Rosa Luxemburg (1986)

After years of political agitation, Rosa Luxemburg, Karl Liebknecht, and Leo Jogiches form a revolutionary German party, the Spartacists.

Director:

Margarethe von Trotta

Writer:

Margarethe von Trotta

Stars:

Barbara Sukowa, Daniel Olbrychski, Otto Sander

4 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Barbara Sukowa	...	Rosa Luxemburg
Daniel Olbrychski	...	Leo Jogiches
Otto Sander	...	Karl Liebknecht
Adelheid Arndt	...	Luise Kautsky
Jürgen Holtz	...	Karl Kautsky
Doris Schade	...	Clara Zetkin
Hannes Jaenicke	...	Kostja Zetkin
Jan Biczycki	...	August Bebel (as Jan-Paul Biczycki)
Karin Baal	...	Mathilde Jacob
Winfried Glatzeder	...	Paul Levi
Regina Lemnitz	...	Gertrud
Barbara Lass	...	Rosas Mutter
Dagna Drozdek	...	Rosa - 6 Jahre
Henryk Baranowski	...	Josef - Rosas Bruder
Patrizia Lazreg	...	Josefs Tochter

Storyline

Wronke Prison, 1916. Social democrat Rosa Luxemburg faces a mock execution. Twenty years earlier, Rosa's political gifts are acknowledged by everyone, as she struggles for democratic government in Germany and revolution in Poland. There she works closely with Leo Jogiches. Their political activity creates some difficulty for their personal relationship... As international tensions rise, Rosa makes speeches denouncing war and militarism. She seems too radical for her fellow Socialists. She meets Karl Liebknecht. When World War I begins, Rosa and Karl are united in opposition...

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Plot Keywords:

applause | dream | title directed by female | unhappy ending | prison | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Details

Country:

West Germany Czechoslovakia

Language:

German Polish French

Release Date:

10 April 1986 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Rosa L.

Filming Locations:

Czech Republic

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bioskop Film, Pro-ject Filmproduktion, Regina Ziegler Filmproduktion

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rainer Werner Fassbinder was planning to direct this in early 1983. Jane Fonda had already agreed to play the lead when Fassbinder suddenly died in June 1982.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Rosa Luxemburg: Sonja, you are bitter about my long enprisonment and ask: "How is it that some people may decide the fate of others?". My dear, all history is based on people deciding the fate of others and that is deeply rooted in the conditions of our material existence. The only way to change this is by painful upheaval. You ask: "What is it all for?" "What for" conveys nothing about the totality of life and its many forms. Why do blue tits exist? I really have no idea but I'm glad they do ...

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Connections

Referenced in Black and White (2010)

User Reviews

Tough and uncompromising, like Rosa.

"Rosa Luxemburg" is an inspiring and powerful portrait of Luxemburg, a Polish-German activist and Socialist/Communist who lived from 1872-1919. She was murdered during the unsuccessful Spartacist rebellion in Germany, right after Germany's defeat in World War I.

I don't know much about Luxemburg, but as the film portrays her, she was a very forceful, compassionate, and strident devotee of peace and justice for the working class. She was a member of the Socialist Democratic Party in Germany, and she also spent some time in her native Poland. Apparently she was also Jewish. Her longtime lover and working companion was also a Socialist writer who was Polish.

"Rosa Luxemburg" follows many of the major events in Rosa's life. We see her giving speeches, writing articles, and pressing the Socialist Democratic party elders for quicker movements toward "revolution." Ultimately, Rosa wanted an overthrow of the "old order," meaning the monarchic/industrial/fascist forces, and direct control of the political system by the workers themselves. She did not advocate violent means to do this, but nevertheless was painted as a dangerous radical and was thrown in jail nine times.

I enjoyed this film immensely and found it sad but extremely important. Viewers who enjoy this film might also check out "The Burning Season," "Entertaining Angels," and "Daens."