Half a century of talk on the Rhine-WDR is honoring this not just with a single anniversary broadcast: On September 18, "Kölner Treff" celebrates its 50th birthday with a complete evening of programming, as the network announces. It kicks off at 8:15 PM with a two-hour live edition, with the final program of the evening ending at 2:15 AM.
Susan Link (49) and Micky Beisenherz (49) will host the live edition. The guest list includes Carolin Kebekus, Guido Maria Kretschmer, Jörg Pilawa, Motsi Mabuse, Tommi Schmitt, and Senta Berger. All six are "connected to <Zitat8>Kölner Treff" in very different ways</Zitat9>, WDR shares. There will also be live music and surprises. The network promises an evening that "looks back, celebrates, and shows why 'Kölner Treff' has been a special place in German television for 50 years".
From Alfred Biolek to Susan Link
"Kölner Treff" went on air 50 years ago, hosted back then by Alfred Biolek (1934-2021) and Dieter Thoma (1927-2017). It has been running in its current form for two decades, initially with Bettina Böttinger (70) at the moderator's desk, and now with Link and Beisenherz. The show is therefore one of the longest-running talk formats on German television.
At 10:30 PM, the 45-minute documentary "50 Jahre Kölner Treff - die Doku" follows. According to WDR, it takes viewers through five decades of television and contemporary history. Link and Beisenherz accompany the retrospective of defining conversations and guests. Rare archival finds and behind-the-scenes glimpses are announced.
When Gen Z Looks at the WDR Archive
Things are likely to get much more contentious starting at 11:15 PM. For "Echt jetzt Kölner Treff?!", the network opens its archive and confronts people from North Rhine-Westphalia with clips from five decades. So-called boomers who grew up with the show meet representatives of Gen Z, for whom the format is more a piece of media history.
Their reactions will reveal how much social standards, language, and role models have changed, WDR announced. Some scenes touch or amuse, others are irritating by today's standards. And according to the network, some topics have remained surprisingly current.
Closing with the "TV Darlings"
For those still awake, two hours of nostalgia will be served starting at 12:15 AM: The best-of "TV Darlings" compiles unforgettable appearances from 20 years of the show's history. Featured are encounters with deceased film stars Mario Adorf, Hardy Krüger Senior, Hannelore Elsner, as well as with acting stars Iris Berben, Mariele Millowitsch, Anke Engelke, and Bastian Pastewka. Guido Maria Kretschmer also appears there again, who will be seen in the live edition just a few hours earlier.
