Europe is said to be named after a woman: Europa, a Phoenician princess in Greek mythology. Yet, from its mythological origins to the political present, the history of Europe has been told almost exclusively as a narrative by men about men – until now. This mini-series breaks with this tradition and shows how women have contributed to building and shaping Europe since World War II. How they, in different places and at different times, with varying goals and strategies, fought a common battle to prevail in patriarchal structures. And, consequently, made Europe what it is today. 

In three parts, Europe’s post-war history unfolds along the careers of twelve strong and influential women from different nationalities and backgrounds. British director Claire Walding mixes prominent names with less well-known personalities; but each of them definitively shaped the development of Europe through her work.

As women in powerful positions – in politics and business –, they were or have been able to direct the fates of their countries, of Europe and with that of the entire female population. Even though acting from positions of power, their experiences are representative of those of many women across Europe: the obstacles they faced and the hurdles they had to overcome on the path to participation are strikingly similar.

We meet these protagonists in interviews, in memories of their contemporaries and through archive material. Letters, diaries, autobiographies and photographs provide viewers with the most unfiltered and authentic insight into their lives. On the other side, historical footage also makes voices and standpoints of men who dominated the political system of the post-war era be heard. Through newsreels, reports and parliamentary debates, we follow the major events of European history. Along these, excerpts from advertisements, feature films and music remind us of the image of women in the media and society – leaving us, from a today’s viewpoint, at times shocked, smiling or simply surprised.

The protagonists: Alice Bah Kuhnke (SE), Simone de Beauvoir (FR), Ursula Hirschmann (DE), Marga Klompé (NL), Christine Lagarde (FR), Melina Mercouri (GR), Mary Quant (UK), Anna Šabatová (CZ), Margaret Thatcher (UK), Simone Veil (FR), Margarete Wittkowski (DE), Ursula von der Leyen (DE).