Contergan: Die Eltern

Introduced in 1957, the sedative CONTERGAN promised mothers-to-be a calm and restful night. The name, however, quickly became synonymous with the biggest medical scandal in post-war German history. Only half of the 5,000 babies born with severe physical handicaps due to the drug survived at all. This is the first film to let the parents tell their story: of their lives as newlyweds; of happily anticipating the birth of a child; of the shocking moment of truth, neighbors’ reactions and the struggle with feelings of personal guilt. These moving, intimate reports unexpectedly succeed in painting a vivid picture of the moral landscape of the 1960’s.