Lights On - Ilja Richter on his Father’s Tracks

Ilja Richter, TV host of the cult classic show Disco on ZDF until 1982, was considered Germany’s favorite TV star. During his career, no one knew that Ilja had a Jewish mother, who survived the Holocaust in disguise and that his father, Georg Richter, was a persecuted communist resistance fighter.
He was imprisoned in Nazi jails and concentration camps for over 9 years until ally troops liberated him in 1945. Through research on the concentration camp Neuengamme, historian Thomas Käpernick discovers files about Georg Richter. Käpernick finds out that Georg is Ilja Richter’s father. He contacts Ilja, and he is very interested in ascertaining more. The film follows Ilja on his search for clues in the concentration camp Neuengamme and subcamp Kaltenkirchen.
His father’s story fragmentally manifests itself while being representative of the history of many other inmates.

Camera and director: Quinka F. Stoehr,
Sound and editorial work: Fredo Wulf
Historic research assistant: Thomas Käpernick
Narrated by: Nils Aulike

Supported by the Schleswig-Holsteinische memorial foundation
Brunswik foundation
Produced by: StoehrMedien