Das Beil von Wandsbek (1951)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Falk Harnack

Writers:

Hans Robert Bortfeld (writer)
Erich Conradi (writer)

Release Date:

11 May 1951 (East Germany)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Death Penalty | Political | Place Name In Title | Decapitation | Justice

Cast

Erwin Geschonneck	...	Albert Teetjen
Käthe Braun	...	Stine Teetjen
Gefion Helmke	...	Dr. Käthe Neumeier
Willy A. Kleinau	...	SS-Standartenführer Hans Peter Footh
Ursula Meissner	...	Annette Koldewy
Arthur Schröder	...	Dr. Koldewey (as Arthur Schroeder)
Claus Holm	...	SA-Sturmführer Trowe
Fritz Wisten	...	Siegfried Mengers
Maly Delschaft	...	Frau Lehmke
Helmuth Hinzelmann	...	Oberst Lintze
Blandine Ebinger	...	Frau Lintze
Gisela May	...	Arbeiterfrau
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Thea Achenwall
Erika Dannhoff
Albert Garbe
Annemarie Hase
Georg Helge
Herbert Kiper
Charlotte Küter
Claus Peter Lüttgen
Kurt Mikulski
Gina Presgott
Gustav Püttjer
Helene Riechers
Gerd E. Schäfer		(as Gert E. Schäfer)
Raimund Schelcher
Werner Segtrop
Hilde Sessak
Hermann Stövesand
Otto Stübler
Nico Turoff
Albert Venohr

Also Known As:

The Axe of Wandsbek (USA)

Runtime:

Germany:110 min

Country:

East Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

East Germany:(Banned) (1951-1962)

Company:

Deutsche Film (DEFA)

A truthful portrayal of abhorrent nazi times.

Das Beil von Wandsbek is a truthful portrayal of abhorrent nazi times. Falk Harnack's primary goal was to reveal the fact that scores of abominable murders were committed by ordinary people like Teetjen acting on other people's orders.His film shows how owing to penury an ordinary citizen is forced to slaughter fellow human beings.Teetjen makes the biggest mistake of his life when he joins the Nazi party.His plight is further exacerbated when he is made a scapegoat by his ex comrade Footh.Nazi thugs hoodwink him till the very end by promising him financial support.It is a bitter truth that all sincere works of art are never free of controversies.Das Beil von Wandsbek was no exception to this rule.After its premiere it was withdrawn from German cinemas as the cultural authorities misinterpreted its artistic merit.They believed that it neglected the role of working classes and roused sympathy for the butcher.It was re-released in 1962 under a new revised version devoid of pivotal suicide scene.It was only in 1981 that the original print was made available for general public viewing.