Walter Presents acquires hotly anticipated thriller Deutschland 83

26 September 2015

Walter Presents, the brand new on-demand service available exclusively in the UK via Channel 4’s new digital hub All 4, has acquired “Germany’s most eagerly awaited drama” (The Guardian), Deutschland 83. A taut and gripping 8-part thriller set amidst the menaces of a divided Germany in the 1980s, the series will premiere on Channel 4 in January following which the episodes will be available exclusively on Walter Presents.

It’s 1983. The Cold War is heating up. Russian SS20 Missiles in East Germany are pointed West, American Pershing II Missiles will soon be placed in West Germany, to point East. The very real threat of nuclear conflict looms. Against this perilous political backdrop, Deutschland 83, a gripping coming-of-age story and a suspenseful, fast-paced thriller, follows Martin Rauch (Jonas Nay), a 24 year old East Germany native, who is thrust from the world as he knows and sent over the wall to the West as an undercover spy for the Stasi. Hiding in plain sight in the West German army, he must gather the secrets of NATO military strategy while trying to resist the pleasures that the West has to offer. Everything is new to him, nothing is quite what it seems and everyone he encounters is harbouring secrets.

Created by German-American husband and wife team, Anna Winger and Joerg Winger, the series reveals the experiences of Germans from both sides of the wall during a peak period of Cold War tensions. The series was the first German-language drama ever to air in the US, proving a hit on SundanceTV channel this summer where it has was hailed as “engrossing” (Time Magazine), “slick” (The Hollywood Reporter) and “fresh and enjoyable” (The New York Times).

Deutschland 83 will premiere on Channel 4 in January to celebrate the launch of Walter Presents, the new on-demand foreign language drama service (further information available on separate email) available exclusively on All 4.

Walter Iuzzolino, Chief Creative Officer at GSN and curator of Walter Presents, says: “Deutschland 83 heralds a revival of German-language film making and totally redefines the standards for excellence in global scripted programming. Stylish, sexy, funny and still manages to keep you on the edge of your seat – Deutschland 83 has all the markings of a classic series.”

FremantleMedia International’s Executive Vice President, Head of Sales and Distribution, EMEA, Jamie Lynn says: “With its strong characters and bold storylines, Deutschland 83 is an ideal and key series for the Walter Presents launch. We’re thrilled to be working with the teams at GSN and Channel 4 to bring one of the most anticipated series of 2015 to the UK.”

Deutschland 83 is produced by UFA Fiction, the creators of the International Emmy-winning TV series Generation War, for RTL Television in Germany. The series is executive produced by UFA Fiction's Joerg Winger and Nico Hofmann and is directed by Edward Berger and Samira Radsi. FremantleMedia International hold the global distribution rights to the series.