Background info

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Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeiten (GZSZ) is a German soap opera set in Berlin. GZSZ began airing the Franzi and Paula (Frapa) storyline in June 2007. For those of you who aren't familiar with the show or the characters, we're providing some background information here. Note that there will be no spoilers included in what you are about to read. This is meant merely as an entry point for the storyline. We will keep this list updated as new characters arrive on the scene. The characters below are listed in order of appearance:

Franziska Reuter
First appearance: Frapa 001 (3763).

Everyone calls her Franzi. Franzi is in a relationship with PHILIP HÖFER when we first meet her in Frapa 001. She had previously been in a relationship with SEBASTIAN WINTER, but fell in love with Philip during a school production of 'Romeo and Juliet'. Franzi dropped out of high school and tried to get into acting school, but wasn't accepted. She had a falling out with her parents over dropping out of school and moved out to live on her own. Right now she is sharing an apartment with CARO NEUSTÄDTER and SANDRA ERGÜN, and has re-enrolled in school. Franzi works as a waitress in Mocca, the cafe right below her apartment, which is managed by Sandra.

Paula Rapf

First appearance: Frapa 001 (3763).

Paula is married to JOHN BACHMANN. They live together with John's half brother PHILIP HÖFER in an apartment. Paula first appeared in epi 2595, which means that she has gone through a lot in the GZSZ microcosm. She grew up traveling the fair circuit (Jahrmarkt), where she got to know LEON MORENO, whom she remains friends with. After graduating from high school (the Viktoria-Luise-Gymnasium), she started to train to be a car mechanic. However, she quit after being sexually harassed by her boss. Right now she's training to be a police officer.

John Bachmann

First appearance: Frapa 001 (3763).

Paula's husband, older stepbrother to PHILIP and EMILY HÖFER. He works for Morgenecho, the local newspaper.
John and Paula married when they were relatively young (there was a wedding scheduled for somebody else but when that couple didn't show up, Paula and John decided on the spot to get married). There have been problems over the course of their relationship – before their marriage, John cheated on Paula with Emily, who turned out later to be his half-sister. John and Emily's father is Hannes Bachmann, who recently died in an airplane crash with his girlfriend Senta Lemke. After the crash John pledged to take care of his younger half-siblings Philip and Emily, which has caused some friction in his marriage with Paula. John is trying to take charge of the family. Emily sued him for her inheritance, resulting in a legal quarrel.

Philip Höfer

First appearance: Frapa 001 (3763).

Twin brother of Emily, who moved out of the Bachmann apartment after a quarrel with John over their inheritance. Philip and Emily were raised in Spain by their biological mother and Georg, their stepfather. He and Emily came to Berlin looking for their biological father, Hannes. Philip is Franzi's boyfriend and it is his first relationship. Philip recently joined 'Save the Globe', a group concerned with protecting the environment. Philip had great difficulty dealing with his father's death. He stole Senta's car, was convicted of reckless driving and was sentenced to community service.

Bolle
First appearance: Frapa 001 (3763).
Philip and Emily's dog, aka 'hambone', 'little guy', 'big guy', 'Sir', 'greedy mutt' or 'snookums'.

Gerd
First appearance: Frapa 002 (3767).
Colleague of Franzi's at Mocca. He is gay. Not part of the main cast.

Caroline Neustädter
First appearance: Frapa 011 (3782)
Caro is sharing the apartment with Franzi and Sandra, and is a good friend of Franzi's. Caro is in a relationship with TIM BÖCKING, who is John and Paula's best friend. She worked as a kitchen helper at Fasan, and is currently involved in the opening of a hostel called 'Schlaflabor' (Sleep Laboratory), where she and Tim will be the managers.  Caro also has a side job as a dance instructor.

Sebastian Winter
First appearance: Frapa 012 (3783)
Sebastian used to be in a relationship with Franzi. He is friends with Philip and the two of them joined a boyband, but things didn't work out. After that, he dropped out of school to pursue a career in acting and modeling. Currently he is staying in Franzi's apartment because the girl he was having a fling with kicked him out. Sebastian likes to think of himself as a ladies' man.

Meike Voss
First appearance: Frapa 013 (3785)
Meike is very concerned about the environment and is part of 'Save the Globe', the group Philip is also engaged in. Initially, Franzi is jealous of Meike because Philip and Meike are spending so much time together. However, this changes after Franzi finds out that Meike is gay, and they become friends.

Tim Böcking
First appearance: Frapa 018 (3795)
Tim is very close friends with both John and Paula. Tim has a young son, Felix, from a previous relationship. When Caro helped out with babysitting Felix, Tim fell in love with her. Even though Caro was hesitant at first because she still had feelings for Alexander Cöster, John's boss, they got together. Caro and Tim are currently involved in opening a hostel called 'Schlaflabor', where they'll be the managers. Tim is pursuing a degree in law, and he used to be addicted to pills.

Emily Höfer
First Appearance: Frapa 22 (3800)
Emily is Philip's twin sister. When Philip and Franzi first got together, Emily disliked her a lot because Franzi and Philip were spending so much time together. Emily moved out of the Bachmann apartment after Hannes' death. She's been fighting with John over their inheritance and won a legal battle, resulting in John having to pay out her portion to her. Emily also attends Viktoria Luise School, but has recently been the head of sales for the seedy Dr. Galensa cosmetic firm. Since the job is not really working out, Emily is looking into starting a career as a model.

Sandra Ergün
First Appearance: Frapa 35 (3820)
Sandra inherited the Mocca from her late husband, Deniz Ergün. After Deniz' death, she joined a sect and gifted them the Mocca. When the authorities disbanded the sect, Marc Hansen bought the Mocca. Sandra is now the manager. She shares the apartment with Franzi, who works for her. However, they are not very close. Sandra and John are cousins.

Clemens Richter
First Appearance: Frapa 46 (3834)
Clemens is Tim's biological father and teaches history at Viktoria Luise. Clemens has been around since the beginning of the show and actually had the first GZSZ line ever, which was: "What's the matter?" He's in a relationship with Elisabeth Meinhart. Clemens doesn't think too highly of his son's girlfriend, Caro. He doesn't respect her aspirations to be a hostel manager and part time dance instructor. He thinks Tim, who is in law school, could 'do better'. He's also jealous that Caro gets to spend more time with Felix (his grandson) than he does.

Elisabeth Meinhart
First appearance: Frapa 50 (3842)
Elisabeth is in a relationship with Clemens and also teaches at Viktoria Luise. She has been around since the very first episode and is very well liked by everyone because she is extremely caring and helpful.




Leon Moreno

First appearance Frapa 62 (3858)
Leon and Paula's dad were close friends on the fair circuit where Paula grew up, and she and Leon have been friends ever since. When her dad wanted  her to finish high school in Berlin, she initially moved in with Leon. John has also become friends with him.

A. R. Daniel
First appearance: Frapa 064 (3860)
When Paula first moved to Berlin and was staying with Leon, that was at Daniel's place. Daniel is an alcoholic, but Elizabeth (his ex-wife) and his best friend Clemens helped him get sober. Daniel's work career has been varied: he has worked in an advertising agency and as a social worker, he used to own a gym and a bar. Daniel is a very likeable character and helps everyone who needs help. He is a paternal friend to Paula.