Frank McDonough

“We were born in Liverpool but grew up in Hamburg” John Lennon. This feature documentary seeks to find the truth in those words. The long and winding road that the Beatles took to worldwide fame passed through Hamburg, Germany in the early 1960s. Only a couple of years before they became household names, the former “Quarrymen” were cutting their musical teeth on nightclub stages in Hamburg. In the 15 years after the end of WW2 Hamburg had become the vice capital of Europe. Its neon lit streets were home to sailors, prostitutes, drug dealers, gangs and low life. The group was still developing. At the time of their first Hamburg adventure, George Harrison, was only 17 years old. They were all still very young men, and their group was virtually unknown. By the time of their last German visit in 1966, the Beatles were a worldwide phenomenon.

David Olusoga tells the story of those who lived in one house, from the time it was built until now. Searching through city archives, scouring records, and tracking down their living descendants, presenter David Olusoga tells the untold stories of the people who once lived in the house and gains a unique insight into the making of modern Britain.