Leipzig Homicide (SOKO Leipzig) is a German crime drama television series first broadcast on 31 January 2001 on ZDF. More than 400 episodes have been screened since. On 12 November 2008, the first of a two-part crossover between SOKO Leipzig and British police procedural The Bill, titled "Proof of Life", was aired, with the same version being shown on both ZDF and British television network ITV. Soko Leipzig is the second offshoot of SOKO München, launched in 1978 under the name SOKO 5113. "SOKO" is an abbreviation of the German word Sonderkommission, which means "special investigative team".

Synopsis

The series details the investigative work done by the special commission of the Leipzig police. The show's original team consisted of Hajo Trautzschke, Jan Maybach, Ina Zimmermann, and Miguel Alvarez. The commission mostly investigates serious crimes such as murder and manslaughter. After Alvarez is shot, Patrick Grimm replaces him, until he leaves Germany and goes to Africa, where his father died. His spot on the team is taken by detective inspector-candidate Vincent Becker, who lives with his superior, Hajo Trautzschke. Trautzscke has a daughter, Leni, a journalist who marries Jan Maybach during the series. They have a daughter, Charlotte. Maybach has a son named "Benni" with his first wife. A child at the beginning of the series, Benni later becomes an emergency physician. Leni and Jan later get divorced. Zimmermann gives birth to a son, Paul. She gets involved with several men during the series, including, in later seasons, with Maybach (until his death in season 26).

After Becker moves to Costa Rica, Tom Kowalski joins the team for nearly ten years. He breaks the rules and creates conflict with Hajo and is subsequently demoted. Hajo eventually retires, returning from time to time in a private capacity, since he is the grandfather of Charlotte. Zimmermann becomes the team's new leader.

Meanwhile, team assistant Olivia Fareedi becomes a permanent member, until she moves to Berlin. Kim Nowak, and later, after Kowalski leves, Moritz Brenner, join the team. Maybach nearly dies multiple times throughout the series, and he is fatally shot while investigating the man who killed Alvarez and ultimately dies in the arms of his boss and lover, Zimmermann. Zimmermann later avenges Maybach's murder, fatally shooting his killer while saving Nowak's life.

The team is supported by coroners Sabine Rossi and Mara Stein as well as laboratory assistant Lorenz Rettig and prosecutor Alexander Binz. In cases concerning sexual offenses, Dagmar Schnee is also on the team.

Crossovers

On 3 April 2013, five SOKO teams were brought together for a five-part special titled SOKO – Der Prozess. In it, the teams from Munich, Cologne, Leipzig, Stuttgart, and Wismar have to solve the murder of a police officer. The five episodes were shown across Germany from 30 September to 4 October 2013.

A crossover episode with SOKO Donau, titled "Der vierte Mann", was broadcast on ORF on 2 November 2019 and ZDF on 8 November 2019. The screenplay was based on a true story related to the Viennese political activist Rudolfine Steindling.

Cast and characters

Current

Former

Episodes

Gallery

Shooting locations and sets

Special

In April 2013, a five-part crossover between five ZDF SOKO series, titled SOKO – Der Prozess, began filming. The teams included in the show are 5113, Cologne, Leipzig, Stuttgart, and Wismar.

See also

• List of German television series

References

External links

• at ZDF

• at UFA

• at fernsehserien.de