For almost 30 years, Karl-Eduard von Schnitzler hosted “Der Schwarze Kanal” (the Black Channel), a weekly East German television program that could also be received in West Germany. Der Schwarze Kanal’s main purpose was to rival the West German news program, Die Rote Optik (Red Viewpoint). During his 20-minute broadcasts, von Schnitzler edited, twisted and put a new spin on West German news stories. In his political commentaries he examined the West’s “fictional” truth and pontificated on the East’s “factual” truth.
Karl-Eduard von Schnitzler, host of “Der Schwarze Kanal” (the Black Channel), a weekly East German propaganda program. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia. www.walled-in-berlin.com
Meaning of the name “Der Schwarze Kanal”
“Black channel” is a euphemism used by German plumbers to refer to the sewer. By choosing the name Der Schwarze Kanal for his show, von Schnitzler tried to create a visual image of black capitalist filth. In every segment of his show, he hammered in that evil lurked around every corner in the West. He relentlessly pointed to the wrongs of capitalism: exploitation of workers, capitalist greed, massive unemployment, etc. He fixated on the theme that the West oppressed the working man while vilifying peaceful and hard-working East Germany.
Viewership of “Der Schwarze Kanal”
From 1960 to 1989, the program aired around 9 pm, just before or after the Monday night movie. Timing was critical because von Schnitzler wanted viewers to be already tuned in without having to decide whether or not to watch the program. In reality, Der Schwarze Kanal was the least popular show on East German television. Some surveys concluded that viewership ranged in the 5% range. Von Schnitzler became known as “Sudel-Ede.” Ede stood for his name Eduard, and “Sudel” for the longing to wallow in mud.
About Karl-Eduard von Schnitzler
Karl-Eduard von Schnitzler did not come from a family of socialists. He actually was a great-grandchild of the Prussian Emperor Friedrich III. But despite his aristocratic background and his influential relations in West Germany, von Schnitzler was a fervent socialist. Following WWII, he worked for a short time in the West German city of Cologne. But in 1947, he immigrated to East Germany and became the regime’s most zealous propagandist.
For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic or current events, people, places or food.
Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.
Tags: Der Schwarze Kanal, Die Rote Optik, factual truth, fictional truth, Karl-Eduard von Schnitzler, propaganda, Sudel-Ede, the Black Channel, the Red Viewpoint
