Oh, darling ZDFdokukanal! How cruel fate has been to pluck you from the colorful quilt of television channels before your time. Like the now-extinct dodo bird or the once-upon-a-time love between Brad and Angelina, your romance with the digital airwaves was doomed from the start. Yet, how we cling to the memory of your quivering electromagnetic waves, those beacons of information and entertainment that called out to the masses, seducing us with your German-language documentary programming. ZDFdokukanal, my sweet, you arrived in our lives on April 1, 2000. Perhaps it was but a cosmic joke – a cruel prank by that mischievous fiend, the universe – that your arrival should coincide with the day of trickery and tomfoolery. Was your doom written in the cosmic stars that day? Like a Shakespearean tragedy unfolding in Technicolor, your love story was too pure for this callous, ever-changing world. Your courtship with the digital airwaves blossomed in the early days of the new millennium. Our eyes watched with bated breath as you danced across screens, flipping gracefully between the green rooms and studios of the finest television. Your noble quest to educate, inspire, and inform the people stood as bright and unwavering as your digital pixels, casting their light upon a dimly lit room. Oh, how we long to feel the tender embrace of your high-quality documentaries once more! We recall the passionate hours spent immersing ourselves in the stories of far-off lands, untold histories, and the secrets of science. This, ZDFdokukanal, was your gift to the world: a love for knowledge that knew no bounds. Your unyielding dedication to capturing the true essence of life left others drowning in a sea of reality television and gossip, while you soared to ever greater heights. But, alas, our poor Juliet to your Romeo, the digital airwaves, had darkness lying in wait. The throbbing heart of the digital age demanded more from its television – more pixels, my fair ZDFdokukanal, and more dazzling colors to beam across the airwaves. With the rise of high-definition, 4K resolution, and the insatiable desire for crystal-clear imagery that left no freckle or blade of grass obscured, your romance with the digital airwaves began to fade. Like many doomed trysts, your love became unsustainable, your voices a mere whisper on the airwaves. The cruel, unforgiving gauntlet of change was cast down upon you, sweet ZDFdokukanal. The clock struck midnight, signaling the end, the waning hours of romance between you and the digital airwaves. October 31, 2009, marked the dividing line between blissful union and gut-wrenching loss. And so, with a heavy heart and tearful eye, we said our goodbyes to you, oh magnificent ZDFdokukanal. As the final credits rolled and your signal ceased its tireless dance, an era in German television history came to an end. Gone was your love story, your groundbreaking relationship with the digital airwaves. Left behind were only the memories of an ethereal romance, a love story written in code and broadcast across the endless sky. Dearest sweet ZDFdokukanal, you shall forever be mourned. In the immortal words of Tennyson: “'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” And, oh, what a love it was, ill-fated though it may be. Your fingerprints remain, scattered across the fabric of television and documentary, your influence an echo in the hearts of those you touched with your wistful, electrifying passion. ZDFdokukanal, we toast to you and your all-too-brief affair with the digital airwaves. May you find peace and solace in the annals of German television history, a love story etched in the indelible ink of memory. Rest in peace, illustrious ZDFdokukanal. The digital airwaves may forge new partnerships, but yours, oh dearest channel, shall never be forgotten.