Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Sonja Ziemann | ... | Maria Reiser | |
Gunnar Möller | ... | Kurt Reiser | |
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Erik Schumann | ... | Hans Schott |
Brigitte Horney | ... | Generalin von Reuss | |
Mady Rahl | ... | Edith Marquardt | |
Erich Dunskus | ... | Vater Marquardt | |
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Willy Maertens | ... | Vater Reiser |
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Edith Schultze-Westrum | ... | Mutter Reiser |
Wolfgang Preiss | ... | Dr. Beck | |
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Tatjana Iwanow | ... | Dienstmädchen Meta |
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Christine Mylius | ... | Frau Rauh |
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Aranka Jaenke | ... | Frau Kahle |
Dietmar Schönherr | ... | Gaston | |
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Georg Lehn | ... | Pinkoweit, Stationsvorsteher |
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Hela Gruel | ... | Frau Pinkoweit |
At the beginning of 1945, Germany is a defeated nation. Its armies in the east are in full retreat. Due to the rapid advance of the Soviet Red Army, the German-held port of Gdynia (Gotenhafen) is threatened with encirclement. The German command decides to use the port in order to evacuate wounded soldiers and thousands of fleeing civilians from Courland, East Prussia, and Danzig-West Prussia. Two major transport and hospital ships are selected for the mission dubbed Operation Hannibal. One is the Hansa and the other is the Gustloff. Young Maria Reiser is a newly wed whose husband left for the Eastern Front, shortly after their wedding. However, Maria falls in love with Hans Schott, a naval officer assigned to the hospital-ship 'Wilhelm Gustloff'. They have a baby together since Maria is convinced that her husband will never return from the front. However, her husband returns home wounded. With thousands of civilians and wounded soldiers scrambling to board passage on the evacuation ... Written by nufs68
The sinking of the "Wilhelm Gustloff" is the biggest ship catastrophe ever. There were more than 10,000 people aboard - including over 5,000 children; more than 9,000 (!!) died, drowning and freezing to death. It is very odd that this drama is far less known or "popular" as e.g. the "Titanic" desaster, which was a ship of the rich and the super rich.
There are several popular books about the "Gustloff", but up to this day moviewise this is the only "monument" in rememberance of those 9,000 people who were buried alive in the Ostsee.