Raumpatrouille Orion S01E05: Kampf um die Sonne (1966) in Color — Starring Dietmar Schönherr & Eva Pflug

Raumpatrouille Orion S01E05: Kampf um die Sonne (1966) — Buy This Classic in Color

Raumpatrouille Orion S01E05: Kampf um die Sonne is a 1966 German science-fiction television episode, originally titled Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffes Orion S01E05: Der Kampf um die Sonne, directed by Michael Braun and starring Dietmar Schönherr, Eva Pflug, Wolfgang Völz, Charlotte Kerr and Claus Holm. In this episode the crew of the Orion faces a crisis involving the very survival of a star system. Für deutschsprachige Zuschauer: Diese kolorierte Fassung von Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffes Orion S01E05: Der Kampf um die Sonne bringt die Episode erstmals in Farbe. Own this classic movie in color as a DRM-free MP4 digital download for just €15.00.

Plot Summary

The episode opens aboard the Raumkreuzer Orion, where Commander Cliff Allister McLane (Dietmar Schönherr) and his crew are carrying out routine patrol duties under the watchful eye of the Galactic Security Service. The mood on the bridge is tense, as always, with McLane’s instinctive style of command clashing against the rigid protocols imposed from headquarters. His first officer, Lieutenant Tamara Jagellovsk (Eva Pflug), keeps a close watch on him, and their uneasy partnership remains one of the episode’s central tensions.

A new and alarming development interrupts the routine. Reports reach the Orion of unusual activity in a region of space where the balance of power between the great star systems is dangerously fragile. The crew must determine whether what they are seeing is a natural phenomenon or the opening move of an enemy operation. McLane suspects the latter, and his suspicions put him at odds with the cautious official line coming from his superiors.

As the Orion moves closer to the source of the disturbance, the stakes become clearer. The episode’s title, “Kampf um die Sonne” — the struggle for the sun — points to a confrontation over a star itself, a resource whose loss would be catastrophic for the worlds that depend on it. The crew must weigh the risk of direct intervention against the consequences of doing nothing while an adversary gains the upper hand.

On board, the familiar crew dynamics play out under pressure. Helmsman Atan Shubashi (Friedrich G. Beckhaus), navigator Hasso Sigbjörnson (Claus Holm) and engineer Mario de Monti (Wolfgang Völz) each contribute their skills as the situation escalates, while the ship’s doctor, Dr. Egri (Charlotte Kerr), and communications officer Lyda van Braak (Ursula Lillig) keep the Orion functioning as a single organism. Every decision McLane makes is scrutinised, and every delay costs the crew precious time.

The confrontation builds toward a decisive moment in which McLane must choose between following orders and acting on his own judgement. The episode keeps the audience guessing about the true nature of the threat and about who, if anyone, is manipulating events from behind the scenes. It ends on the question that the whole story has been building toward: whether the Orion’s crew can secure the future of the sun — and whether the price of doing so is one they are prepared to pay.

Cast & Crew

Director: Michael Braun
Stars: Dietmar Schönherr, Eva Pflug, Wolfgang Völz, Charlotte Kerr, Claus Holm

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

The colourised restoration of this episode transforms the way viewers experience the world of Raumpatrouille Orion. The original broadcast was in black and white, and the series’ famous production design — its futuristic control rooms, its angular consoles, its striking costumes — was created with an eye for contrast and shape rather than hue. When colour is carefully reintroduced, those sets and uniforms take on a new dimension: the cool metallic tones of the Orion’s bridge, the warm accents of the crew’s uniforms, and the deep blacks of space all read differently, and the result is a viewing experience that feels both period-accurate and newly vivid. The colorization also serves the performances, allowing the subtle expressions of Dietmar Schönherr and Eva Pflug to register with greater immediacy during the episode’s tense exchanges. For collectors who know the series only from grainy black-and-white prints, this is a chance to see it as it was never originally seen. Buy this episode in color today for just €15.00 and enjoy instant DRM-free MP4 download.

Historical Significance

Raumpatrouille Orion holds a unique place in television history. First broadcast in 1966, it was one of the first German science-fiction series and quickly became a cult favourite, remembered for its imaginative production design and its distinctly European approach to space adventure. The series ran for seven episodes, and “Kampf um die Sonne” was the fifth, first aired on 12 November 1966. Its director, Michael Braun, brought a steady hand to the episode’s escalating tension, while the cast — led by Dietmar Schönherr as Cliff Allister McLane and Eva Pflug as Tamara Jagellovsk — gave the series its enduring appeal.

The episode also benefits from the presence of guest performers such as Benno Sterzenbach, Friedrich Joloff and Franz Schafheitlin, whose appearances add weight to the story’s political and military dimensions. For audiences of the time, the series offered something rare: a home-grown vision of the future that was neither purely American nor purely utopian, but grounded in the anxieties and rivalries of the Cold War era.

Today, Raumpatrouille Orion is remembered as a landmark of German television, and this colorized edition brings it to new audiences who might never have encountered it in its original black-and-white form. Whether you are a longtime fan or discovering the series for the first time, this release offers a fresh way to appreciate its craft and its place in broadcasting history.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 / MKV digital download
• Resolution: Standard Definition
• Colorized: Professionally colorized from original black and white
• Audio: German original mono
• Runtime: 58 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00 (token, rendered by the site)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Was Raumpatrouille Orion S01E05: Kampf um die Sonne originally broadcast in colour?
A: No. Like the rest of the series, this episode was broadcast in black and white in 1966. This page offers a later professional colorized restoration, not a studio colour release.

Q: Who plays Commander Cliff Allister McLane in this episode?
A: Dietmar Schönherr plays Commander Cliff Allister McLane, the Orion’s headstrong captain, and Eva Pflug plays Lieutenant Tamara Jagellovsk, the security officer assigned to keep him in line.

Q: Is this a feature film or a television episode?
A: It is a single television episode — season 1, episode 5 of Raumpatrouille Orion, first broadcast on 12 November 1966 — sold on its own as a colorized download.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as MP4 and MKV files that play on virtually any device.
Q: Is there DRM on the file?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free so you can watch it on any device without restrictions.
Q: How quickly can I watch after purchase?
A: Your download link is available instantly after payment, so you can start watching within minutes.

Related Colorized Classics

• World in My Corner (1956)
• Seven Sweethearts (1942)
• From Here to Eternity (1953)
• Raumpatrouille Orion S01E07: Invasion (1966)
• Above Us the Waves (1955)