Der Untertan

DDR 1951 Spielfilm

The Kaiser′s Lackey
Diederich Hessling, a "sissy" and mother′s pet, is scared of everything and everyone. But as he grows up, he comes to realize that he has to offer his services to the powers-that-be, if he wants to wield power himself. His life motto now runs: bow to those at the top and tread on those below. In this way, he always succeeds: as a student in a duel-fighting student fraternity and as a business-man in a paper factory. He cajoles the obese district administrative president von Wulkow and wins his favors. He slanders his financial rivals and hatches a plot with the social democrats in the town council. On honeymoon with his rich wife Guste, he finally finds a chance to do his beloved Kaiser a favour. And when a memorial to the Kaiser is unveiled in the town where Diederich lives and works, he delivers the festive address. He stands behind the lectern in pouring rain, saluting "his" Kaiser. The crowd has dispersed. Everything is laid in ruins ...

Source: German films Service & Marketing GmbH

 

Credits

Director

Screenplay

Director of photography

Editing

Music

Cast

Production company

Alle Credits

Director

Assistant director

Screenplay

based on

Script editor

Director of photography

Assistant camera

Still photography

Production design

Make-up artist

Costume design

Editing

Sound

Music

Cast

Production company

Unit production manager

Location manager

Original distributor

Shoot

    • 01.03.1951 - 22.06.1951: Außengelände der Studios in Potsdam-Babelsberg
Duration:
2963 m, 109 min
Format:
35mm, 1:1,33
Video/Audio:
s/w, Ton
Censorship/Age rating:

FSK-Prüfung (DE): 08.01.1957, 13613, Verbot;
Alliierte Militärzensur (DE): November 1956;
Amt für Information der DDR: 15.08.1951

Screening:

Uraufführung (DD): 31.08.1951, Berlin, Babylon, Defa-Filmtheater Kastanienallee;
TV-Erstsendung (DD): 02.09.1954, DFF

Titles

Additional titles
  • Originaltitel (DD) Der Untertan

Versions

Original

Duration:
2963 m, 109 min
Format:
35mm, 1:1,33
Video/Audio:
s/w, Ton
Censorship/Age rating:

FSK-Prüfung (DE): 08.01.1957, 13613, Verbot;
Alliierte Militärzensur (DE): November 1956;
Amt für Information der DDR: 15.08.1951

Screening:

Uraufführung (DD): 31.08.1951, Berlin, Babylon, Defa-Filmtheater Kastanienallee;
TV-Erstsendung (DD): 02.09.1954, DFF

Prüffassung

Duration:
2635 m, 96 min
Censorship/Age rating:

FSK-Prüfung (DE): 04.06.1984, 13613 [4. FSK-Prüfung];
FSK-Prüfung (DE): 22.02.1957, 13613 [2. FSK-Prüfung]

Screening:

Erstaufführung (DE): 08.03.1957, München, Sendlinger Tor-Lichtspiele, Rathaus-Lichtspiele;
TV-Erstsendung (DE): 27.07.1961, ARD