The chorale of Leuthen
The Leuthen Choral is a German historical film that premiered in 1933. Directed by Carl Froelich and with the assistance of Arzén von Cserépy and Walter Supper , Otto Fee and Olga Chekhowa as well as Elga Brink and Harry Frank play the leading roles. The screenplay was written by Walter von Molo using the novel Fridericus . The film is one of the Fridericus Rex films and deals with the events of the Battle of Leuthen in 1757 during the Seven Years' War .
action
At the end of 1757 the situation for Prussia was very difficult. Although Friedrich II won victories in Thuringia and Saxony, August Wilhelm von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern lost the Battle of Breslau in Silesia and is on the retreat. Frederick II hurries to Silesia to gather and unite his army.
The Prussian Rittmeister Hans von Wustrow spontaneously decides to marry the Silesian Countess Charlotte von Mudrach. Since no pastor can be found, the marriage is concluded through the soldier Christian, who is the candidate of theology. Immediately afterwards the Prussians withdrew and the Austrians occupied the Countess's castle near Lissa . The Austrians set up their headquarters in the castle. When von Wustrow visits his wife one night, he learns that the Austrian headquarters are in the castle. He is discovered but is able to flee. The Austrian generals then want to bring the countess to court martial.
Frederick II decides to seek battle with the Austrians, even though his army is less than half the size. Knowing about the great risk, he dictated his will to a Saxon officer sentenced to death the night before the attack. In the battle, among others, the candidate of the theology Christian fell. At the end of the battle, Friedrich arrives alone at the Austrian headquarters, where he is warmly welcomed and entertained. When the Pandur Colonel Rawitsch wants to take the king prisoner, the Prussian troops can be heard singing the song Now thank all God and Friedrich announces to the Austrians that they have lost the battle. When Prussian soldiers occupy the castle, Rittmeister von Wustrow can free his wife.
Background notes
The film was released in German cinemas on February 3, 1933, a few days after the Nazis came to power . It was the third sound film with Otto Fee in the role of Frederick the Great. The film was shown in Austria under the title Der Führer seine Volkes . The author and critic Karlheinz Wendtland wrote: “Friedrich the Great is presented as an extraordinary personality. Following his genius and not the suggestions of his military, he goes to the battle of Leuthen and wins. This king has always been the role model for all nationalist Germans, “which several silent films would testify to. Hitler also set a monument to this, his model, in his book Mein Kampf . The film was banned by the Allied military censorship in 1945.
It is a legend that Friedrich II accidentally came to the Austrian headquarters during the Battle of Leuthen . Veit Harlan and Wolfgang Staudte , who later became famous as directors, can be seen in supporting roles.
criticism
“Historical film about the Battle of Leuthen (1757), in which the Prussian troops were able to defeat the Austrians. On the edge the romance between a Prussian officer and an Austrian baroness. Although the film was later criticized as "too private" by the official Nazi criticism, with its homage to Friedrich II as the absolute leader personality, it is an early reading of the history of the National Socialist ideology that soon prevailed. "
See also
Web links
- The Choral of Leuthen in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Karlheinz Wendtland: Beloved Kintopp. All German feature films from 1929 to 1945 with numerous artist biographies born in 1933 and 1934, edited by the author Karlheinz Wendtland, Berlin, Chapter: Films 1933, Film No. 16.
- ↑ The Choral von Leuthen. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .