Buddenbrooks (2008)
In the 1840s, Lübeck is a thriving commercial center on the Baltic coast, and the Buddenbrook family is one of the city's most prominent. Consul Jean Buddenbrook has two sons, Thomas and Christian, and a daughter, Antonia, known as Tony. He loves his children but requires them to put the family business ahead of their personal happiness if needed. Tony learns this lesson the hard way when she is forced into a marriage with Hamburg businessman Bendix Grünlich. Meanwhile, Thomas and Christian have honed their trade skills in Amsterdam and London, respectively. After Jean Buddenbrook's business takes a turn for the worse and his daughter's marriage falls apart, he hands the company over to Thomas. Despite his love for Gerda, a passionate violinist whom he marries, Thomas never forgets his first love, a flower girl. Christian, after spending time in Valparaiso, returns to Lübeck, more interested in the theater and actress Aline than the family business. The rift between the brothers only grows, and their mother urges them to keep their differences hidden from the public.
Articles on Buddenbrooks
| Nikolaus von Festenberg, Es bleibt in der Familie, in: Der Spiegel, 15-12-2008 |
| Martin Wolf, "Das volle Programm", in: Der Spiegel, 15-12-2008 |