ARD History Roncalli - Macht der Manege (Season 1, Episode 50)
TV Episode | 89 min | Documentary, History, War

Primary photo for Roncalli - Macht der Manege

ARD History

Roncalli - Macht der Manege (Season 1, Episode 50)

TV Episode | 89 min | Documentary, History, War

"Roncalli - Power of the Circus" tells the story of Bernhard Paul, a man who no one thought capable of founding a circus and who went on to build one of Germany's most popular entertainment brands. A journey that began 50 years ago with a ...See more"Roncalli - Power of the Circus" tells the story of Bernhard Paul, a man who no one thought capable of founding a circus and who went on to build one of Germany's most popular entertainment brands. A journey that began 50 years ago with a dream of the circus and culminated in countless battles behind the ring. A circus that today performs in New York in front of stars like Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, and Scarlett Johansson. A man who, with his vision in the 1970s and 1980s, brought poetry and magic back to the world and allowed people to dream again in a crisis-ridden time. Bernhard Paul underestimates the conflict his revolution will provoke in the established circus world. Althoff, Barum, and Krone are the circus idols of his childhood, whom he looked up to, but who do not tolerate any blood outside the circus. Initially ridiculed, Circus Roncalli gradually becomes its fiercest competitor. Intrigue, betrayal, and public dismantling are the weapons Bernhard Paul uses to repeatedly threaten his dream. Naturally, those already established see things differently. They, along with many companions of Circus Roncalli, will speak for the first time in the documentary and share their perspectives on the story. With the help of chocolate factory heir and pop star André Heller, Bernhard Paul succeeds against all odds in making his dream of Roncalli come true. But Paul increasingly feels overshadowed by Heller and ultimately loses everything in a duel between the directors, hides his circus from debt collectors in the snow, and smuggles it from Austria to Germany. Here, he aims to conquer Europe's leading circus country, thus encroaching on the territory of the other predators. Hidden in an occupied factory, he gathers loyal companions around him. However, he can no longer trust anyone. With creativity, a healthy dose of cunning, and an iron will, Paul fights for Roncalli's resurrection. This awakens combative rivals who are determined to stop its triumphant advance by any means necessary. While the new form of circus is celebrated by celebrities and audiences, and is eventually invited to Moscow as the world's first Western circus behind the Iron Curtain, first the competition explodes - and then Chernobyl. The reactor disaster almost derails Roncalli's first international tour. But no one expects that the enemy is not in the former Soviet Union, but in their own ring. Just as little as they expected to be celebrated in New York 40 years later. No one dares to dream of such a thing at the time. Written by ARD Das Erste See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
41 cast members

Name	Known for
Bernhard Paul Self Self See fewer	Circus Roncalli - 30 Jahre Jubiläumsprogramm (2007)
Elfi Althoff-Jacobi Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer
Carl Althoff Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer
Corti Althoff Self (archive footage) (as Corty Althoff) Self (archive footage) (as Corty Althoff) See fewer	Am laufenden Band (1974)
Franz Althoff Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Circus World (1964)
Annette Beaufays Self Self See fewer	The Piano Teacher (2001)
Alfred Biolek Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Boulevard Bio (1991)
Roy Black Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Heath Is Green (1972)
Marita Blüm Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	You've got the Joke? (1980)
Norbert Blüm Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Steiners Sketchparade - Lachen ist die beste Medizin (1997)
Claus Hinrich Casdorff Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Journal 1870/71 - Täglicher Telegraph (1970)
Wolfgang Clemens Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Cast Off (2025)
Karl Dall Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Quartett im Bett (1968)
Joachim Fuchsberger Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Face of Fu Manchu (1965)
Fumagalli Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Clowns (1970)
André Heller Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Blind Spot. Hitler's Secretary (2002)
Richard Hirzel Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Roncalli (1986)
Peter Koschkar Self Self See fewer	ARD History (2023)
Eliana Larible-Paul Self (as Eliana Paul) Self (as Eliana Paul) See fewer	Ein Clown, Ein Leben (2021)
Maria Lucas Self Self See fewer	Superfan (1992)
Maggie Mae Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Die Gimmicks (1978)
Fritz May-Sarrasani Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Tatort (1970)
Reinhard Münchenhagen Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Spaß beiseite - Herbert kommt! (1979)
Harry Owens Self Self See fewer	ARD History (2023)
Lili Paul-Roncalli Self Self See fewer	Die RTL Sommerspiele (2021)
Adrian Paul Self Self See fewer	ARD History (2023)
Vivian Paul Self Self See fewer	ARD History (2023)
Georg Pommer Self Self See fewer	Unexpected Journey (2017)
Oleg Popov Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Rock'n Roll Wolf (1976)
Christina Rau Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Lokalzeit Münsterland (1984)
Johannes Rau Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Dalli Dalli (1971)
Karl-Heinz Reichenbach Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer
Franz Rosak Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer
Ulrich Schamoni Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Next Year, Same Time (1967)
Günther Schifter Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Horizonte (1963)
Michael Sedivy Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer
Carl Sembach-Krone Self (archive footage) (as Carl Sembach) Self (archive footage) (as Carl Sembach) See fewer	Steht's in den Sternen? (1964)
Gerd Siemoneit-Barum Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Wilde Spiele - Die Tigervilla (1963)
Rebecca Siemoneit-Barum Self Self See fewer	Lindenstraße (1985)
Rosalind Siemoneit-Barum Self Self See fewer	ARD History (2023)
René Strickler Self Self See fewer	The Crazy Jungle Adventure (1982)