SOKO Leipzig

Television series
Original title	SOKO Leipzig
Country of production	Germany
original language	German
Year (s)	since 2001
Production company	UFA fiction
length	approx. 44 minutes
Episodes	379+ and two specials in 19+ seasons ( list )
genre	Thriller
Theme music	Georg Kleinebreil
production	Jörg Winger , Henriette Lippold
music	Andreas Hoge, George Kochbeck , Philipp E. Kümpel, Andreas Moisa
First broadcast	January 31, 2001 on ZDF
occupation

SOKO Leipzig is a German television series produced by UFA Fiction for ZDF .

The crime series is the first and so far most successful offshoot of the German series SOKO 5113 . The venue is the Saxon city ​​of Leipzig . 19 seasons were broadcast between 2001 and 2020.

action

Actor of the SOKO team (2006–2009)

The series is about the investigative work of the special commission of the Leipzig police . The team, consisting of the chief detective Ina Zimmermann, the chief detective Jan Maybach and the detective Tom Kowalski and Kim Nowak, investigates mostly in capital crimes like murder or manslaughter . They are supported by forensic specialists Prof. Dr. Sabine Rossi and Dr. Stein as well as laboratory assistant Lorenz Rettig and public prosecutor Dr. Alexander Binz. In cases involving sexual offenses, Chief Detective Dagmar Schnee is also on the team.

The first season aired in 2001 and began with the episode Escape According to the Schedule . Until the episode Deadly Courses of the third season, the series ran on Wednesday in the evening before. Due to the consistently high ratings of over five million viewers per episode, ZDF moved the series to the 9:15 pm slot on Friday evening. The first episode to air on a Friday night was Season 3's Fatal Homecoming .

The episodes of the 13th season were also broadcast on ORF 2 . Since the 18th season, the episodes have been published in the ZDFmediathek a week before they are broadcast on TV .

characters

Current

Chief Inspector Ina Zimmermann (until her promotion in episode 329 Chief Inspector ) is played by Melanie Marschke . Ina has been the only woman in the team for a long time and not only has great ambition, but also special empathy. At the crime scene, she is an important help for the team, as she can interpret traces very quickly and analytically. Ina is the mother of a boy named Paul, was single again after a failed relationship and then lived with the police inspector, Milo Janssen, from whom she later separated. Ina becomes the successor of Hajo Trautzschke, since he is retiring, and thus head of SOKO, which is announced in episode 327 Chefsache . In episode 329 she takes over the leadership of the special commission and is promoted to chief detective.

Superintendent Jan Maybach is played by Marco Girnth . Jan is Ina Zimmermann's deputy. In a team, he mainly works as a profiler, rather approaches things with his head and his sharp mind. Maybach is married and lives separated from his wife and daughter Charlotte. His wife is Leni, the daughter of his former boss Hajo Trautzschke. Jan also has a son from his first marriage, Benni, who occasionally also plays a guest role. During the fourteenth season, Mila, Benni's girlfriend, falls in love with Jan and subsequently breaks up with Benni, which leads to a heated argument between father and son. Jan's marriage to Leni also falls apart soon afterwards and they finally separate. There is always tension between Jan and Ina, because Jan originally hoped to get Ina's job and the two have subliminal feelings for each other. This has been seen again and again since the double episode Undercover (season 16), in which the feelings of the two take the upper hand.

Detective Inspector Tom Kowalski is played by Steffen Schroeder . He's a gambler and loves to stir up trouble and be politically incorrect. Kowalski is not interested in what others think of him. He made his first appearance in the episode Fightclub , where he can be seen as Jan's fitness trainer. Before working in the gym, he was employed by the LKA in Chemnitz, but suddenly quit the police force. It is later revealed that his girlfriend Klara worked with him as an undercover agent until she faked a fake death on a ship . He has four brothers, one named Marco, who has a gambling addiction . Since Tom got into debt while looking for Klara, he lives in an old motorhome without water or electricity, which is parked in various parking lots in Leipzig. Furthermore, he occasionally violates the law by revealing official secrets or being violent against suspects. In the episode Change of Scenery , the former chief detective is demoted to detective because he hit the scene at the beginning of the 15th season . In the 16th season he meets his daughter and moves into an apartment with her.

Former

Detective Inspector Miguel Alvarez was played by Gabriel Merz . He was the youngster on the team. Due to his relaxed manner, he always made people smile in cooperation with Jan Maybach. He hated office work and preferred to do field work. In episode 96 he died of a gunshot wound. He also appeared in episode 97 in Jan Maybach's daydreams.

Detective Inspector Patrick Diego Grimm was played by Tyron Ricketts and came to SOKO after an undercover assignment when Hajo Trautzschke offered him the position of his late colleague Miguel Alvarez. He agrees immediately, but it's not easy for him in the team. Especially with Jan Maybach, there are often tensions at the beginning because he cannot accept that Patrick has taken Miguel Alvarez's place. Grimm is a policeman through and through. Like his predecessor, Miguel Alvarez, he is one of those people who never give up and who keep clinging to a lead in order to ultimately deliver a convincing investigation. After learning that his father has passed away, he takes a break and leaves the SOKO for Africa.

Detective inspector candidate Vincent "Vince" Becker was played by Pablo Sprungala and came to the SOKO as a substitute for Patrick and is the youngest in the team to date. Vincent is a no-nonsense straight forward guy, and his phenomenal memory and ingenuity sometimes help him solve cases. First of all, Vincent slips into the work of SOKO in two cases in the 9th season in autumn 2009 and, despite his stubborn antics, proves to be useful and important for the team. As a result, I'm gone , Becker went to Costa Rica with his father.

Chief Detective Hans-Joachim “Hajo” Trautzschke is played by Andreas Schmidt-Schaller . Trautzschke was SOKO's boss until episode 329. The widower lives alone and has a daughter, Leni. In his private life he comes from a simple background, has both feet on the ground and behind his daughter with a keen eye. Professionally, he kept his team on a long leash and knew that he could rely on his colleagues every second. But in tricky situations, he determined the course of the investigation. In some cases, his GDR past caught up with him, as he had already been investigating as a major in the People's Police . Since Hajo Trautzschke retired in the 17th season, he had to choose a successor for his post. In episode 327 Chefsache he announced that Ina Zimmermann will be his successor and thus head of SOKO. At the end of episode 328 "The Last Case" he justified his decision for Ina and against Jan. In episode 329 Trautzschke handed over the leadership of the special commission and stepped as chief detective commissioner. D. to retire.

Detective Inspector Olivia Fareedi was played by Nilam M. Farooq . She initially comes to the SOKO team as an assistant and helps the investigators with their research. She and Tom Kowalski get closer several times, but a relationship does not come about between the two. During the 14th season she decides to become a commissioner and to take part in a course at the Saxon Police University in Rothenburg / Oberlausitz . Olivia Fareedi has been a detective since the episode Change of Scenery. At the end of the episode My Child , Fareedi leaves the SOKO and is transferred to Berlin.

occupation

Main cast

Current leading actors

actor	Role name	role	Main role (episodes)	Supporting role (episodes)	Seasons	Period
Melanie Marschke	Ina Zimmermann	Chief Inspector and Head of SOKO (up to episode 329: Chief Inspector)	1-		1-	2001–
Marco Girnth	Jan Maybach	Chief Detective	1-		1-	2001–
Steffen Schroeder	Tom Kowalski	Kriminalkommissar (up to episode 286: Kriminaloberkommissar)	214–	213	11–	2012–
Amy Mußul	Kim Nowak	Detective Inspector	363–	362	18–	2019–

Former leading actors

actor	Role name	role	Main role (episodes)	Supporting role (episodes)	Seasons	Period
Tyron Ricketts	Patrick Diego Grimm	Detective inspector	99-160	98	6-9	2006-2009
Pablo Sprungala	Vincent Becker	Detective inspector candidate	161-210	157, 160	9-11	2009–2012
Gabriel Merz	Miguel Alvarez †	Detective inspector	1-97		1-6	2001-2006
	Marco Hager	Twin brother of Miguel Alvarez		294	15th	2016
Andreas Schmidt-Schaller	Hans-Joachim "Hajo" Trautzschke	Chief Detective a. D. (Episode 1 to 329: Chief Detective and Head of SOKO)	1-329	330–	1-	2001–
Nilam Farooq	Olivia Fareedi	Detective Inspector (up to episode 277: assistant, up to episode 286: detective officer)	330-360	229-329	12-18	2013-2019

Supporting cast

Current supporting actors

actor	Role name	role	Episodes	Seasons	Period
Caroline Scholze	Elena "Leni" Maybach (née Trautzschke)	Daughter of Hajo Trautzschke; Wife of Jan Maybach	1-	1-	2001–
Maximilian Klas	Benjamin "Benni" Maybach	Son of Jan Maybach	1-	1-	2001–
Lucian Voigt	Paul Zimmermann	Son of Ina Zimmermann and Wolf Künast	124-258	8-13	2008-2014
Peter Laser			262–265, 272, 274 310, 324, 328, 330, 345–	14 16–	2014–
Anna Stieblich	Prof. Dr. Sabine Rossi	Forensic doctor	159–	9–	2009–
Michael redhead	Dr. Alexander Binz	Prosecutor	185-291, 319, 358, 374-375	10–16 18–	2011–
Judith Sehrbrock	Dr. Mara stone	Forensic doctor	185–	10–	2011–
Daniel Steiner	Lorenz Rettig	Laboratory technician	207–	11–	2012–
Petra Kleinert	Dagmar snow	Chief Inspector ( custom )	226–	12–	2013–
Luna Empire	Charlotte "Lotte" Maybach	Daughter of Jan and Leni Maybach; Granddaughter of Hajo Trautzschke	260, 295-327	13-16	2014-2017
Lilly Sophie Högberg			267, 269, 274	14th	2014-2015
Clara Veihelmann			332, 338, 355	17–	2017–
Sebastian Fräsdorf	Matthias Krauss	Chief Public Prosecutor (up to episode 288: Public Prosecutor)	262, 288, 327, 334, 336, 349	14–	2014–
Sinje Irslinger	Jackie Löber	Daughter of Tom Kowalski	311–	16–	2016–

Former supporting actors

actor	Role name	role	Episodes	Seasons	Period
Hildegard Alex	Herta	Jan Maybach's housekeeper	1-36	1-3	2001-2003
Silke Heise	Dr. Sandra Schönfeld	Forensic doctor	1-39	1-3	2001-2003
Miriam of verse	Dr. summer	Public prosecutor	1-49	1-4	2001-2004
Marleen Lohse	Julia Grimm	Sister of Patrick Grimm	98-156	6-9	2006-2009
Simon Böer	Dr. Werner Kruse	Prosecutor	120-165	7-10	2008-2010
Rebecca Rudolph	Dr. Lilly brown	Police psychologist	161-168	9-10	2009-2010
Margrit Sartorius	Dr. Kathrin Conradi	Forensic doctor	40-159 176, 179	3-9 10	2003-2009 2010
Anne Arzenbacher	Meike Black	Police chief	66-78 92 118 219	5 6 7 12	2005 2006 2008 2012
Florian Thunemann	Milo Janssen	Police commissioner Ina Zimmermann's ex-boyfriend	195-239 263, 265	10-12 14	2011-2013 2014
Tom Mikulla	Wolf Künast	Ina Zimmermann's ex-boyfriend	44-115 267	4-7 14	2003-2008 2014
Karin Hanczewski	Ilka Parusel	Ex-girlfriend of Tom Kowalski	282-285	15th	2015
Michael Brandner	Dr. Manfred Woernle	Employee of the city of Leipzig (formerly: Kriminaloberrat )	180 196-223 288	10 11-12 15	2010 2011–2012 2015
Simon Werner	Klepper	SEK - head of operations	183, 188, 198, 222, 248 290 362	10-13 15 18	2010–2013 2015 2019
Michael Schenk	Nikolaus Müller	Criminal Councilor of the Federal Intelligence Service (up to season 13: LKA ) (formerly: Kriminalhauptkommissar)	156, 179, 205 248, 251 294	9-11 13 15	2009–2011 2013 2015
Rudolf Kowalski	Dr. Breugel	Ina Zimmermann's psychotherapist	270-295	14-15	2014-2016
Jana Bauke	Dr. Kaminsky	doctor	127, 132, 157 197, 236, 240, 246, 262 338, 341, 364, 376	8-9 11-14 17-19	2008–2009 2011–2014 2018–2020

Timeline

Surname	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	9	10	11	12	13	14th	15th	16	17th	18th	19th
Jan Maybach
Ina Zimmermann
Hajo Trautzschke
Leni Maybach
Benni Maybach
Herta
Dr. Sandra Schönfeld
Dr. summer
Miguel Alvarez †
Dr. Kathrin Conradi
Wolf Künast
Meike Black
Patrick Diego Grimm
Julia Grimm
Dr. Werner Kruse
Paul Zimmermann
Dr. Kaminsky
Nikolaus Müller
Vincent Becker
Prof. Dr. Sabine Rossi
Dr. Lilly brown
Dr. Manfred Woernle
Milo Janssen
Klepper
Dr. Alexander Binz
Dr. Mara stone
Lorenz Rettig
Tom Kowalski
Dagmar snow
Olivia Fareedi
Lotte Maybach
Matthias Krauss
Dr. Breugel
Ilka Parusel
Marco Hager
Jackie Löber
Kim Nowak
Legend (meaning of color)
main actor	supporting cast

Crossover

Kidnapping in London

→ Main article : Kidnapping in London

On September 4, 2009, the British - German crossover episode Entführung in London (original title: Proof of Life ) was broadcast. The full-length episode is a crossover between SOKO Leipzig and the British crime series The Bill .

SOKO - the process

→ Main article : SOKO - The process

From April 3, 2013, a five-part crossover of all ZDF-SOKO series was started. The teams from SOKOs 5113 , Cologne , Leipzig, Stuttgart and Wismar investigate the murder of a police officer and find themselves in a criminal environment in which their own law and order prevail. The five-part case, the trail of which stretches across Germany, was broadcast from September 30 to October 4, 2013 on weekdays at the well-known SOKO evening broadcast slot from 6 p.m. For this, SOKO Leipzig was brought forward from the 9:15 pm slot.

The fourth man

→ Main article : The fourth man (2019)

The crossover episode The Fourth Man between the two SOKOs Leipzig and Vienna was broadcast for the first time on November 2, 2019 on ORF , on ZDF it was shown on November 8, 2019 as part of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall . The series special was produced by Satel Film and UFA Fiction for ZDF and ORF. Directed by Erhard Riedlsperger , the script was written by Max Gruber, Markus Hoffmann and Uwe Kossmann. The script was based on a true story about the circle of Viennese businesswoman Rudolfine Steindling , called the "Rote Fini".

Guest appearances by celebrities

Studio and production rooms in Reclam-Carrée

• The band Silly , founded in the GDR , performed as a result of Silly - Death in Concert .
• Gojko Mitić plays himself in The Gojko Mitic Case , which premiered on November 18, 2011.
• In the episode Leipzig knocks , Burkhard Jung plays himself, the Lord Mayor of Leipzig.

Episode list

→ Main article : Episode list

production

SOKO Leipzig is produced by UFA Fiction . The studio and the production rooms are located in Reclam-Carrée in Inselstraße in Leipzig.

Awards

• Nomination for Best TV Series National at the Jupiter Award 2017

Trivia

• Steffen Schroeder already appears in the 4th season (episode: Herrenrunde ) as accomplice Sven Linecke and in the 8th season (episode: Greed ) as Marco Loos.
• In the episode The Nice Girl, Detective Inspector Patrick Grimm claims to have never been to the African continent. In fact, however, he toured Namibia, the place of residence of his father, who is allegedly dying (which turns out to be incorrect), in the episode Lost in Africa . In the episode Gray Zone it is already mentioned that his father is from Mozambique. This is also mentioned in the episode Lost in Africa .
• The fourth episode of the 11th season (broadcast on November 4, 2011) is titled Hajo's Last Case . In fact, Chief Detective "Hajo" Trautzschke only solved his last case in the first episode of season 17 ( The Last Case ; broadcast October 13, 2017). He and his team was therefore up to the second episode of season 17 ( office hours ; air date October 20, 2017) before. In this episode - his penultimate day of service - he officially handed over the case as well as the SOKO management to Commissioner Ina Zimmermann, who he appointed as his successor at the end of the 16th season.
• In the episode Sleeping Beauty in the warning letter to Tom Kowalski, the salutation is "Dear Police Chief Commissioner Tom Kowalski" to read, but it is a substantive error because the SOKO is a division of Criminal Investigation and Tom Kowalski thus the rank of Detective Chief Commissioner bears . Kowalski uses a bicycle without the gem. StVZO prescribed lighting and bell.
• The actor of the chief criminal officer Dr. Manfred Woernle, Michael Brandner, already played a different role in the episode Happy End in the seventh season.
• The 90-minute episode Moving Targets (first broadcast on January 30, 2015) is the only episode in the series in which only one team member (Chief Detective Jan Maybach) acts.
• In the 15th season (double episode 13 Toter Mann , first broadcast January 8, 2016) there is a reunion with the actor Gabriel Merz , who played Detective Inspector Miguel Alvarez, who was shot in episode 96 (2006; 6th season). He plays Alvarez's twin brother, who pretends to be Miguel and is initially mistaken for him by Trautzschke, Maybach and Zimmermann (assuming a faked death at the time) and who is suspected and persecuted by the BND of industrial espionage. In fact, his goal is to find the man who betrayed his mother, who was convicted of attempting to flee the republic , and who is responsible for her death in prison and the forced adoption of the twins.

Web links

Commons : SOKO Leipzig  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• SOKO Leipzig in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• SOKO Leipzig at Fernsehserien.de
• Official website

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Deadly courses. fernsehserien.de, accessed on February 6, 2015 . 
2. ↑ Fateful homecoming. fernsehserien.de, accessed on February 6, 2015 . 
3. ^ ORF: Start of the successful crime series "Soko Leipzig" on October 25th on ORF 2. In: ots.at. October 23, 2013, accessed on October 27, 2013 (OTS original text press release). 
4. ↑ Episode from March 15, 2013 "The Swamp"
5. ↑ so in the episode "Lucy" on January 10, 2014
6. ↑ New investigator for ZDF series' SOKO Leipzig on focus.de, online
7. ^ ^{A b} Marco Weise: "Soko Donau" -Special: Leipzig visits Vienna. In: Kurier.at . October 31, 2019, accessed November 2, 2019 . 
8. ↑ ORF-1 premiere for the first “Soko Donau” crossover “The fourth man”. October 31, 2019, accessed November 2, 2019 . 
9. ↑ Jupiter Film Prize Online: Who were your favorites from cinema and TV last year? (No longer available online.) In: Jupiter-Filmpreis Online. Archived from the original on January 14, 2017 ; accessed on January 14, 2017 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
10. ↑ Episode from November 8, 2013 Sleeping Beauty