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I accuse

Original title: Ich klage an
  • 1941
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
195
YOUR RATING
Paul Hartmann in I accuse (1941)
Drama

In this pro-euthanasia melodrama, a successful doctor is forced to make a heart-wrenching decision after his beautiful young wife is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.In this pro-euthanasia melodrama, a successful doctor is forced to make a heart-wrenching decision after his beautiful young wife is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.In this 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
    • Hellmuth Unger
  • Stars
    • Heidemarie Hatheyer
    • Paul Hartmann
    • Mathias Wieman
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    195
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Wolfgang Liebeneiner
    • Writers
      • Eberhard Frowein
      • Wolfgang Liebeneiner
      • Hellmuth Unger
    • Stars
      • Heidemarie Hatheyer
      • Paul Hartmann
      • Mathias Wieman
    • 13User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Photos51

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    Top cast49

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    Heidemarie Hatheyer
    Heidemarie Hatheyer
    • Hanna Heyt
    Paul Hartmann
    Paul Hartmann
    • Professor Thomas Heyt
    Mathias Wieman
    Mathias Wieman
    • Dr. Bernhard Lang
    Margarete Haagen
    • Berta
    Charlotte Thiele
    Charlotte Thiele
    • Dr. Barbara Burckhardt
    Christian Kayßler
    Christian Kayßler
    • Landgerichtsdirektor Kriebelmeyer
    • (as Christian Kayssler)
    Harald Paulsen
    Harald Paulsen
    • Eduard Stretter
    Albert Florath
    Albert Florath
    • Professor Schlüter
    Ilse Fürstenberg
    Karin Evans
    Karin Evans
    • Erna Balg
    Hans Nielsen
    • Dr. Höfer
    Franz Schafheitlin
    • Rechtsanwalt Straten
    Erich Ponto
    Erich Ponto
    • Professor Werther
    Otto Graf
    • Staatsanwalt Engel
    Werner Pledath
    • Pastor Gömer
    Franz Weber
    • Hegemeister Rehefeld
    Hellmuth Bergmann
    Hellmuth Bergmann
    • Schlossermeister Rohlfs
    Karl Dannemann
    Karl Dannemann
      • Director
        • Wolfgang Liebeneiner
      • Writers
        • Eberhard Frowein
        • Wolfgang Liebeneiner
        • Hellmuth Unger
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

      User reviews13

      6.2195
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      Featured reviews

      8ambros-710-460987

      It is a great film, why is it banned?

      This film has great actors and an impressive storyline. The topic of euthanasia on demand is not popular, but it is absolutely wrong to prohibit it.

      It is the same like abortions. It is not good to mention on cocktail parties, but every day there are people who need it and imho this are very important rights for our entire society.

      If someone has at least one very good reason to end his/her life, it should be possible to end the suffering. It is legal in several countries. In the Netherlands for example you have to visit two different psychiatrists and when both of them agrre with you, then you can die in peace and dignity.

      In every old peoples home in the so called civilized world are a lot of human beings who beg for being killed. They are alone, sick, helpless and doomed to existence.

      This film should be shown in every classroom, not only in cinemas. Discuss it and.give our humans the honor to decide themselves. To force people to stay alive is torture, give them the right to decide isn't.
      1djc854

      On the issue of euthanasia

      This film is a premier example of what a dangerous weapon the cinematic arts can be. _Ich klage an_ was a propaganda piece, carefully constructed by the Nazis, to persuade the viewing public how reasonable it would be for euthanasia to be first legalized and then state run. The sentimentality with which the relationship between the husband and his terminally ill wife is portrayed is brilliant. The debate in the jury room (the debate is over the euthanizing of the wife and the guilt of her murderer) is indeed one of the shrewdest pieces of propaganda in cinematic history. Germans in the Nazi period had great sympathy for the film and with few exceptions accepted the reasonableness of its arguments about "quality of life". We know where that led. If dead Nazis could vote on IMDb, they'd give _Ich klage an_ nines and tens for sure. Never again, dear friends, never again.
      1sschwartz-4

      Bad film that *should* be banned

      As the first comment writer explained, this film was Nazi propaganda that helped lead to the Euthanasia movement of the Reich. Over 70,000 men, women, and children were killed as a result of this movement. If you have any ounce of a conviction to follow a moral standard, the purpose of this film should outweigh intellectual recognition, that is, the fact that this film furthered darkest era of the 20th century should *alone* ban it from viewers. If anything, it should be kept in storage as a reminder of the kind of propaganda that manifests itself during similar movements. To conclude, one should pay close attention to more recent cinematic developments, particularly movies like Million Dollar Baby, The Sea Inside, Sin City, and many other movies released recently praised as "good" movies. If you're not frightened, you should be.
      1kaylarigney

      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.
      8tokharian

      A mother falls ill, and demands death for the good of everyone

      Banned? How about studied to understand how it was effective, so we can protect ourselves from having our buttons pushed in the future? The actress was beautiful, and of an opinion very different from the handicapped activists in groups like 'Not Dead Yet'. We are being pushed and pulled by media and society every day. Let's wake up by studying and learning from the tricks of the past. Banning it will only leave us blind to newer tricks. Insight and awareness are the cure for propaganda in any age. In our age we see the same arguments raised, that some life is not worth living. Sometimes the life in question can argue in its own defense, sometimes not.

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      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • 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.
      • 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...

      • Connections
        Edited into Deutschland, erwache! (1968)

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      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • August 29, 1941 (Germany)
      • Country of origin
        • Germany
      • Language
        • German
      • Also known as
        • Vem dömer?
      • Production company
        • Tobis Filmkunst
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Tech specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 50 minutes
      • Color
        • Black and White
      • Sound mix
        • Mono
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.37 : 1

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