This documentary drama series tells the story of the Thirty Years War from the perspective of the people who experienced it: like the soldier Peter Hagendorf, the "Winter Queen" Elisabeth Stuart, the famous artist Peter Paul Rubens and the "Grey Eminence" Father Joseph. This visual memory of the 17th century forms the 'archive footage' in the series. Combined with vivid drama and contributions from international experts, the series builds a bridge between "now" and "then" enabling viewers to experience what it was like to live through the Thirty Years' War.
Mino was the eighth ZDF-Weihnachtsserie, and aired in 1986. The series was broadcast in Germany on ZDF, and consisted of 6 episodes. Broadcasting in Germany began on December 25, 1986. The series was also broadcast in Italy, and consisted of 4 episodes. Broadcasting in Italy began on December 28, 1986. The series was an Italian-German co-production. It was inspired by the Italian novel The little Alpino by Salvator Gotta.