Robert Mayer - The doctor from Heilbronn

Movie
Original title	Robert Mayer - The doctor from Heilbronn
Country of production	GDR
original language	German
Publishing year	1955
length	95 minutes
Rod
Director	Helmut Spieß
script	Alfred Reinhold Böttcher
production	DEFA
music	Joachim Werzlau
camera	Robert Baberske
occupation
Emil Stöhr : Robert Mayer Otto Stübler : Johann Friedrich Closs Martin Flörchinger : Fritz Mayer Walther Süssenguth : Justus Liebig Herwart Grosse : Councilor von Zeller Hilmar Thate : Dr. Bean Harald Halgardt : Dr. Landerer Gerd-Michael Henneberg : Gustav von Rümelin Werner Segtrop : Adolf von Rauch Wolf Goette : Johann Gottlieb Nörrenberg Gisela Uhlen : Wilhelmine Mayer Fred Düren : Officer Carola Braunbock : patient Deli Buchinski : Mayor of Heilbronn Fred Mahr : Mayor of Heilbronn Kurt Mühlhardt : King Wilhelm of Württemberg Hugo Nilius : patient

Robert Mayer - The Doctor from Heilbronn is a GDR feature film by Helmut Spieß produced by DEFA . It had its premiere on October 28, 1955 in the Babylon cinema in Berlin and in the DEFA film theater Kastanienallee.

action

The doctor Robert Mayer (1814–1878), who worked in Heilbronn , discovered the law of conservation of energy in 1840 . His work was published in 1842 in the writings of the privy councilor Justus von Liebig . Because of his discovery he is appointed city doctor by the citizens of Heilbronn.

The physicist, however, ignores the doctor. Professor Johann Gottlieb Nörrenberg from the Chair of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy at the University of Tübingen, for example, rejects Mayer's writings because they allegedly violate Christianity. Other scientists later discover the law and are recognized in specialist circles. Because of this injustice, Mayer falls ill with depression.

Robert's wife Wilhelmine Mayer , née Cloß, advocates the publication of his discoveries and begs her father for the necessary money. Robert's father-in-law, the merchant Johann Friedrich Cloß, sends his son-in-law to the insane asylum because he fears that Robert will waste the family fortune on the publication of false theories. In the insane asylum, Hofrat von Zeller harassed the misunderstood scientist and tore up his writings before his eyes. However, King Wilhelm of Württemberg awards him a medal and arranges for the broken man to be released from the insane asylum.

Production notes

The film was produced in the Babelsberg studio. The outdoor shots were taken in and around Berlin.

Reviews

“Biographical feature film about Robert Mayer, the discoverer of the Energy Act, who, after hard struggles, asserts his knowledge against retrograde views. Somewhat instructive entertainment with a socially critical accent. Staged in conventional style. "

- Lexicon of international film

Web links

• Robert Mayer - The doctor from Heilbronn in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• Robert Mayer - The doctor from Heilbronn at filmportal.de
• Robert Mayer - The doctor from Heilbronn at the DEFA Foundation

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Dr. Alfred Bauer: German feature film Almanach. Volume 2: 1946-1955 , p. 551
2. ↑ Robert Mayer - The doctor from Heilbronn. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .