Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day — Miniseries
The sprawling story of the everyday triumphs and travails of the young toolmaker Jochen and many of the people populating his world, including the woman he loves, his eccentric family, and his colleagues, with whom he bands together to improve conditions on the factory floor.
Episodes
E01 Jochen and Marion
Oct 29, 1972 · 1h 47m
In Cologne lives the middle-class Epp family, where one son, Jochen, works in a tool factory and shares close comradeship with his colleagues. While out to purchase alcohol for a family gathering, Jochen meets the beautiful Marion Andreas, who has an office advertising job, a love affair between them develops.
E02 Oma and Gregor
Dec 27, 1972 · 1h 45m
Grandmother Oma spends time searching for an apartment she can afford with her new boyfriend Gregor, a gentleman she has picked up in a park. When they run across a library space being abandoned by town authorities, Oma comes up with the idea of taking it over as a kindergarten for the neighbourhood children with no place to play except the street. She and Gregor become do-it-yourself squatters.
E03 Franz and Ernst
Jan 21, 1973 · 1h 37m
The closely knit comrades at the factory have hoped that, after some training, Franz would replace the recently deceased foreman. But their office manager prefers to bring in an outsider, which causes tension.
E04 Harald and Monika
Feb 18, 1973 · 1h 35m
Prodded by a visit from Marion's strict mother, Jochen plans to marry Marion. Whereas tensions growing between Monika and the abusive Harald lead Monika to consider divorce.
E05 Irmgard and Rolf
Mar 18, 1973 · 1h 34m
With the news the factory is relocating, Jochen and Marion ask if they can switch apartments with Kathe and Wolf, to be closer to their respective jobs. And with this new inconvenience, the workers come up with a list of demands, including the seemingly impractical proposal that they arrange their own schedule rather than it being dictated by the bosses.