I accuse (1941)
"Ich klage an" (original title)

In this morbid Nazi sanctioned pro-euthanasia melodrama, a successful doctor is forced to make a heart wrenching decision after his beautiful young wife is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Director:

Wolfgang Liebeneiner

Writers:

Eberhard Frowein, Wolfgang Liebeneiner,

Stars:

Heidemarie Hatheyer, Paul Hartmann, Mathias Wieman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Heidemarie Hatheyer	...	Hanna Heyt
Paul Hartmann	...	Professor Thomas Heyt
Mathias Wieman	...	Dr. Bernhard Lang
Margarete Haagen	...	Berta
Charlotte Thiele	...	Dr. Barbara Burckhardt
Christian Kayßler	...	Landgerichtsdirektor Kriebelmeyer (as Christian Kayssler)
Harald Paulsen	...	Eduard Stretter
Albert Florath	...	Professor Schlüter
Ilse Fürstenberg
Karin Evans	...	Erna Balg
Hans Nielsen	...	Dr. Höfer
Franz Schafheitlin	...	Rechtsanwalt Straten
Erich Ponto	...	Professor Werther
Otto Graf	...	Staatsanwalt Engel
Werner Pledath	...	Pastor Gömer

Storyline

In this morbid Nazi sanctioned pro-euthanasia melodrama, a successful doctor is forced to make a heart wrenching decision after his beautiful young wife is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

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Plot Keywords:

propaganda | murder | doctor | trial | euthanasia | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

29 August 1941 (Germany)

Also Known As:

I accuse

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tobis Filmkunst

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Some of the cast and crew of this film would later face accusations of Crimes Against Humanity at Nuremberg Trials for contributing to the Nazi Action T-4 euthanasia program.

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Quotes

Hanna Heyt: [after willingly drinking an overdose of sleeping pills offered by her husband] Is this death?
Professor Thomas Heyt: This is death, Hanna.
Hanna Heyt: I love you, Thomas...

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Connections

Referenced in Life Goes On (2002)

User Reviews

Nazi Euthanasia Propaganda Film

This film was made to justify the killing of disabled Germans in the so-called Nazi euthanasia program, properly known as Aktion T-4. It's not about choice. It's not about euthanasia. It's about marginalizing persons with disabilities -- and justifying their deaths in a murder machine which was the dry run for the Final Solution. The previous writer didn't mention this in his/her review. This "film" must be viewed and reviewed from its true historical perspective. There was no sort of moral "choice" involved in Aktion T-4.

I chose purposefully not to comment on content. The only reason to seek out this thing is for the study of Nazi propaganda -- and not very successful propaganda at that. And as Aktion T-4 and history proves, being "put to sleep" has nothing to do with disability rights or choice.