The winter that was a summer

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Movie
Original title The winter that was a summer
Country of production Germany
original language German
Publishing year 1976
length approx. 355 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Fritz Umgelter
script Fritz Umgelter , based on the novel by Sandra Paretti
production HR / ARD
music Rolf Unkel
camera Horst Thürling
cut Brigitte Siara
occupation

The winter that was a summer is a 3-part hr / ARD television play by Fritz Umgelter based on Sandra Paretti's novel with Günter Strack , Christian Quadflieg and Sigmar Solbach in the leading roles. The three-part series deals with the German participation in the American War of Independence (1776–1783) and was also intended as a contribution to the 200th anniversary of the USA.

action

Part 1 (ARD: December 19, 1976)

Kassel 1775: The Landgrave of Hessen-Kassel has the rich merchant Gottfried Haynau elevated to hereditary nobility in order to get money for his expensive amusements. In addition, Haynau's son Claus is supposed to marry the pretty Christine von Sonsfeld, whom the Landgrave wants to make his new mistress.

Claus, an officer in the Colonel Rall's regiment , doggedly hunted down the deserter Soerman, without realizing that his half-brother Robert was helping him. Robert then learns surprising news from Soerman ...

Part 2 (ARD: December 21, 1976)

The Landgrave of Hessen-Kassel wants to rent 12,000 mercenaries to the British king for 30 thalers per head . They are to be used in the fight against rebellious colonists in America. When one of the stubborn recruiting officers is killed, Robert von Haynau comes under suspicion of murder. His stepbrother Claus von Haynau hands him over to his persecutors, and Robert is to be executed .

Instead, he ends up with the mercenaries destined for America. Colonel Rall ordered him to join the battalion that Claus von Haynau was subordinate to.

Part 3 (ARD: December 26, 1976)

On August 26, 1776, Colonel Rall's regiment fought its first battle at Flatbush.

In December the Rallschen hunters move into quarters in Trenton on the Delaware. Claus von Haynau, battalion commander, harasses his stepbrother Robert wherever he can. Together with Soerman and his mother, Robert wants to flee to the nearby property of his biological father. Claus tries to prevent that.

Christmas 1776: The Americans under General Washington surprisingly attack the Hessian mercenaries on the Delaware. Here the arguments between Claus and Robert reach their climax.

Historical background

The three-part series has a historical background: on January 15, 1776, Landgrave Friedrich II of Hessen-Kassel signed a contract with the British king, according to which he rented 12,000 Hessian soldiers for a bounty of 30 thalers. They had to fight for him in the American Revolutionary War.

DVD

In August 2009 the television film was released in a DVD version on a total of 3 DVDs. As additional material there is a 10-minute making-of from 2002, in which u. a. explains why so much Frankfurt dialect can be heard in a film that is set in northern Hesse.

literature

Web links