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by Ivanova Barbershop Blues aka: Lime Tree Lesbians |
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The Show |
Lindenstrasse (Lime Tree Road), Germany, |
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Intro |
Modeled after the British show Coronation Street, Lindenstrasse has been on the German screens for about 19 years. Each episode shows us one day (usually the Thursday before the Sunday it is aired) in the lives of a neighborhood, the Lime Tree Road in the Bavarian city of Munich (although the show is being shot in Cologne). Hans W. Geissendoerfer's show has strived to show everyday life in a realistic way (whether it is still successful in doing that is highly debatable). Right from the start, the show made a point in including a lot of different ethnic and other minorities (not a common thing at the time) and in commenting on political developments. Lindenstrasse introduced the first gay male protagonist of a German tv show, Carsten Floeter, very early on. The first gay kiss caused a huge scandal; Bavarian stations even refused to air the episode! In 1996, they had one of their long-time protagonists, Tanja Schildknecht, fall in love with another woman, Sonia. However, their happiness was short-lived, as Sonia mutated to an evil, greedy killer and tried to make Tanja murder her husband... |
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The Stories |
Tanja & Suzanne
(2004) German recaps. Coming soon: In English. |
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Lime Tree Lesbians: |
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Tanja Schildknecht (Sybille Waury), my nickname: "She Who Cries A Lot", is 26 when she first enters a lesbian relationship (with Sonia). At the time, she is married to Dr. Ludwig Dressler, for up to now, she has always been totally straight! After Sonia's death, Tanja returns to him, only to realize several years later that she is, well, a lesbian. When she meets Suzanne, Tanja has been with her current girlfriend, Franziska, for three and a half years. It's not like it used to be... but then, that wasn't that good, anyway! |
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Suzanne Richter (Susanne Evers), an editor, is from Dresden, where she used to share an apartment with Nina, Philipp, and Klaus. Suzanne is sporting a strong, slightly fake Saxonian accent, and has only had relationships with men. |
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Franziska Brenner (Ines Lutz), nickname: Franzi, is 17 when she meets 31-year-old Tanja. Franzi has never had a serious relationship before. She is still living with her father, Christian, when, one day, she needs a haircut and enters the barbershop... |
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Urszula Winicki (Anna Nowak), owner of a barber shop, is from Poland. A single parent to her daughter Irina, she had been totally straight before she met Tanja. Well, she still was straight afterwards, so Tanja was crushed and... cried a lot. Now, however, they have become best friends. Urszula is also Tanja's boss. |
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Sonia Besirsky (Nicola/Nica von Altenstadt), a heroin user, is undergoing therapy with Dr. Dressler. While he is less than impressed with her manners, she and his wife, Tanja, become good friends and finally lovers. |
Others  |
Carsten Flöter (Georg Uecker), the stepson of Dr. Dressler, has been a good friend to Tanja, who regularly cried on his shoulder, for years. He once shared his flat with Urszula and her daughters. Carsten is a physician and now lives with his husband Käthe and their adopted adolescent son Felix. |
| Trivia |
Susanne Evers, the actress who plays Suzanne, is out as a lesbian. Georg Uecker ("Carsten") has been out & proud, and promoting gay rights, for a long time. Georg Eschweiler ("Käthe") - yes, gay, too - is also a comedian. Sybille Waury ("Tanja") is married to a former author of the show. |