Der Schimmelreiter is based on Theodor Storms novella of the same title. It's about dyke reeve Hauke Haien, who tries to improve the dykes with the help of modern science, but has to fight his superstitious neighbours who suspect him to have a pact with the devil… Storms novella was the last thing he finished before his death, and the book is widely known among germans as everybody has to read it in (west german) school. Its status in the BRD was similar to the one of Professor Mammlock in the GDR.