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In 1945, Russia occupied East Germany. Berlin was divided into four sectors. A country in a state of emergency! Hunger and adversity shape daily life. Thousands of Berliners go to the countryside in search of food. It’s a risky business: A serial killer is at large in the surrounding forests. Within the city, the infamous Gladow gang plays a cat-and-mouse game with police. But one of the most brutal criminal cases of the post-war era takes place in Dresden. Was it the work of a cannibal? What lengths will people go to in extreme situations? And what effect did the war have on attitudes towards law and morality? The documentary shows how dangerous daily life was in the Soviet occupied zone and in Berlin after 1945, and why those who survived the war went to extreme measures.

Robbery, murder, rape. After the war, West Germany was the scene of a great deal of brutal crime. On the German-Belgian border, children risk their lives for something to eat. In Bavaria, a woman is abused by US soldiers. Amidst the ruins of Hamburg, inhabitants make a shocking discovery. What lengths would people go to back then? And how did criminals exploit the chaos? The documentary shows how strained life was in the West zones, and how a society in tatters struggled to find new values. The death penalty itself is put on trial. In Tübingen, the final execution takes place in February 1949 following a judgement by the West German authorities. The foundation of the Federal Republic three months later heralded the dawn of a new era.