19. TV chef Kurt Drummer had a show on East German television for 25 years
The SED closely controlled the television network in the GDR. It set up an institution called Deutscher Fernsehfunk (‘German Television Broadcasting’) to oversee content. Propaganda took up much of the broadcasting time. However, one of the most popular shows saw TV chef Kurt Drummer show people how to cook healthy, delicious meals. Between 1958 and 1983, Drummer presented nearly 650 episodes. At a time when available food had little variety, Drummer told people how to make the most of available ingredients. But after 25 years, even Drummer ran out of new ideas, and the show ended when he fell ill.