Charlotte is called to a crime scene as Nyssen throws a huge party with Helga and makes an important announcement. Gereon has joined the SA (Hitler's stormtroopers) and is arrested after participating in an anti-Jewish pogrom. Charlotte the anti-Nazi sees Gereon being arrested by riot police and is shocked. Toni, Charlotte's younger sister, has joined a gang of thieves, and narrowly escapes arrest when the cops are called while she and her partner are burglarizing a department store. Wendt the right-wing police chief and Marie-Luise the young communist are having an affair. Season premiere.
Tropes:
- Contrived Coincidence: Charlotte, acting as an auxiliary photographer on New Year's eve, is called to the crime scene at the department store where "Nazi" Gereon accidentally bumps into her while running from the cops. It leads to a misunderstanding that lasts for almost the entire season.
- Delayed Explosion: Nothing happens when the countdown to launch Nyssen's rocket goes to zero. Surprised looks everywhere. Then the rocket suddenly ignites and takes off, leaving a cheering crowd behind.
- Dirty Cops: The cops called in to investigate the break-in at the department store, take the opportunity and steal jewelry from the already broken glass vitrines. One of them even goes as far as killing one of the intruders in cold blood to take his loot.
- Hand Gagging: While hiding from the cops on the rooftop, Moritz hand-gags Toni in order to muffle her Ill-Timed Sneeze. Ship Tease incorporated.
- Hand Stomp: During the Rooftop Confrontation at the department store, a Dirty Cop pushes Toni's companion over the edge but her manages to hang on to the staffage. Then the cop stomps on his right hand which makes the boy lose his grip and fall to his death.
- Milking the Giant Cow: Fittingly for the era of German Expressionism, Nyssen performs this hand gesture while delivering a New Era Speech about Germany reaching for the stars with the help of his company's inventions.
- New Year Has Come: The first episode takes place at New Years', 1930-31. Nyssen hosts an extravagant party, while Gereon misses a date with Charlotte because he gets arrested.
- Passive-Aggressive Kombat: At the opening New Years' party at the Nyssens, Helga and Nyssen's mother have an exchange of hostile words, all the while smiling at each other for the public.
- Rooftop Confrontation: Toni, her companion and Moritz escape to the rooftop of the building where a policeman catches Toni's friend and sends him over the edge via a Hand Stomp.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: The boy with whom Toni breaks into the department store gets killed in the aftermath, a mere 20 minutes after his introduction.
