Heligoland is a place of longing and a tourist magnet. Every year, several hundred thousand visitors arrive on Germany's only deep-sea island on ferries or “Börte boats” - in the hope of slowing down. But the first impression is easily deceptive, because behind the scenes of the supposedly sleepy idyll there is a lot of activity. On just one square kilometer, Helgoland is home to its own cosmos of institutions and trades that are otherwise only known from larger cities. Here people tackle things and work hard. For one season, the series follows key figures, characters and enablers who keep life on the island going.

Die Helgoländer (2026)

October 6, 2026 1 season

Documentary

Heligoland is a place of longing and a tourist magnet. Every year, several hundred thousand visitors arrive on Germany's only deep-sea island on ferries or “Börte boats” - in the hope of slowing down. But the first impression is easily deceptive, because behind the scenes of the supposedly sleepy idyll there is a lot of activity. On just one square kilometer, Helgoland is home to its own cosmos of institutions and trades that are otherwise only known from larger cities. Here people tackle things and work hard. For one season, the series follows key figures, characters and enablers who keep life on the island going.