Main Cast: Sylvester Groth, Fred Dueren, Klaus Piontek, Matt Gunther
Release Year: 1983
Country: WG
Run Time: 101 minutes
Plot
This story of mistaken identity was taken from the experiences of writer Hermann Kant when he was a 19-year-old soldier in the German Wehrmacht. In the film, the soldier is drafted into the army just after the siege of Stalingrad in 1943 and is taken prisoner in Poland, where a mother has accused him of being the SS man who killed her daughter earlier in the war. While in prison he is given dangerous work in the prison yard but survives intact. Eventually, the soldier hears about the extermination camps of Lublin, Auschwitz and other sites, and has changed his feelings toward the army. Meanwhile, his case is coming up for review and even a jail companion from his same army unit is afraid to come to his defense because of possible repercussions. This film was withdrawn from competition at the 1983 Berlin Film Festival because of objections to its content. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
Cast
Sylvester Groth - Mark Niebuhr
Fred Dueren - General Eisensteck
Klaus Piontek - Major Lundenbroich
Matt Gunther - Hauptsturmfueher
Guenter Junghans - Gestapo Commissioner Rudlof; Hans-Uwe Bauer - Coporal Fensko; Gustaw Lutkiewicz - Pan Szybko; Krzysztof Chamiec - Chief; Roman Wilhelmi - Ohnehals
Credit
Frank Beyer - Director, Rita Hiller - Editor, Günther Fischer - Composer (Music Score), Eberhard Geick - Cinematographer, Herbert Ehler - Production Manager, Alfred Hirschmeier - Set Designer, Wolfgang Kohlhaase - Screenwriter, Herman Kant - Book Author
