'Millions' marches to ratings record

ARD drama attracts 11 million

By ERIK KIRSCHBAUM

BERLIN — Part one of ARD two-parter "March of Millions" on Sunday was the most watched TV pic so far this year as 11.2 million tuned in to watch German thesp Maria Furtwaengler playing an East Prussian aristocrat fleeing west to escape the Red Army in 1945.

The miniseries, set against the backdrop of 14 million German civilians displaced and two million killed at the end of World War II, has touched a nerve in Germany, where the topic was largely suppressed for the past 60 years.

The pic, exec produced by Nico Hofmann and helmed by Kai Wessel, has generated massive media coverage and caused some friction between Germany and Poland, where fears of German claims for property and damages linger.

TeamWorx and EOS teamed up to make the film, which also got a record 2.6 million for Franco-German web Arte when the two parts were aired together on Friday.

The three hour, Euro 11 million ($14.5 million) pic, which got a 29.5% share on Sunday, concludes on Monday. It beat the previous top 2007 film "Afrika, mon amour" from ZDF, which got 9.2 million in January, and came close to the 2006 winner, "Dresden," (also made by TeamWorx and EOS), which got 12 million for ZDF a year ago.

"Dresden" was sold to 95 territories by Beta Film. "March of Millions" — called "Die Flucht" in Germany — also boosted ARD all evening; talkshow host's Sabine Christiansen's program on the topic, which got 5.5 million (18.8% share), and a documentary about the expulsions (2.8 million, 15.3% share), were able to bask in its reflected glory.