Eugens Welt: 4 Episode German TV Series

Eugen is a boy's name in German. It's pronounced beginning with the oinking sound "oi" followed by the accented syllable that sounds almost like "GAIN," in English, so "oi-GAIN."

Eugen and his mother live in a rather unusual brick apartment house, with the address: Sackgasse 777 (Blind Alley 777), even though it's the only house on the block.

In this program, we become acquainted with all the residents in this house as well as the Hausmeister (caretaker), who lives on the first floor, and the landlord, who has ambitious plans for the property.

The titles of the 4 episodes are:

1. Jeder gegen Jeden (Everyone Against One Another, or Every Man For Himself)
2. Was gehen mich die anderen an? (What's Everyone Expecting of Me?)
3. Gemeinsam sind wir stark. (Together We're Strong)
4. Wir müssen verhandeln (We've Got to Negotiate)

I'll include the connections here, so you can watch at your leisure. Don't expect to understand every word! Germans can't either, especially when the actors mumble. But I expect you'll understand quite a bit. Report in what you think, or questions you have.

1. Folge Eins (Episode 1)

2. Folge Zwei (Episode 2)

3. Folge Drei (Episode 3)

4. Folge Vier (Episode 4)

Aufgaben (Assignments)

Fragen zu Folge Eins

1. Where might we encounter conflict in our daily lives (or in school)?
2. How well do you get along with your neighbors?
3. Imagine a possible confrontational situation in which all of your neighbors would become involved (pets; renovations; construction; industry; permitting; noise...). Select one and involve yourself in the solution.
4. Who are the residents of Sackgasse 777?
5. Would you like to live there?

Fragen zu Folge Zwei

1. ,,Sündenbock" means "scapegoat." Do you know any scapegoats? Why do they even exist (do they serve a purpose)?
2. ,,Vermieter" means "landlord." Do you know any landlords? What kinds of problems might arise between a landlord and a tenant? What demands might a landlord legitimately make on a tenant?
3. Is is automatically unjust when a person in a position of power dictates to others with lesser power (ex: teacher to students; coach to teammatees)?
4. How much is EURO 10,000? Would you have accepted the money that was offered to Eugen's mother, Gitte?

Fragen zu Folge Drei:

1. Can a tenant be spontaneously evicted by the landlord?
2. How might you react to an eviction?
3. Could group action produce a positive outcome? List your suggestions.

Fragen zu Folge Vier

1. Which medien might be particularly useful in such a case?
2. Eugen is hungry, and we watch him prepare himself a supper, while chatting with his mother. Think about this scene for a moment.
• Who usually prepares supper in your home?
• What might you eat in such a situation?
3. Who are your favorite characters? Write about them, ,,auf Deutsch!"