A Love in Germany (1983)
"Eine Liebe in Deutschland" (original title)

In May of 1983, a man turns 49 and, with his 17-year old son, journeys to the village in Baden that he left 40 years before. He wants to discover what happened then, the truth about an ... See full summary »

Director:

Andrzej Wajda

Writers:

Boleslaw Michalek (scenario), Agnieszka Holland (scenario),

Stars:

Hanna Schygulla, Piotr Lysak, Armin Mueller-Stahl

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hanna Schygulla	...	Paulina Kropp
Piotr Lysak	...	Stanislaus
Armin Mueller-Stahl	...	Mayer
Ralf Wolter	...	Schulze
Daniel Olbrychski	...	Wiktorczyk
Bernhard Wicki	...	Dr. Borg
Gérard Desarthe	...	Karl Wyler
Elisabeth Trissenaar	...	Elsbeth Schnittgens
Sigfrit Steiner	...	Melchior
Erika Wackernagel	...	Frau Melchior
Serge Merlin	...	Alker
Thomas Ringelmann	...	Herbert
Friedrich G. Beckhaus	...	Zinngruber the Mayor
Otto Sander	...	The narrator
Ben Becker	...	Klaus

Storyline

In May of 1983, a man turns 49 and, with his 17-year old son, journeys to the village in Baden that he left 40 years before. He wants to discover what happened then, the truth about an affair his mother had with a young Polish prisoner of war, how the authorities came to learn of it, the lovers' arrest, and the aftermath. While his son takes Polaroid photographs, he retraces the steps of his childhood and interviews those who should remember. The story is disclosed in flashbacks that focus on the lovers (Paulina and Stanislaus), on a jealous and conniving neighbor, and on Mayer, the local SS commander who wants to find a way out of inevitable consequences.

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

France West Germany

Language:

German Polish

Release Date:

2 November 1983 (France)

Also Known As:

A Love in Germany

Filming Locations:

CCC-Studios, Berlin, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gaumont, Stand'art, TF1 Films Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

User Reviews

A Beautiful and Tragic Love Story In Germany

In 1943, in Germany, Paulina Kropp (Hanna Schygulla) runs her own grocery alone, since her husband is fighting in the war. For months she has been living alone with her son, and she misses sex and the presence of a man with her. Paulina has a chance when she meets Stanislaus (Piotr Lysak), a young Polish POW. They have an affair and they fall in love for each other. Their love is denounced to the Gestapo and in accordance with the German laws, the prisoner is convicted to death by hanging, and Paulina sent to a labor camp. This beautiful and tragic love story has a great narrative. It simultaneously happens in 1983 and 1943, in a parallel between the main story and the search of the middle-aged son of Pauline for the true story of his family in the present days (1983). The direction of Andrzei Wajda is perfect as usual. The change of period along the development of the story is very interesting, since many scenes happen at the same location, and we just note the changing of time because of the costumes. The romance is beautiful and shows common German people from a small town oppressed by the economical situation of a country in war, repressed by their own laws and behavior of their society, with feelings of love, envy, greed, friendship, trying to live and survive in a hard period of their history. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): `Um Amor na Alemanha' (`A Love In Germany')