The family tree of Dr. Pistorius

Movie
Original title	The family tree of Dr. Pistorius
Country of production	Germany
original language	German
Publishing year	1939
length	83 minutes
Age rating	FSK none
Rod
Director	Karl Georg Külb ; assistant director Boleslaw Barlog
script	Karl Georg Külb ; Reinhard Köster
production	Universum-Film AG Berlin
music	Lothar Bruhne
camera	Robert Baberske
cut	Hans Heinrich
occupation
	Ernst Waldow : Dr. Fritz Pistorius, senior councilor; Käte Haack : Elfriede Pistorius, his wife; Heinz Wieck : Hermann Pistorius, son of both; Carsta Löck : Marie Klambusch, maid; Otto Wernicke : Franz Tettenborn, master shoemaker; Helga Mayer : Irene Tettenborn, his daughter; Hans Leibelt : Schuhbrink, Medical Council; Günther Brackmann : Philipp Stuckert, apprentice; Ingolf Kuntze : Gieseking, Syndic; Renée Stobrawa : Käthe Gieseking; Rudolf Schündler : Baron von Bekker; Eduard Bornträger : Ingram, tax inspector; Ewald Wenck : August Lustig, cemetery attendant; Maria Krahn : Lustig's wife; Ulla Blasius : Stupsi, BDM girl; Trude Haefelin : Alexa; Franz Arzdorf : Dr. In short, regulars; Eberhard Leithoff : Baumüller, regular guest; Valy Arnheim : another regular guest; Leopold von Ledebur : another regular guest; Elvira Erdmann : Gossip base; Ethel Reschke : Gossip; Lothar Geist : student glider pilot; Walter Lieck : Ladies hairdresser; Sascha Oscar Schoening : Man from the club; Egon Vogel : man from the funeral home;

The family tree of Dr. Pistorius is a 1939 German feature film by Karl Georg Külb based on the novel of the same name by Waldemar Reichardt . In the main role, Ernst Waldow embodies the petty bourgeois Dr. Pistorius, who after surprising experiences came to the realization that the value of a person depends on his personality and not on a noble family tree.

It is a reserved film from the Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau Foundation . It is part of the foundation's portfolio, has not been released for distribution and may only be shown with the consent and under the conditions of the foundation.

action

In 1935, Oberregierungsrat Dr. Fritz Pistorius with his wife Elfriede and their son Hermann in the small town of Sodenberg . Most of the time he, who is actually a petty bourgeois, shows a conceited behavior and considers himself a “better gentleman”. Believing to be of noble descent, he investigates his ancestors. He was embarrassed to realize that his ancestors came from the smallest of backgrounds.

The Upper Government Council and his wife are opposed to the political changes in the country, which Hermann Pistorius is enthusiastic about. When Hermann falls in love with the daughter of the master shoemaker Tettenborn, the parents are anything but enthusiastic, because they have already chosen what they believe to be a suitable girl for their son.

In addition to his research into his ancestors, Pistorius also gradually led to the realization that the value of a person depends primarily on his personality and that even the most feudal family tree is not decisive for his character. This also leads him to the insight to accept the love of his son for the daughter of the master shoemaker.

When the couple watched from their window as the Hitler Youth marched past singing, they came to the conclusion: “Time has passed us by and we didn't even notice it. The youth are marching their way, that's stronger than us. "

production

The film was produced by Universum-Film AG Berlin under the production management of Erich Holder and copied by Afifa Berlin . The recording manager was Alfred Henseler. The film structures come from Anton Weber and Hermann Asmus . Vera Mügge designed the costumes . Konrad Liß wrote the lyrics. Filming began on July 6th and lasted until mid-August 1939 and took place in Zerbst and Trebbin . The film premiered on December 5, 1939 in the Union Theater Kurfürstendamm in Berlin .

The production costs were extremely low at 484,000 RM . By February 1941, however, the gross profit was only 615,000 RM. The film can therefore only be rated as a moderate success.

reception

Today the film receives little attention. The media scientist Lisa Pine sees the film as part of the National Socialist family policy, in which the role of parents in raising children was pushed back in favor of state organizations, for example the Association of German Girls .

In Bogusław Drewniak's The German Film 1938–1945 it says: “Firmly on the home soil was' The family tree of Dr. Pistorius' - a farce of political reality. […] Pistorius' illegitimate son has meanwhile become Hitler Youth leader in the glider pilots. This gave the film authors the opportunity to show the film audience around 500 Hitler Youth and BDM girls. [...] The film wanted to spread hope: The philistine Pistorius will become an even better person. "

After the end of the Second World War , the family tree of Dr. Pistorius classified as a reserve film because of the National Socialist propaganda it contained . Since then, its public performance has only been possible to a limited extent. Today the Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau Foundation claims the evaluation rights.

Web links

The family tree of Dr. Pistorius in the Internet Movie Database (English)
The family tree of Dr. Pistorius at filmportal.de
The main building of the Dr. Pistorius at Murnau Foundation

Individual evidence

^ Ulrich J. Klaus: Deutsche Tonfilme, 10th year 1939, p. 181 (089.39). Berlin 1999.
↑ Lisa Pine: Nazi Family Policy, 1933-1945 ; Berg 1997, p. 57.
^ The German Film 1938–1945. A complete overview . Düsseldorf 1987; P. 514 f.

[1] Ulrich J. Klaus: Deutsche Tonfilme, 10th year 1939, p. 181 (089.39). Berlin 1999.

[2] Lisa Pine: Nazi Family Policy, 1933-1945 ; Berg 1997, p. 57.

[3] The German Film 1938–1945. A complete overview . Düsseldorf 1987; P. 514 f.