Germany Year Zero (1948) Germania anno zero (original title)

Director:

Roberto Rossellini

Writers:

Roberto Rossellini (story)
Max Kolpé (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

19 September 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The country is obliterated, the buildings are dilapidated and the people are desolated.

Plot:

Edmund, a young boy who lives in the destructed Germany after the 2nd World War has to do all kinds...

Plot Keywords:

Boy | Germany | Soldier | Nazi | Pedophile

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Edmund Moeschke	...	Edmund (as Edmund Meschke)
Ernst Pittschau	...	Il padre
Ingetraud Hinze	...	Eva (as Ingetraud Hinz)
Franz-Otto Krüger	...	Karl-Heinz (as Franz Grüger)
Erich Gühne	...	Il maestro
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Heidi Blänkner	...	Frau Rademaker (uncredited)
Jo Herbst	...	Jo (uncredited)
Barbara Hintz	...	Thilde (uncredited)
Adolf Hitler	...	Himself (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)
Karl Krüger	...	Il medico (uncredited)
Alexandra Manys	...	Amica di Eva (uncredited)
Christl Merker	...	Christl (uncredited)
Gaby Raak	...	La donna di generale (uncredited)
Inge Rocklitz	...	Rifugiata (uncredited)
Hans Sangen	...	Herr Rademaker (uncredited)
Babsi Schultz-Reckewell	...	La figlia di Rademacher (uncredited)
Franz von Treuberg	...	Il generale von Laubniz (uncredited)

Directed by
Roberto Rossellini

Writing credits
Roberto Rossellini		(story and screenplay)
Max Kolpé		(screenplay and dialogue) (as Max Colpet)
Sergio Amidei		(italian version)
Carlo Lizzani		uncredited

Produced by
Roberto Rossellini	....	producer
Salvo D'Angelo	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Renzo Rossellini

Cinematography by
Robert Juillard		(as Robert Julliard)

Film Editing by
Eraldo Da Roma

Art Direction by
Piero Filippone

Production Management
Marcello Bollero	....	production supervisor
Alberto Manni	....	production supervisor
Alfredo Guarini	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Max Kolpé	....	assistant director (as Max Colpet)
Carlo Lizzani	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Kurt Doubrowsky	....	sound technician (as Kurt Doubrawsky)

Camera and Electrical Department
Emil Puet	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Music Department
Edoardo Micucci	....	musical director

Other crew
Vincenzo Genesi	....	laboratory technician (as V. Genesi)
Giancarlo Campidori	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Charles Clement	....	subtitler: English (1949 release) (uncredited)
Sonya Friedman	....	subtitler (1978 English language version) (uncredited)

Thanks
Marco Romano Rossellini	....	dedicatee (as Mio figlio Romano)

Production Companies

• Produzione Salvo D'Angelo
• Tevere Film

Distributors

• G.D.B. Film (1948) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Superfilm Distributing Corporation (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (English subtitles)
• L'Alliance Générale de Distribution Cinématographique (1949) (France) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• MacMillan Films Inc. (1978) (USA) (new English subtitles)

Other Companies

• Ricordi  music published by (as G. Ricordi & C.)
• Stabilimenti Titanus S.A.  post-production and dubbing facilities

Also Known As:

"Germania anno zero" - Italy (original title)

Runtime:

78 min | Brazil:71 min | USA:71 min (TCM print)

Country:

Italy

Language:

German | English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

West Germany:16 (f) | Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Produzione Salvo D'Angelo

Trivia:

On the occasion of the projection of this film in the Brussels Royal Filmmuseum (recently restyled as "Cinematek.be") on September 7th 1997, the program quoted Belgian filmmaker Henri Storck (1907-1999): "It is a well guarded secret, but during the filming in Berlin Marlene Dietrich - desperately in love - was Rossellini's secretary, typist and translator".

Quotes:

Edmund:Eva, they're cutting the power.
Eva:The power? Why?
Edmund:They discovered someone was stealing it.
Eva:Who?
Karl-Heinz:Someone.
Edmund:Rademaker says it was us.
Karl-Heinz:As usual.
Eva:So that's what he was screaming about.
Karl-Heinz:That black marketer. One day I'll smash his head.
Eva:You're such a big talker, but when it comes to helping us, you do nothing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

Rossellini's great post-war, neo-realist masterpiece

This masterpiece, filmed while the action and subject matter of the film, was at its most intense, is a must see. Featuring non-professional actors, in the neo-realist style which defined post-war Italian cinema, you will experience a lyrical view of Germany, actually devastated Berlin. This is how it was at Hour Zero, or "Anno Zero" when new currency was introduced, and the economy started again from scratch with each German receiving the same (very little) cash to rebuild their lives, and indeed their country. The film has magnificent scenes including the voice of Adolf Hitler coming from a record player among the ruins of the Chancellery, deaths in gutted buildings, and several especially poignant scenes of the young boy who has known nothing but misery during his few years of life, yet continues his fight to survive.