Saxony's glory and Prussia's glory
Sachsens Glanz und Preussens Gloria is a six-part television film that goes back to historical events between 1697 and 1763. Together with the multi-part Die Gläserne Fackel from 1989, which reproduces the chronicle of the Carl Zeiss company , the large-scale production at the end of the GDR is one of the few positively interpretable representations of " feudalism " or " imperialism " of GDR film history and thematizes Brandenburg -saxon relations . The quality of the equipment and the number of actors exceeded all previous DEFA films.
action
1. Countess Cosel (1)
The Elector August the Strong, humiliated by the defeat in the Great Northern War against Sweden, returns to Saxony with his young Swedish adversary and his soldiers on his neck. The winner demands the losing tribute from Saxony and his people. Injured and disgruntled, August the Strong seeks variety in irrepressible feasts and feasts. One of these feasts ends with a bet, in the outcome of which Anna Constantia von Hoym, née von Brockdorff - the wife of the Saxon director of accreditations - is summoned to the court to show whether her husband has made his bet - she is the most beautiful woman in Saxony - can win. From the first moment August is fascinated by this woman, whom he will later make Countess Cosel. Princess Teschen is forgotten, Hoym is sent to Lusatia and August begins a tough campaign for his most beautiful and longstanding mistress . She wrests a promise of marriage from him and shows her fate the way ...
2. Countess Cosel (2)
Countess Cosel rules Saxony and its ruler. But she interferes in politics, wants to be more than bed playmaker for the capricious Saxon ruler. And again the intrigues take their course. The court knows how to cleverly launch Anna so that she falls out of favor and August - ultimately tired of her - sends her to Stolpen Castle. She tries several times to beg him for mercy, several times she tries to escape with the help of various cavaliers, such as Rittmeister von Rosen. August meanwhile has fun with new mistresses and new festivals. And new faces begin to play their roles at the Saxon court. Including a page named Heinrich von Brühl, who accompanied August repeatedly to the Polish residence in Warsaw ...
3. Brühl - the great career
Heinrich von Brühl brings August III. and his wife the news of the death of August the Strong, who died in Warsaw. A letter in his luggage recommending him - Brühl, who has since become the king's best colleague - his son. But August III. has a hard time deciding between Brühl and Count Sulkowski, his best friend. And so a successful intrigue begins behind his back, which Heinrich von Brühl is supposed to make the most expensive first minister of his royal majesty some time later.
4. Brühl - The duel
August III. is now a Polish king like his father. But governing is difficult for the indecisive esthete. He leaves the affairs of state to his courtiers. Brühl successfully intrigues to the top. August III. is forced to dismiss and ban Josef von Sulkowski, with whom he has a close friendship. The rise of Heinrich von Brühl is inevitable.
5. From the Seven Years War (1)
Two cavaliers, the Swiss bon vivant Simonis and the Pole Maszlowski, get to know the hardening fronts of the Seven Years' War in different ways . One on the side of the Prussian king, the other on the side of his declared enemy - Saxony, his king and his first minister in particular. Prussia invades Saxony, the king and his entourage retreat to the Königstein fortress and try from there to defend themselves against the Prussian siege.
6. From the Seven Years War (2)
The efforts of the Saxons to get rid of the Prussian king and his marauding superiority are taking their course. Friedrich II. Not only escapes the attacks, he settles in Saxony. His troops plunder and pillage. He lets out his anger at Brühl on the Saxon population. Queen Maria Josepha dies exhausted in Dresden, while her husband and his first minister feel the consequences of their years of mismanagement. Both flee to Warsaw.
Production and literary source
Was produced Saxony gloss and Prussia Gloria in 1983 and 1984 by the East German television , the first two parts about Countess Cosel until 1987. The series cost lt. MDR television show look around 21 million East German marks.
Numerous recordings were taken at the actual locations of the action or at historical locations, which served as a replacement for similar but no longer existing buildings or buildings that had been changed too much over the centuries. The shooting locations included the Stallhof in Dresden Castle , the Dresden Zwinger , the Großsedlitz Baroque Garden , Stolpen Castle , Königstein Fortress , Görlitz Old Town, Moritzburg Castle , Bautzner Domstift , Albrechtsburg Castle in Meissen , Sanssouci Park in Potsdam , the Hermitage in Leningrad and the Church of St. Nicholas in Prague .
As a literary model for Saxony gloss and Prussia Gloria three were novels of the Polish writer Józef Ignacy Kraszewski ( Countess Cosel , Brühl and from the Seven Years' War ), also known as Saxony trilogy are known. The novels, which are rich in detail and in some respects strongly differing from the actual historical events, have been tightened and changed considerably for the scripts , so that the film version represents a very free implementation of the novel motifs. There are also several errors in terms of content, for example Heinrich von Brühl was only raised to the rank of count in 1737, but is referred to in the film as a count as early as 1733 and thus on the same level as Count Sulkowski in the nobility rank.
A gag was built into the series by engaging the actor and later director Leander Haussmann for the role of the young Count Brühl . He is the son of Ezard Haußmann , who plays Brühl in the remaining 4 parts. Leander Haußmann was also able to bring his friend Uwe Dag Berlin into the production in the role of young Sulkowski. The two Haußmanns are separated in real life by an age of 24 years. In the film itself, the age difference is only 3 years. Leander Haußmann played the Brühl around 1730, while his father played the Brühl from 1733.
Gert Fröbe was very enthusiastic when he heard about the planning of the multi-part show and wanted to play the role of Augustus the Strong, even offering to participate in the project with an unknown amount of millions. Ultimately, the proposal was rejected. Fröbe was very disappointed and initiated a project himself. In the television play August the Strong from 1984, he then takes on his dream role. This television production can be found as bonus material on the DVD Sachsens Glanz und Preussens Gloria from the Great Stories series .
The shooting of the series was made more difficult by the fact that some buildings were still marked by war damage and only partially rebuilt. B. the Dresden Residenzschloss. There are also various historical inaccuracies. There are some shots in which objects and buildings can be seen that did not even exist at the time of the action. The New Town Hall can be seen in the city views of Dresden , but it was only built between 1905 and 1910. Manhole covers can be seen in different shots , although the first underground sewers were only created in Dresden from 1850. In a shot in the 1st part in which Karl XII. is shown on his ride to Dresden, the two Elbe bridges known as Marienbrücke can be seen in the background , which were only built from 1856 to 1852 and from 1898 to 1901 respectively. Several photos also show gas lanterns , although the first lanterns of this type of lighting in Dresden did not light up until April 23, 1828 at the castle. In other places in the picture z. B. tram rails , light bulbs , telephone lines or pasture fences . The Dresden Fürstenzug , the Semperoper and even the Dresden - Bad Schandau railway line , which was electrified in the 1970s, can also be found in the film. A curiosity in this regard is certainly a conveyor belt that can be seen in the background of a shot in Pillnitz in Part 5. It is partly similar with the music in the film. For example, the coronation of August the Strong in 1697 is accompanied by the Te Deum, composed in 1825 by the composer Anton Reicha , who was born in 1770 . However, with all these historical inaccuracies one has to realize that they are hardly noticeable in the film due to skillful camera work and editing.
Aftermath
In 2011, the Dresdner and Chemnitzer Morgenpost included the entire television series in six parts as a DVD with their editions. At the same time she started a 25-part newspaper series, which dealt with the GDR filming. The filming in Dresden was scrutinized, the problems during the production were highlighted, and the actors and the director were introduced. In addition, the historical story of August the Strong and his opponents was examined from a new perspective. The reaction from the readers was overwhelming. A second part of the series appeared under the motto: "What was left of the shine". Author Jens Jungmann went on a search for traces in Warsaw, Krakow, Dresden, Pretzsch, Hubertusburg and many other places where the two great electors worked, and brought many still completely unknown details and secrets to light. The directors and experts of the museums of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen zu Dresden, the Saxon Main State Archives, the Palaces and Gardens of Saxony, the Pretzsch Heimatverein, the Royal Palace in Warsaw and the Wawel in Krakow were always helpful and with in-depth knowledge. Both series brought the Morgenpost a circulation increase of 25 percent, which is why the Dresden printing and publishing house (DD + V) decided to completely revise the series in May 2012 as a book with photos, paintings and sketches under the title Sachsens Glanz und Prussens Put Gloria on the market.
literature
- Józef Ignacy Kraszewski: Countess Cosel. A woman's fate at the court of August the Strong. Historical novel (original title: Hrabina Cosel ). German by Hubert Sauer-Žur. Aufbau-Taschenbuch-Verlag, Berlin 2000, ISBN 3-7466-1307-8 , 305 pp.
- Józef Ignacy Kraszewski: Count Brühl. Historical novel (original title: Bruehl ). German by Alois Hermann . Aufbau-Taschenbuch-Verlag, Berlin 2000, ISBN 3-7466-1306-X , 301 pp.
- Józef Ignacy Kraszewski: From the Seven Years War. Historical novel (original title: Z siedmioletniej wojny ). German by Liselotte and Alois Hermann. Aufbau-Taschenbuch-Verlag, Berlin 2000, ISBN 3-7466-1308-6 , 310 pp.
- Sabine Spindler: Prussia in the GDR media, illustrated using the example of “Saxony's glory and Prussia's glory” . In: The change in the image of Prussia in the GDR media ( Federal Agency for Civic Education , series of media advice, issue 1). 2nd ed. Bonn 1997, pp. 11-18.
- Dirk Jungnickel : Workshop talk with Albrecht Börner . In: ibid., Pp. 19–35.
- DVD edition (6 parts) of Morgenpost Sachsen , 2011
- Jens Jungmann. In: Morgenpost Sachsen (Dresden, Chemnitz), series by, 2011
- Jens Jungmann: Saxony's splendor and Prussia's glory . 1st edition. SZ edition, Dresden 2012
- Power struggle at court . In: Berliner Zeitung , January 13, 2003; to Saxony's glory and Prussia's glory
- Yesterday a king . In: FAZ , June 19, 2010; to Saxony's glory and Prussia's glory
Web links
- Part 1: Countess Cosel in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Part 2: Brühl in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Part 3: From the Seven Years' War in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Saxony's glory and Prussia's glory . Kabelein's film dictionary.