The Miracle of Bern (2003)
"Das Wunder von Bern" (original title)

The movie deals with the championship-winning German soccer team of 1954. Its story is linked with two others: The family of a young boy is split due to the events in World War II, and the ... See full summary »

Director:

Sönke Wortmann

Writers:

Sönke Wortmann (screenplay), Rochus Hahn (screenplay)

Stars:

Louis Klamroth, Peter Lohmeyer, Johanna Gastdorf

10 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Louis Klamroth	...	Matthias Lubanski
Peter Lohmeyer	...	Richard Lubanski
Johanna Gastdorf	...	Christa Lubanski
Mirko Lang	...	Bruno Lubanski
Birthe Wolter	...	Ingrid Lubanski
Katharina Wackernagel	...	Annette Ackermann
Lucas Gregorowicz	...	Paul Ackermann
Peter Franke	...	Sepp Herberger
Sascha Göpel	...	Helmut Rahn
Knut Hartwig	...	Fritz Walter
Holger Dexne	...	Horst Eckel
Simon Verhoeven	...	Ottmar Walter
Jo Stock	...	Toni Turek
Martin Bretschneider	...	Hans Schäfer
Christian Broos	...	Werner Kohlmeyer (Im Endspiel)

Storyline

The movie deals with the championship-winning German soccer team of 1954. Its story is linked with two others: The family of a young boy is split due to the events in World War II, and the father returns from Russia after eleven years. His problems in getting back to normal life are shown, with references to his children and wife. The second story is about a reporter and his wife reporting from the tournament.

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Plot Keywords:

soccer | german soccer | boy | post world war two germany | west germany | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Sport

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Details

Country:

Germany

Language:

German Swiss German

Release Date:

16 October 2003 (Germany)

Also Known As:

A berni csoda

Filming Locations:

Beek, Duisburg, North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

€7,300,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$96,149 (Switzerland) (31 October 2003)

Gross:

$12,660,891 (Germany) (28 November 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Little Shark Entertainment GmbH, Senator Film Produktion, Seven Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Peter Lohmeyer (Richard Lubanski) is the real-life-father of Louis Klamroth (Matthias Lubanski).

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Goofs

In one training scene, we see a scoreboard mounted on a standard 20ft-container. But standard 20ft-containers were not available in 1954.

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Crazy Credits

At the very end of the closing credits one can hear the original radio reporter signing off from the stadium in Bern.

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Connections

References Gladiator (2000)

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Soundtracks

"Ja, so fängt es immer an"
(Siegfried Ulrich)
Performed by Rita Paul
With permission of Musikverlag Melodie Froboess und Budde KG
Courtesy of BMG Berlin Musik GmbH

User Reviews

Incredible movie

This movie is clearly en par with "Die Feuerzangenbowle" or "Der blaue Engel"

In the background it describes the post war Germany, the desperation, the aggression, the losses, the private and public devastation. Fantastic the scene when the train arrives in Essen and all the women anxiously hope that their husband or son will be on that train (many many of them were actually disappointed). Amazing how Soenke shows the game against Austria where he lets children play the actual game scenes on some muddy grass pitch, with the original radio comment running.

In the foreground it tells the story about those 90 minutes which many consider as the turning point for Germany in the 20th century. I was not existent yet but my mother and many others that I know of her generation can still tell what they did during these 90 minutes in 1954. The movie is brilliantly made, with real soccer players as actors (that shows at times, see "The school of rock"). The goals in the final actually happened the way they are shown in the movie. The American movie goers may not understand many of the little details (all the Herberger Phrases are there, Helmut Rahn actually had a severe alcohol problem later in life). They also may not realize the importance of soccer in all the rest of the world ;) which cannot be overestimated.