Deutschland Ein Sommermarchen

Deutschland. Ein Sommermarchen, or Germany. A summers tale is a 2006 documentary film, written, filmed and directed by Sonke Wortmann. The film records German national football teams World Cup 2006 journey, all the way from boot camp in Sardinia to the 3rd-place play-off with Portugal. The title ironically refers to Heinrich Heines poem "Germany. A winters tale". As opposed to Heines melancholic view on Germany this movie illustrates the sanguine and optimistic atmosphere during the World Cup 2006.

The film premiered on 3 October 2006, the German Unity Day. As of end November 2006, circa 4 million people had seen the film in German cinema theaters, making it the most commercially successful German documentary film. The film was shown on December 6, 2006 on German public TV channel ARD and was viewed by more than 10 million people. The DVD was released on 8 February 2007. Parts of the proceeds of the films merchandising are earmarked for SOS Childrens Villages.

A documentary of the German National soccer team’s 2006 World Cup experience that changed the face of modern Germany.