Wenn das fünfte Lichtlein brennt (“When the Fifth Little Light Burns”) is a 2021 German television Christmas dramedy directed by Stefan Bühling for Das Erste (ARD), and it has been out for years, not upcoming. It premiered on ARD Mediathek on December 1, 2021, and had its television premiere on Das Erste on December 3, 2021, drawing 5.65 million viewers and a strong 19.2% market share — making it one of the most-watched Friday-night films of the year in Germany. The episodic story follows a group of strangers thrown together at a German airport on Christmas Eve after a sudden snowstorm grounds every flight, each dealing with their own crisis — a terminal diagnosis, a secret affair, a fractured marriage, a closeted relationship — over the course of one long night.
Quick Facts
| Title | Wenn das fünfte Lichtlein brennt |
| Type | German television Christmas film (Fernsehfilm) |
| Director | Stefan Bühling |
| Writer | Arndt Stüwe |
| Composer | Leonard Petersen |
| Release | ARD Mediathek: December 1, 2021; TV premiere on Das Erste: December 3, 2021 |
| Reception | 5.65 million viewers, 19.2% market share; one of the most successful Friday-night TV films of the year in Germany |
| Production | ARD Degeto / Bantry Bay Productions, filmed in Berlin and at Münster Osnabrück Airport |
Who composed the score?
Leonard Petersen (note the correct spelling — not “Peterson”) composed the original score. He is a German film composer who studied English and music at the Universität der Künste Berlin before completing a master’s in film music at Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, and he has worked independently as a composer for film and media since 2015. He won the newcomer prize at the Deutscher Filmmusikpreis (German Film Music Award) in 2015. His other credits include Der Bunker (2015), Wir sind die Flut (2016), Zu weit weg (2019), Im Abgrund (2020, also directed by Stefan Bühling), Tatort: Schutzmaßnahmen (2023), and Polizeiruf 110: Diebe (2024).
Every Song (by Scene)
Alongside Petersen’s original score, the film features a verified selection of licensed Christmas songs, confirmed via German Wikipedia’s sourced production notes:
- “Winter Wonderland” – Dean Martin
- “A Holly Jolly Christmas” – Burl Ives
- “Jingle Bell Rock” – Bobby Helms
- “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – Diana Krall
- “Driving Home for Christmas” – Chris Rea
- “Wonderful Christmastime” – Paul McCartney
- “O du fröhliche” (traditional German carol)
- “Carol of the Bells” – Pentatonix
- “Little Drummer Boy” – Pentatonix
Note: an earlier version of this page listed several additional “song” titles (including fragments in German that didn’t correspond to verifiable tracks). We were unable to confirm those entries against any reliable source, so we’ve removed them and kept only the songs verifiable through the film’s sourced German Wikipedia production notes.
Cast
- Christian Brückner as the narrator
- Henning Baum as Thorsten Wenkmann
- Lisa Bitter as Eva Gabius
- Meike Droste as Katharina Frerich
- Max von Pufendorf as Martin Frerich
- Michael Lott as Lars Klostermann
- Elena Uhlig as Jette Klostermann
- Jan Henrik Stahlberg as Ansger Brickner
- Xenia Tilling as Christkind
- Daniel Donskoy as Conrad Bruhns
- Tim Kalkhof as Sebastian Niehaber
- Sarina Radomski as Anja Milhan
- Ruth Reinecke as Charlotte Höfer
- Ernst Stötzner as Karl Höfer
Where to Stream
The film aired on Das Erste and was made available on the ARD Mediathek following its December 2021 premiere; German public broadcaster streaming windows are time-limited, so check ARD Mediathek or 3sat Mediathek for current availability. Petersen’s score and the film’s licensed Christmas songs (Winter Wonderland, Jingle Bell Rock, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, and others listed above) are available individually from their respective artists on Apple Music and Spotify.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed Wenn das fünfte Lichtlein brennt?
German film composer Leonard Petersen wrote the original score. He also composed Der Bunker, Wir sind die Flut, and episodes of Tatort and Polizeiruf 110.
When did the film premiere?
It went up on ARD Mediathek on December 1, 2021, and had its television premiere on Das Erste two days later, on December 3, 2021.
How was it received?
Very well for a TV film: it drew 5.65 million viewers and a 19.2% market share, making it one of the most successful Friday-night films of the year in Germany, and critics praised its blend of warmth and melancholy.
What Christmas songs are in the film?
Licensed tracks include Dean Martin’s “Winter Wonderland,” Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock,” Diana Krall’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” Chris Rea’s “Driving Home for Christmas,” and Pentatonix covers of “Carol of the Bells” and “Little Drummer Boy,” alongside Leonard Petersen’s original score.
Where is the film set and what is it about?
It’s set at a German airport terminal on Christmas Eve, where a sudden snowstorm grounds every flight and strands an ensemble cast of characters who must confront personal crises together overnight.
Related reading: explore more on our TV soundtrack hub and streaming guides.