Album - Bilder eines Jahres

Planned among others: Red-Green in change / PDS takes over government responsibility for the first time / Eschede catastrophe / Hope for Northern Ireland / "Guildomania

Planned among others: The CDU sinks into the donation swamp / Vladimir Putin becomes the new Russian president / Concorde inferno in Paris / EXPO 2000 - billion-euro grave in Hanover / election confusion about the US presidency

September 11 changes the world, terror costs thousands of lives. America is going to war against Osama bin Laden, and Germany must do its part. Ex-president Milosevic comes to court in The Hague as a war criminal. The foot-and-mouth disease depopulates Europe's stables. ver.di, the largest service union in the world, is founded. Over the South Seas the remains of the MIR burn up. In Norway the fairy tale wedding enchants the people. Bishop Lehmann finally becomes cardinal. In Genoa an opponent of globalization dies. The IOC gets a new president. All this and more in the "Album 2001 - Pictures of a Year".

Terrorist attacks keep the world in suspense. Hundreds of innocent people die in Madrid and Beslan, including many children. Anarchy reigns in Iraq, with locals and allied soldiers dying almost daily in attacks. The EU's eastward expansion enlarges the community to 25 states - whether Turkey should also be part of it is a matter of urgency. Horst Köhler becomes the new German President - and Rudi Völler resigns as national coach after a disgraceful European Championship. One name becomes the symbol of social reforms - Hartz IV - and the major parties lose many voters. Otto "Rehakles" Greek becomes European champion - and the youth of the world meets in Athens - but is overshadowed by doping scandals. Fairytale wedding in the royal houses of Denmark and Spain - and the Netherlands mourn Queen Juliana. All this and more in the 2004 album.

A long pontificate comes to an end - John Paul II dies. His successor Benedict XVI. inspires the church youth of the world in Cologne. Bomb attacks in London, terror reaches Europe - and the wave of violence in Iraq continues. More hurricanes than ever before bring suffering, death and devastation - and the tsunami catastrophe in Southeast Asia claims hundreds of thousands of lives. The EU constitution fails - and the dispute over Turkey's accession threatens to divide the community. 60 years after the end of the war, a German chancellor stands in the middle of the ranks of the victors - and the Holocaust Memorial is opened in Berlin. Simonis and Steinbrück pay for the reform policies of the Schröder government - the new elections bring Germany its first female chancellor. Charles and Camilla are finally allowed to marry - and with Max Schmeling, a great sportsman leaves.

The world as a guest of friends - The Football World Cup fascinates and shows Germany in a new light

Everyone talks about the weather. The chancellor asks for the summit in Heiligendamm, and a district administrator saws at the chair of Edmund Stoiber. A little polar bear conquers the hearts of the Germans, Paris Hilton has to go behind bars, young people discover fun in "coma drinking", and cycling finally sinks into the drug swamp. - All this and more in "Album 2007".

The financial crisis is shaking up the global economy, and rescue packages are designed to prevent its collapse.

America has a new president, and Angela Merkel remains German Chancellor. Earthquakes shake Italy and Indonesia, and forest fires devastate parts of Greece. In Iran, Ahmadinejad holds on to power by force, and the fight against the Taliban costs more and more strength. Usain Bolt is astonishing and skeptical the sports world, and the German women footballers are once again European champions. The Winnenden rampage shakes the country, and swine flu unsettles the population. Dominic Brunner pays for his moral courage with his life, and the "King of Pop" steps down for good.

Once again this year, ZDF will be presenting a unique review of the national and international events of the past twelve months. "Album 2010" reviews the most important events for a whole hour on Sunday, December 19, 2010, 7:15 p.m. They will be put in precise order by Elmar Theveßen, Deputy Editor-in-Chief and terrorism expert at ZDF. What was it that occupied, impressed and affected him the most? "Between all the suffering this year, the images of the rescue of the miners in Chile have done so infinitely well. And then there is the song 'Born to live'. That's what everything is about, even if we sometimes forget it," says Theveßen.