The Children of Golzow (German: Die Kinder von Golzow) is a documentary by the German filmmaker Winfried Junge that was started in 1961 and lasted until 2007, when the series concluded. The film is a prolonged observation of the lives of several people in the Brandenburg town of Golzow.
In 1985, the episode "Lebensläufe" was included in the Guinness Book of World Records as the movie with the longest production period. There is also a museum about the documentary in Golzow.
Eighteen people born between 1953 and 1955 were filmed by Junge and his wife Barbara at regular intervals from 1961 to 2007 in a variety of situations which were both public as well as more having a more personal accent (such as the death of a relative).
The films reflect not only the individual life stories of the characters but also provide profound insight into the history of the GDR and the reunification process with West Germany. After the end of the GDR and therefore the DEFA, Junge continued the "Golzow-Project" with the ARD and its regional affiliate RBB.
The idea for the project derives from Karl Gass.
This is a list of the installments of the "Children of Golzow" until 2007. The titles are in the German language, translation into English in brackets.
1961 Wenn ich erst zur Schule geh (13 min, b/w) - (When I finally go to school)1962 Nach einem Jahr - Beobachtungen in einer ersten Klasse (14 min, b/w) - (After a year - observation in a first grade)1966 Elf Jahre alt (29 min, b/w) - (Eleven years old)1969 Wenn man vierzehn ist (36 min, b/w) - (When you are fourteen)1971 Die Prüfung (19 min, b/w) - (The exam)1975 Ich sprach mit einem Mädchen (30 min, b/w) - (I spoke to a girl)1979/80 Anmut sparet nicht noch Mühe (107 min) - (Neither save grace nor effort)1980 Lebensläufe - Die Geschichte der Kinder von Golzow in einzelnen Portraits (257 min) - (Resume - the story of the children of Golzow in separate portraits)1984 Diese Golzower - Umstandsbestimmung eines Ortes (100 min) - (These inhabitants of Golzow - adversial phrase of a location)1992 Drehbuch: Die Zeiten; Drei Jahrzehnte mit den Kindern von Golzow und der DEFA (284 min, 3 parts) - (Storyline: the times; three decades with the children of Golzow and the DEFA)1994 Das Leben des Jürgen von Golzow (192 min) - (The life of Jürgen from Golzow)1995 Die Geschichte vom Onkel Willy aus Golzow (145 min) - (The story of uncle Willy from Golzow)1996/97 Was geht euch mein Leben an - Elke, Kind von Golzow (125 min) - (My life is none of your business - Elke, child of Golzow)1996/97 Da habt ihr mein Leben - Marieluise, Kind von Golzow (141 min) - (My life there you have it - Marieluise, child of Golzow)1998 Brigitte und Marcel - Golzower Lebenswege (110 min) - (Brigitte and Marcel - Golzow paths of life)1999 Ein Mensch wie Dieter - Golzower (122 min) - (A human like Dieter - from Golzow)2001 Jochen - ein Golzower aus Philadelphia (119 min) - (Jochen - inhabitant of Golzow from Philadelphia)2002 Eigentlich wollte ich Förster werden - Bernd aus Golzow (142 min) - (Actually I wanted to become a forester - Bernd from Golzow)2006 Und wenn sie nicht gestorben sind... - Das Ende der unendlichen Geschichte (278 min, 2 parts) - (And they live happily... The end of the never-ending story.)2007 ...dann leben sie noch heute - Das Ende der unendlichen Geschichte (290 min, 2 parts) - (...ever after. The end of the never-ending story.)
