimansk". Chris Norman, Marius Müller-Westernhagen, Klaus Lage Band, but also international Artists and Stars like Joe Cocker, Jethro Thull or Roger Chapman, to name but a few. In the 1980s each "Schimanski"-episode would hence be considered musical gold.

    Hence, "Schimanski" was one of the most popular TV-Thrillers of the 80s, spawning to independent cinema-blockbusters (something that was never repeated by any other "Tatort"-Series), Schimanskis beige jacket and his mustache became Georges trademark, much to the dismay of the versatile actor, who soon found himself typecast as either tough-guy or cop. By 1991 the show had run it's course, probably on the insistence (and to the relief) of George, who went on to become on of the most celebrated actors of contemporary German cinema.

    But the demand was still there and 1997 George once again slipped into his "Schimanski-jacket" (yes, the designed was named after the character). Many of his colleagues like Feik and Matschoss had since passed on, so Schimanski in his own series was no longer an official policeman, but rather a retired detective, living on a house-boat in Belgium, who would in 17 more episodes aid the police in their investigations and work with changing partners (mostly Julian Weigand and in one particularly popular episode, pre-Hollywood-fame Christoph Waltz). The new Schimanski-show was still popular, but many old-time-fans, diligently watching each new episode despite everything, would complain that without the old setting and crew, the chemistry simply wasn't the same any longer. George would play the role until 2013 (presumably for the last time), when he was already 75 years old. Very fitting for a generation of viewers, that not only grew up with Schimanski, but aged with the character as well.

    As far as German TV-Thrillers go (or "Krimis", as they are called), there still hasn't been anything that would come close to Schimanski and by that standard I'll have to give the original "Tatort"-episodes a straight 10/10 and the following solo-series a 7/10, mainly due to the absence of familiar faces and directors, who would often try, despite the wishes of the audience, to modernize settings and stories. Interested in German TV-Krimis? Schimanski is the essence.
    helpful•7
    0
    • t_atzmueller
    • Nov 17, 2014

    Details

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    • Release date
      • November 9, 1997 (Germany)
      • Germany
      • DasErste (Germany)
      • German
    • Also known as
    • Production companies
      • Colonia Media Filmproduktionsgesellschaft
      • Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 30 minutes
      • Color
      • Stereo

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